How to pace in training?

crista_b

Ok. I've been doing c210k, but I'm done with that and starting a new training plan (SmartCoach from Runner's World) to increase my distance to 10 miles by the end of November and after, I'll be starting half-marathon training. Now, the c210k training is just run x minutes, walk y minutes, run x minutes, but the plan I'm starting includes easy runs, tempo runs, speedwork, long runs, at set paces. I've never run using pacing, and whenever I would run and try to think of what pace I was going, I was never right. I've tried using songs of certain BPMs to keep the right pace, but my stride must be really short or something because I was always taking "too many" steps to keep with the BPM and pace.

My question for all you "experts" here is this: how do you pace while training? How do you make sure that you're going at the pace you need to for your training? I have a smartphone so if there's an app that I can use by setting a pace and have it tell me when I go too fast or too slow, that might help.

Edited to clarify: The couple responses I've gotten are great, but I don't think I was very clear with my question. I use the Map My Run app while running so every half mile it tells me my pace. I'm just really bad at keeping it consistent and knowing what my pace is in the first half mile and in between each announcement. I'm just wondering if there's a good way to learn how to set my pace from the start, know what it is, and keep it consistent. Otherwise I know I'll end up with varying split paces that may be way off from the guideline pace in my program*.

*Note: The guideline paces for each kind of run in this plan is based off my recent 5k pace. I haven't run a 5k, but I've been paying attention to how long it takes me to do a 5k during my recent 44-4.5 mile runs so that I could put that in to create the plan. My recent 4-4.5 mile runs have been at avg. paces in the range of 13:50-14:20 so the easy and long runs in my plan are in the 15-16 minute pace range, and tempo and speedwork runs are 13-14 minute pace range.

Thanks in advance for any help!

ZenInTexas

I am not an expert. However to determine your paces you can do a "Magic Mile". Do that and then plug it into the McMillan pace calculator and it will give you all the paces you need for training. Or if you have run any races you can use a recent race time. I was using Runtastic on my smartphone to track all my times and paces and it's fairly accurate. Accurate enough to get you through your training.
http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/resources/gallracepredict.html

SonicDeathMonkey80

1) I used to use Endomondo on my smartphone, and it would announce my lap pace at any interval I set. Unless you're holding and futzing around with a phone, you don't get the immediate feedback, but you get a nice UI.

2) Recommended option - get a reliable GPS watch. You get immediate feedback, and a better UI the more high end you go.

I had an issue with pacing a few months ago. My training runs were way too fast and I was constantly recovering. Once you get used to your training pace, you'll just know where it's right.

As far as the actual pace, I have a runner's bible that has a table with 10K times/VO2 training paces. I plugged in mine, and it said 10:30, so I try to stay around that.

arc918

Until you build your endurance, you want to run nice and easy most of the time.

What does your current training look like? Are you running all the way through or taking walk breaks?

A bunch of speedwork is overkill if you haven't built up your endurance yet.

What is your 5K time?

crista_b

Until you build your endurance, you want to run nice and easy most of the time.

What does your current training look like? Are you running all the way through or taking walk breaks?

A bunch of speedwork is overkill if you haven't built up your endurance yet.

What is your 5K time?

I've been doing the Zen Labs c210k program without additional walk breaks from what it schedules. The last week of the plan is 60 minutes running, no walking except in the warm-up and cool down.

There's only 4 speedwork days in the entire 11 week plan I have.

I haven't done a 5k yet, but I've been paying attention to how long it takes me to get to that distance when I do my 60-minute runs. Right now I'm around 41-43 minutes (hoping to have my first official 5k on Sept 29 be sub-40).

Here's a pic of the first couple weeks of my schedule:

If that's hard to read, here's the link to a slightly bigger version: http://i.imgur.com/KE3jD8h.png

likitisplit

There are three ways of training: pace (GPS watch), perceived effort, actual effort (heart rate)

I use perceived effort:
Easy run - converse easily/can maintain pace for six miles
Tempo run - broken phrases/can maintain pace for 2 miles but a nice asthma attack or tree falling in front of you would come in handy
Interval - sprint/can't talk/probably will throw up at the end of the block

likitisplit

If you compare your actual times to the planned times, you'll soon get a handle on it

SonicDeathMonkey80

Try this out, and remember that it's just loose guide (especially when you get to HM+). I think anything above 5 miles with this is subject to a lot more physiological forces than the number cruncher can necessarily reflect. I put in my HM time, and everything below it is pretty dead on, but the FM time is whack.

http://www.runnersworld.com/tools/race-times-predictor

Then, take the time and put it in here

http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/

Once again, take with a grain of salt. Lots of other factors at play.

crista_b

Thanks for the feedback, folks! I did the first easy run this morning which was scheduled as 3 mi @ 15:47. I tried to just focus on going slow and used Varda's idea of marking the kind of run based on perceived effort. So I kept slow so that it was easy enough that I could have had a conversation (actually did talk a little while running when giving directions to a fellow runner who was from out of town) and ended up with 3 mi @ 14:51 avg. I changed the settings on my Map My Run app so that it would tell me my avg pace every 0.10 mi (I'll change it to 0.25 mi next time, but I wanted the constant updates with my first time trying to keep a certain, consistent pace), and every time it told me my average pace, it stayed consistently in the 14:45-15:00 range so I'll take that as a good thing.

