pacing tips

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pinktoesjb
pinktoesjb Posts: 302 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, all winter I train on a treadmill because I'm weak and scared of the cold :-(
Back outside now and my pacing is horrible I don't feel like I'm going that hard but I keep burning out and having to walk more sections than I would like. Does anyone have any tips to help fix this? Preferably without needing headphones as I like to be able to hear what is going on around me as the routes I run are pretty remote.

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  • SBRRepeat
    SBRRepeat Posts: 384 Member
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    You could try singing aloud- that way you'll have to adjust your pace so it's easy/conversational in order to do so. I'm not suggesting belting out Pitbull while running through crowded areas, but just doing a verse here and there to make sure you're still comfortably breathing. It can be hard to tell if you're not running with a buddy.
    My dad used to sing his Navy Cadences whenever we were hiking...
  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
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    Run slower. You're probably trying to run too fast. Running on a treadmill will always be faster
  • pinktoesjb
    pinktoesjb Posts: 302 Member
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    SBRRepeat wrote: »
    You could try singing aloud- that way you'll have to adjust your pace so it's easy/conversational in order to do so. I'm not suggesting belting out Pitbull while running through crowded areas, but just doing a verse here and there to make sure you're still comfortably breathing. It can be hard to tell if you're not running with a buddy.
    My dad used to sing his Navy Cadences whenever we were hiking...

    I'm not sure that the general public deserve to witness me in jogging pants AND suffer my singing at the same time, but I like the idea of this :-)
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    My rule of thumb is always to run so slow I feel a little silly. I can always all-out sprint when I get close to the end.

    I also recommend running with music playing. When you find a song with a beat that's a sustainable pace for you, you can look it up on jog.fm and find other songs with a similar beats per minute.
  • SBRRepeat
    SBRRepeat Posts: 384 Member
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    pinktoesjb wrote: »
    SBRRepeat wrote: »
    You could try singing aloud- that way you'll have to adjust your pace so it's easy/conversational in order to do so. I'm not suggesting belting out Pitbull while running through crowded areas, but just doing a verse here and there to make sure you're still comfortably breathing. It can be hard to tell if you're not running with a buddy.
    My dad used to sing his Navy Cadences whenever we were hiking...

    I'm not sure that the general public deserve to witness me in jogging pants AND suffer my singing at the same time, but I like the idea of this :-)

    Hahahaha.
    As a rule, I only ever sing when no one is nearby.
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
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    You could try counting, I do this when I am swimming, I use music when I am running... It helps me to concentrate on my rhythm and keeps my strokes more even. Maybe it would work with running too, but I find music the best way, even if you keep the volume quite low for security and awareness.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,268 Member
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    Have you tried pacing with your breathing. step step breathe, step step breathe. depends on how quickly you want to pace but without music you'll need to find that breathing rhythmn. it has worked for me during several races.
  • emuravyeva
    emuravyeva Posts: 103 Member
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    I went back to my band geek roots when I started running. Get a metronome app on your phone and stick it in your pocket, no headphones needed. I like the above recommendation to count in your head, but I found that my counting started to match pace with my feet and not the other way around (band geek problem?). Anyway, happy running :)
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    there's a thing called wind resistance that does NOT affect you when you are running on a treadmill... in order to better simulate running outdoors, increase the incline of your treadmill, and vary it throughout your sessions a few degrees at a time. terrain plays a factor, uphill, downhill... very rarely is the outdoor terrain perfectly level so that will also play on your "pace" outside... IF you are really interested in your performance outside... find a 400 m track and bring yourself a stopwatch. Cross country running, heck any competitive running should include track time to generate muscle memory for things like pace, cadence and stride. and even if you are just running for the joy of hearing your own footfalls and finding those zen moments when it all comes together and there's nothing in the world except you , the road and your breathing... track time will help you find that "place". best of luck to you
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    You just need to monitor and refine till you find your level. In pacing terms then burn out shows its not working. Why not cut the distance in half and figure out a reasonable/ acceptable steady rate which you can run it? If you are outside then you cna often use landmarks to check where you are at what time. Once you can do the shorter distance all the way through, then add a short distance like an extra 200m, alternatively try and improve by a few seconds. Either way a gradual incrase in duration or intensity. The key I find is identifying a pace which pushes you to the extent you need without overdoing it.


    If you still cant resist then use checkpoints to break it into smaller parts i.e at the pace you want you should be passing landmark A at 5 minutes, landmark B at 10 minutes, landmark C at 15 etc. The key is to get to the end at an even pace, assuming thats what you want, so go as steady as needed and then build on it.
  • kristy6ward
    kristy6ward Posts: 332 Member
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    Running outside is definitely an adjustment from being propelled on a treadmill. Simply having to run against wind was so tiring. Try running slower than you think you should be until you become accustomed to the differences. As for pacing, you could try a gps watch or use gps through a smartphone. Or go low tech and try the talk test as you're running. For easy paces you should be able to carry on a conversation, to moderate paces being able to get out fragmented sentences. You could listen to music with only one headphone in, or try audio books which are quieter and would allow you to more easily hear ambient noises.
  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
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    pinktoesjb wrote: »
    SBRRepeat wrote: »
    You could try singing aloud- that way you'll have to adjust your pace so it's easy/conversational in order to do so. I'm not suggesting belting out Pitbull while running through crowded areas, but just doing a verse here and there to make sure you're still comfortably breathing. It can be hard to tell if you're not running with a buddy.
    My dad used to sing his Navy Cadences whenever we were hiking...

