Running Fast Racing Slow

Dominique,
I have got a problem. For my last few 10k-races I was able to run my goal time in my training plenty of times. However, come race day I could not reach my goal pace and had disappointing finishing times.

How can this happen and do you have a solution to this?
Many thanks in advance.by Cindy (San Francisco)

Answer by Dom: Hi Cindy, thanks for your question. Hitting your goal pace in training but not on race day is frustrating, and it is more common than you think. In your case I suspect it is not one problem but a combination — a build-up that is too hard and a race day that starts too fast. I'll break my response down as follows:

1. A sudden drop in fitness
2. Training too intensely
3. A balanced week, with numbers
4. Race week and race day itself
5. Embrace the process

Possibility of Sudden Drops in Fitness

Firstly, it's critical to realise that there could have been sudden decreases in your overall fitness level. As I have gotten older I have become more susceptible to hayfever. Never was a problem in my youth, but the last ten years or so, I have a drop in fitness when Spring hits.

It took me a long time to recognise this.

I have had a string of disappointing races at this time of year. Not saying this is the case with you, but it is worth considering. Look back at your last few races: was it hot, did you have a cold in the weeks before, did the bad ones cluster in one season? Write it down. A pattern tells you more than any training plan can.

Impact of Training Too Intensely

However, I suspect that the drop in fitness has got to do with something else: training with extreme intensity.

Racing a 10k is hard. I struggle with keeping 10k goal pace for a very long time in training.

I definitely am not able to get near my 10k race times in a training session. You are saying that you run faster in your training plenty of times.

If you've been aiming to beat your goal time consistently in your training, it sounds like you've been running at a very high intensity.

If you are always on your smartphone non-stop without ever recharging, at some point it's going to run out of battery. Similarly, overtraining can lead to your body becoming excessively fatigued, and when race day happens, it might not have enough battery to perform.

Here is the test I'd like you to apply. If you can run your goal pace for the full 10k on a normal training day, then your goal is too slow and you should aim higher. If you can only get there by running yourself into the ground every time, those runs are costing you more than they give you.

The Importance of a Balanced Running Program

This, Cindy, is where the rights and wrongs of training come into play. A balanced running program is crucial for race-day performance. Contrary to what some might think, running at full speed all the time isn't the best strategy. Your body needs variety and balance.

A significant portion, at least two-thirds and preferably more, of your training should be made up of easy runs. This is the kind of running where you could chat with a friend without feeling out of breath. It gives your body a chance to build up endurance without pushing it too hard.

I am assuming things. But I think this is a pace you do not use often enough; possibly almost never.

It's not the say there is no space for more intense running. But it should happen once or twice a week. Not all the time. Faster and tougher workouts include hill running, tempo running, or intervals.

Faster workouts will get your heart pumping and add the speed element into your training.

Every speed at which you run, from the easy jog to the full-speed-ahead sprint, fulfills a different purpose in training your body. When you mix and match them in a structured running program, you prepare your body to be balanced and versatile, ready to take on any challenge on race day.

Here is what a sensible week could look like. Say your goal is 50 minutes, which is 5:00 per kilometre:

• Two quality sessions. One goal-pace session broken into pieces — 3 x 2 km at 5:00 per km with 3 minutes jogging between — and one threshold session or hill session. Never goal-pace runs back to back.
• Everything else easy. Easy pace for you is about 6:15 to 6:45 per km. If that feels embarrassingly slow, you are doing it right.
• Every fourth week, a consolidation week. Cut your mileage by 25% and keep the quality sessions short.

Breaking goal pace into pieces is the trick. You practise the pace without paying for it for the next three days.

Race Week and Race Day Itself

Even a perfect build-up can be wasted in the last seven days. Racing slow often comes down to what happens around the race, not the training. Three things to get right:

Taper. Cut your mileage by about 30–40% in the final week, but keep the intensity. Four days before the race, run 3 x 1 km at goal pace with 2 minutes' jogging between — short, sharp, and you finish feeling you had more in the tank. Do nothing hard in the last two days.

The first kilometre. Adrenaline and a crowd will make 5:00 per km feel like a jog. It isn't. Hold back — run the first kilometre at 5:05 to 5:10, settle, and then hold 5:00 from the second kilometre. Push only in the last 2 km. Going out 10 seconds per kilometre too fast in the first half can cost you a minute or more by the finish.

The warm-up. Run 10–15 minutes at easy pace, then four 15-second strides, finishing about 15 minutes before the start. Your first kilometre should not be your warm-up.

Embrace the Process

One last thing, Cindy, remember that it's okay if you can't always outrun yourself. Enjoy the process of running training, of running consistently and slowly but surely getting fitter.

With more balance in your running you should get to race day feeling strong and fresh. And that should lead to better performances. I'm confident that with that approach your run times will start reflecting all the effort and commitment you put into your training.

Happy running and best of luck, Cindy. I can't wait to hear about your next big race!

Kind regards,
Dom

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