Thanks again, everyone!

thepetiterunner

There are three ways of training: pace (GPS watch), perceived effort, actual effort (heart rate)

I use perceived effort:
Easy run - converse easily/can maintain pace for six miles
Tempo run - broken phrases/can maintain pace for 2 miles but a nice asthma attack or tree falling in front of you would come in handy
Interval - sprint/can't talk/probably will throw up at the end of the block

^ This, totally.

I use a GPS watch that tracks my HR, but also I pay attention to how hard I'm feeling I'm working. It works pretty well and once you get tuned into your body, it becomes easier and easier.

WhataBroad

Runkeeper has various training plans built into the app, for all levels of runners and it tells you what your pace should be for that particular training session. That combined with my Garmin, has taken all the guess work out for me and has helped tremendously as I learn to become a more efficient runner!

ETA: I would also suggest, as you are breaking into this wonderful world of running, that you not place a big emphasis on speed work as this is where a greater liklihood of injury can take place. Focus on endurance with your long runs and with it will come speed

mjpTennis

A couple of ways that I pace -
Endomondo app tells me what my pace is real time on my iphone. Free app.

I also pace based on my foot cadence. My best cadence is 3 steps per second so I know that when I am hitting that i am in my calibrated pace. After a while, I really can just tell what my pace is.

The other way I pace for runs is by my heart rate or perceived effort.

Once I have learned what pace I can run to have a gauge, I really did settle into long, slower runs and it has given me my best results.

crista_b

Thanks for the additional help, everyone!

I would also suggest, as you are breaking into this wonderful world of running, that you not place a big emphasis on speed work as this is where a greater liklihood of injury can take place. Focus on endurance with your long runs and with it will come speed

I'm not going to focus too much on the speedwork. There's only 4 speedwork days scheduled in the entire 11 week program, and if I can't do the pace scheduled, I'm not going to worry about it. I know speed comes in later. I'm just trying to figure out a good way to keep my pace consistent. My perceived effort stays pretty consistent through my whole run, but then my pace will jump up and down and back up with a range of about 45 seconds to a minute+ difference and I'd like if that range was smaller and I could keep my pace consistently around XX min/mile +/- 10 seconds (whatever that XX may be).

Right now, I'm just focused on increasing my distance/endurance while keeping my pacing consistent.

mlb929

I also started running using perceived effort. After running for a year - I got a garmin, that I could understand and keep track of my paces and consistency. I think just getting out there, getting the distances in is far more important. I believe you should end your runs like you still have some left in the tank but also like you got a good workout in.

wild_wild_life

I have a garmin forerunner 10, it's a cheap, basic model (around $100 I think) with no HR monitor but tells you pace and distance. I could never use perceived effort -- sometimes the same pace can seem like either a struggle or a breeze! The watch really helped me keep track of pace for my 1/2 marathon training.

likitisplit

I think your pace will settle down with experience, but a GPS watch would help a lot.

sjohnny

I have a garmin forerunner 10, it's a cheap, basic model (around $100 I think) with no HR monitor but tells you pace and distance. I could never use perceived effort -- sometimes the same pace can seem like either a struggle or a breeze! The watch really helped me keep track of pace for my 1/2 marathon training.

I have the FR60 with the chest strap HRM and the footpod for pace and distance. I'm the same with my perceived effort not being a good gauge. I'm still pretty new at running though so maybe with time.

crista_b

I'll have to look into a GPS watch. I already use a HRM with a chest strap, and I'll probably look crazy if I have 2 watches on (1 GPS, 1 for HRM), but oh well. :laugh:

thepetiterunner

I'll have to look into a GPS watch. I already use a HRM with a chest strap, and I'll probably look crazy if I have 2 watches on (1 GPS, 1 for HRM), but oh well. :laugh:

Check to see if the Garmin might not be able to sync up to the other. Some brands (Polar) does sync up to Garmin (or so I've heard).

crista_b

I'll have to look into a GPS watch. I already use a HRM with a chest strap, and I'll probably look crazy if I have 2 watches on (1 GPS, 1 for HRM), but oh well. :laugh:

Check to see if the Garmin might not be able to sync up to the other. Some brands (Polar) does sync up to Garmin (or so I've heard).

Thanks! I have a Polar FT4F so I'll look into it before I buy one. I don't really have any money to buy another device right now anyway. If I did, I'd probably get a good, digital food scale first. I'm working with this right now: