Race Advice re: "water stations"

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  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    Depending on the weather, you can actually treat all of the water stations as optional for a 15k. Assuming that you'll finish in something around 70 minutes, I might plan on hitting one at the 35ish minute mark in case you want to have a gel right afterwards but for the most part if you feel good, keep moving. The gel isn't even necessary since the race should be over right around the time you'll be hitting the end of your energy stores.

    Even if you stop, you don't really stop. Just slow down to a walk, shotgun the cup, throw it away in a receptacle, and get moving again.

    With your pacing over 5 miles, I imagine that you can finish in 9:15 min/miles worst case, <9:00 min/miles without much of a stretch, and 8:45 as your aggressive target. Pace for just under 9 for the first 10k but gradually amp it up over the last 3k to 4k if you feel like you have the legs left to go. Give the last 1k everything you've got left in the tank either way.

    For reference, my 5K PR is 7:45 min/miles, 10K PR is 8:20 min/miles, and at race pace I can generally knock out 8 miles in about 8:45 min/miles.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited February 2019
    Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

    Ran a 5k at lunch today ... but man so slippery and cold ... check out the roads!

    Today is my recovery day so not a huge deal but it can be really hard on the hamstrings and stuff.

    pbigorr7lcii.jpg

    It looks very Fort Wayne-ish. I grew up there!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    My advice, as someone who get super nervous and piles the pressure on myself to PB every race, is to try and tone down the overthinking and planned splits for the race. It's the biggest way to lose the enjoyment of the race.

    If you're not planning to run the full distance before the race, then you're automatically getting a PB, and if you are, it should be way slower than you'd race it, so again, automatic PB :drinker:
  • Vladimirnapkin
    Vladimirnapkin Posts: 299 Member
    The funny thing about gels and water in races of this length is that while you might get thirsty (dry mouth, etc), any water you take in won't actually get into your system before you finish! Have water before the race, do what you do in training, with respect to breakfast, and pace it carefully. I find it very helpful to set a "do not exceed" pace for the first mile or two, and then race by feel. It is infinitely more fun to be catching people in the last miles than being passed.

    Also, the first time you run a new distance the odds are good it won't be reflective of your true ability. These things take practice. Have fun!

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