    I'm not sure that the general public deserve to witness me in jogging pants AND suffer my singing at the same time, but I like the idea of this :-)

    That's so funny because that's exactly how I keep pace, singing along with my ipod unfortunately my running playlist is combo of rap and songs from musicals. I also joined the gym over the winter and need to keep reminding myself that no one needs to hear me huffing and puffing along to gross rap or the wicked soundtrack.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    Real running is far different than on a treadmill. On a treadmill you do carry your weight but are only moving your legs. On the road or trail you are carrying your weight but now must propel yourself forward and also push against wind resistance.

    You cannot expect to be at the same level of effort. There is no shame in taking walking breaks. Run, walk, run and eventually you will be running more and walking less.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Dont worry about pacing now just go slow and easy, increasing your distance the pacing will take care of itself as you progress and loose weight assuming that is your goal. Myself I work on increasing my pace on treadmill, when I am outdoors I just go the distance maybe that last mile I will burn myself out. What is your current pacing and distance? both on and off treadmill? Also I use Bose in ear headphones unless I am cranking it I can hear the noise around me just fine. One more thing maybe do some hill sprints.
  • davidmg1982
    davidmg1982 Posts: 11 Member
    edited March 2015
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    Hi!, I always set the treadmill inclination to position 2 and block any extra cushioning in the belt, i get this from my running shoes.

    5/5 Two months of indoor training.
    4/5 Four indoor 1 on the road for two weeks (Indoor long run day)
    3/5 Three indoor 2 on the road for three weeks. (Indoor long run day)
    2/5 Two indoor 4 on the road, and i keep it like that. (Outdoor long run day)

    Day 1 - Strong Stride Program 2 DVD (is damn good for runners)
    Day 2 - Yoga/Pilates
    Day 3 - TRX
    Day 4 - Lifting
    Day 5 - Pick a mountain, get to the top
    Day 6 - All you can eat policy (From healthy choices)
    Day 7 - TV, massages, ice therapy, eat.

    I train using the miCoach heart rate monitor, so i move with my heart, but i do love to keep a nice pace and music is everything for me in this point, so i use the Tangerine! app for iTunes, you set up the beats per minute, in my case 172, and automatically creates a play list including all songs with that tempo, is really cool, and it can helps you to gradually increase you pace.

    Slower maybe, but you are still moving!

  • pinktoesjb
    pinktoesjb Posts: 302 Member
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    belgerian wrote: »
    Dont worry about pacing now just go slow and easy, increasing your distance the pacing will take care of itself as you progress and loose weight assuming that is your goal. Myself I work on increasing my pace on treadmill, when I am outdoors I just go the distance maybe that last mile I will burn myself out. What is your current pacing and distance? both on and off treadmill? Also I use Bose in ear headphones unless I am cranking it I can hear the noise around me just fine. One more thing maybe do some hill sprints.

    Treadmill I was making about 30 mins at 8kph and now according to strava I still average at about that but in peaks and troughs I'm either walking or going a lot faster I struggle to hit a sustainable pace I just feel like I'm crawling along. Maybe that is the key to crawl along a little more and get a better idea on markers etc on the route.

    Hill sprints? Why do you hate me? :wink:
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
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    Pacing comes with practice. some people say to listen to music, personally, i found myself slowing or speeding up depending on the song that was playing. if you figure out a proper playlist maybe, but meh, that'd be actual homework, so i ditched the music altogether. now i listen to books if anything at all...

    for me, i try and run so i can say "good morning" and with some effort still sound fresh and chipper no matter where i am in my run.

    the hard part is, that the pace where i feel i am actually working and getting somewhere, is a bit faster than i can maintain for long runs, so every once in a while, i have to tell myself to slow down, or i will have to walk in a few minutes. and whilst walking isn't the end of the world, i'd rather not admit to it ;-)
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    Treadmills are calibrated strangely. The pace you log on a treadmill can be very different than the pace you log outside, even if you're actually running at the same pace. I don't trust the pace the treadmill tells me I'm running. My 5K time increases by about 4minutes on the treadmill and its consistently like that.
    I've gotten used to the idea of 2 different paces: treadmill and outdoors. Both are valid and true to their devices/surfaces; both are very different from each other.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    Yes I would work on increasing your distance at that same pace set a goal, myself I like to round things out to like a even 8 miles or run for hour or hour and half, what ever works for you. As you get the point were you can go the longer distance without dying the pacing will really pick up at the shorter distances.

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