5K Strategy (Page 2)

p.s. Not that speed is the ONLY thing, but my 2 cents have been coming from a guy who raced 3 5Ks last year under 18:00. I ran my first 5K of 2009 this last weekend, I wasn't really trained for it, and I finished in 18:15. Not super speedy, but it did place me first in my AG.

Above everything else, HAVE FUN with the race, and DO WHAT FEELS RIGHT throughout the race!!! But note: 5Ks hurt!

Triboilermaker,
Lots of good advice here and I am hesitant to jump in and offer up much in the way of yet, MORE advice.  Especially since I am not a fast runner, but I am probably a lot older than you too.  Regardless, one particular aspect that to ME is crucial has not been mentioned and that is doing a thorough warm up prior to the start.  The event is so short you do not have time to warm up on the course.  As everyone has indicated, you are going to go out pretty hard right from the start whether it is at 95% or 98% of max. 

Anyway, in the 'for what it's worth' category, I will tell you what allowed me to set my last 5K PR in May at 24:37.  I know that's slow to most of the people on the forum, but this was dramatically faster than my typical 9:00 9:30 training pace, so maybe it will help.

* Consumed a large Monster energy drink about 1 hour before race start
* Ran the 1 mile 'Fun Run' as a warm up at typical training pace and finished about 5 minutes before the 5K start
* Stayed active for the five minutes waiting for the start with some jogging in place, etc. so my body wouldn't stop sending blood to my legs established during the warm up
* Set my MP3 player on a playlist that I knew would get me jacked up
* As usual, everybody wanted to jack rabbit the start and all I saw for the first 1/2 mile were people sprinting ahead
* I fought the urge to go with them, but I was still running hard just jamming to my carefully selected tunes.  Somewhere during the middle mile my mind tuned out the MP3 player 'cause I couldn't tell you what it played for the rest of the race!  I was in the house of pain picking off a few people here and there since I had picked up the pace a little from the start.
* The course was hilly, so I just gutted it out going hard up and let my stride open up on the downhills without any resting to speak of and during the last mile I just kept telling myself this will all be over in about 8 mins., then 6 mins., then 4 mins., etc. 
* In the last half mile I spotted a neighbor's kid about 50 yards ahead of me that started fast and I let go.  I decided I had to run him down no matter what.  I closed the gap, but the darn kid looked over his shoulder and saw me coming about 25 yards before the finish and he held on, just barely.  My wife said I was white as a sheep when I finished, but the neighbor's kid was over in the grass puking.  I'm 52, he is 14.  Friggin' kid never trains and doesn't call himself a runner, yet I couldn't beat him with all of the running I do.  Sheesh!

So, warm up, start hard, speed up as you go, find a 'target' to pick off at the end and keep telling yourself the pain won't last long.  Don't fool yourself because it is only a 5K.  If you run it right, it will be extremely fatiguing.

Greg

Training to race or Racing to train!

My norm seems to go out fast and stay fast, then even faster the last 1.1 miles.

It's your first one and I'm sure you have an idea of what you can do.  No doubt you'll get caught up in the race stuff, it always happens to me, but that's normal.  IIRC, I ran my first 5k 30-40 seconds faster per mile than I thought I could. 

Go after it and then use the McMillan run calculator to make sure you are training with the right paces.

Negative split runner.. though i tend to go out faster in a 5k than in a half mary.. different mind set.

x2. on 5k and below I tipically abandon the strategy and i go very istinctive depending on people I have around. on 10k already I start more conservative on the first 2 or 3k to save energy but 5k you run and you never watch the time. It is my favourite race overall

It seems there is no single strategy that works for all people in all 5Ks. In any event, all this advice is being offered to someone who has no logs and hasn't given any specific details - and as such could be completely irrelevant.

Difference is, the one I linked is an actual study of 5k racing.  The one you linked is a coach's philosophy and opinion.

Based on that and the coaches I have dealt with who are collegiate level coaches I'll stick with what I posted.  It IS the way to get the fastest time for a 5k.  Even splitting or negative splitting are not.

From personal experience, my fastest time (18:22) was with a 5:30 first mile, followed by two 6:15's.  So yes, :45 difference in the first mile over the other two.

And for every single person who ran x-country in high school or college, you know that the sort of strategy above is a must, especially on technical courses where it is hard to pass.

Go for the strategy you want, but I have given this advice before and everyone who has followed it has hit their best 5k time .......

Edited by Daremo 2009-11-11 12:06 PM

During my 5K PR (17:26), my last mile was the fastest by about 45 seconds. So I think those 45 seconds can go either way (fastest at the start, or fastest at the end).

And I don't think you can say EVERY person who ran CC in high school has that idea... Yes, that works for MOST people, and especially on a technical course, but I've run a few road race 5Ks (most likely the kind that TriBoilermaker will be running) that I've won by starting out in 4th and working my way up.

The time that I followed the advice of "go out hard and hold on," I've turned in some of my worst 5K times. I'm NOT saying that Daremo doesn't know what he's talking about... I know that's not the case! I'm just saying that it doesn't work for everyone. I know that what he's recommending DOES work for most people, but running that way gets me a 19:00+ 5K, where as running for a negative split can usually get me under 18:00.

Again, bottom line, run your own race, and ENJOY IT!!

Definitely "enjoy" it as it is over before you know it.  (As much as you can enjoy a 5k).  And obviously if the course is designed with more downhill or tail wind on the last mile one will have a better last mile as a reference.

But there is also a lot of evidence (for all distances) that negative splitting a race is not an efficient way to run.  Yes, the elites do sometimes.  But they are also racing those races for the win and strategy comes into play over the pure fastest time.

I don't think there is a sure-fire way to get your fastest 5k strategy..depends on too many conditions. My norm is to go out fast until I get past the herd..then ease up a bit for the middle mile..and then pick up the pace the last mile and pick off as many as I can...I usually place in my AG in most small town races..of course thats older than the hills and Im a woman.

Donskiman,

I wasn't asking for advice, my original post simply asked what strategy others have used in 5K races. I was curious to see what different approaches there were at this distance. As you can see from the responses there certainly are different philosophies. I don't keep my logs on BT and because of that I wouldn't ask for specific advice on my race strategy without giving more details. I simply wanted to get a discussion going on 5K strategies and see what people thought that had raced that distance. I appreciate all the responses and will consider them all for my situation.

I'm with Rick on this:  My fastest 5K (since HS 30+ years ago, anyhow) was run at 6:00 1st mile, followed by two 6:40's.




Edited by tcovert 2009-11-11 1:38 PM

Fair enough. Have fun!

this is based off of tri running ONLY, i have run very few open 5ks in the past few years.

i got out hard, and try to hang on. first mile is normally the fastest by about 15-30 sec. this has led to many runs in the lower 18 min range.

open 5k, i'll get back to you later this year or early spring.

I'll agree with Daremo to a degree, but 45s is too much. Something more around 15s fast for the first mile is much more managable and will likely give a better result without absolutly blowing your top. It's hard not to go out a little fast anyhow, so may as well plan for it!

Unless your running with the front pack in a XC race where the goal is to just stay in front pack till you or someone else puts in a move. That's completely different situation than 98% of the runners out there will be racing. Than maybe you'll have 45s difference in miles...

This user's post has been ignored.

The article I linked does list studies. Even the one you linked says 6%. I ran in high school and college and I would have been whipped by my coaches if I went out and ran a first mile over my head, you know something like 10% faster than goal pace.  And yes, I just loved those guys in cross country who tore out to get to the trail first and then couldn't hold it and died only to be passed by everyone and ruin a team score. Heck, no world class runner would think of going out 10% faster than goal pace. I am not saying even splitting or negative splitting is going to get you your best time, I am saying 10% is not going to do it either. But your right, go for the stragety you want. Oh yes and the bolded part, that is a coaches philosophy and opinion to.


Here is an artile about the runner world one:
http://coachdeanhebert.wordpress.com/2007/09/03/tactics-pacing-i/

I start out slow and try to hang on to the end!

Another note... and it sort of has to do with going out fast. I hate wearing a watch for a 5k and to a lesser extent 10ks. Mainly because of the fact that I'll always go out a little fast that first mile. Mentally I don't like to see that drop in pace, so I do better with no watch.

So maybe one time try racing with no watch.

As much as hate it, I must side with Daremo. Balls out the whole way works for 5k. Not too good any farther. Scout is right about not worrying about your pacing. If you have to ask then you can't feel the difference between a 6:30 and 6:00 pace.

Best advice I can give is be plenty warmed up for the race! If you aren't and race full blast you're gonna hurt later. And when I say warmed up I don't mean 10 minutes of jogging. I mean 20 minutes of easy running followed by strides to get you ramped up!

And don't stop for water!

Edited by Broompatrol 2009-11-11 2:33 PM

I have to sort of agree with this:  Usually what's happened in my fastest 5Ks hasn't been as much a calculated "strategy" as it has been 1. getting to the first mile marker, 2. looking at my watch, 3. being aghast at having "gone out too fast" yet again...then 4. hanging on the rest of the way.

can anyone give some advice to warming up for a 5K?

Oh, to add to it all:

In the first mile your body doesn't quite "know" it hurts yet.  So the first mile should be the fastest as you are not hit with the true suffering feeling before you are really through it.  If you are specifically holding back in any part of a 5k you better be racing someone for the overall lead and making it a strategic race.

To tie into that, a 5k is an exercise in mental management.  Your body can handle redlining well above your LT for +/- 20 minutes.  It is your mind that gets in the way.  The last 5k I used a HRM in, my average was 190 with a peak of 201.  My LT at the time was about 180 .......

As to the warm up?  That is very individualistic as well.  Some do strides, some do a mile or two slightly over race pace, some do slow and easy.  I personally do a 2 mile easy run with light stretching afterward.  I know this is what works for me.  Others will vary.