Rave: Even Pacing

At every distance from the 400 meters up through the Marathon, the most efficient way to run and the strategy that will produce the fastest times is to run as close to even splits as possible.  If you are going to misjudge the pace, it's actually better to be a little on the slow side especially if you are a kicker.  They say that for every second that you are out too fast, you can expect to give back twice as much on the back half. 

Suppose that your ceiling is a 5:00 Mile, you need to be out in 75.0 on the first lap and maintain it to the finish.  It's okay to go maybe 1-2 seconds in the red in lap 3 because you can make your last lap your fastest.  If you go out in 70, you'll need to hold it around 77-78 for laps 2-3 then come home in 75.  Unless you are capable of around 4:50 with an even pace, you won't make it.  Instead, you'll slip to 79-80 then only manage a 76 last lap for a finish around 5:05.  Go out in 65 and you'll suffer a ghastly fade to 5:20 or worse. 

I attended the NCAA indoor nationals yesterday and observed that in the 400 and 800 meters, as is usually the case, the early pace is MUCH too fast.  By contrast, the Mile and the 3000 start out slow as a tactical race then it heats up in last half for a strong negative split. 

In the 400, the winning time on the Men's side was outstanding at 44.82, which is the fastest time that I have witnessed in person.  Truthfully, it could have been about about 6 tenths faster.  The leader came through the first 200 in 21.4 seconds (WR pace) then faded to 23.4 on the back half.  If he'd held back with a 22-flat, he gains back 1.2 seconds and comes home in 22.2.  In most world class races, the first 200 is run below 21 seconds then the pace slips and the winning time is usually in the mid-high 43s.  I believe that a 42.5 is possible with even pacing but I realize all too well that in competition, pace is difficult to assess especially when it's 1 second per 200 meters.

Same was true in the 800, the winning time was around 1:46 flat after a first 200 in 24.5 and a first 400 in 51 flat.  This one could have been at least 1.5 seconds faster with more even pacing especially in the first 200.  Go out in 26-flat instead and he probably maintains it to the line.  Very often, the first lap in a world class race is under 50 seconds then it slips to 54 on the 2nd lap.  As a result, very often the winner of the race is in the back of the pack early.  It appears that they had a monster finishing kick but the truth is that simply didn't slow down as much as the others. 

Unfortunately, I made the same mistakes when I was in competition.  In my PR 800, I didn't have a split at 200 but it was probably under 30 seconds.  I came through 400 in 62 seconds then struggled through a 71 in lap 2.  If I had held back and opened with a 65, I bet I repeat the 65 and finish in a strong 2:10.xx.  Same in the Mile.  I was usually out at 69-71 then slipped to around 80 by the 3rd lap then only managed 76-77 on the last go round.  With an even pace, I was right on the edge of 5:00.

As an adult, I've been much better at holding the paces.  My best half marathons have always been nearly dead even pace all the way through and I've even managed to negative split a few of them.  I have done negative splits several times in Mile time trials but never in a 5K race.  I've done it a couple of times in a 10K but that was on the Vulcan course with a downhill 5th mile and flat 6th mile after some tough hills in Mile 3. 

Although I did enjoy being at the meet, it did bring back some painful memories and the knowledge that I never realized my potential due to injuries and illness.  I don't kid myself.  There is no way that I'd even sniff the back of the pack in a national meet (1:50 for 800) even if I was perfectly healthy and optimally trained.  I was capable of 2:10 in high school and according to age grading, you can expect to gain 3-4 seconds with natural growth alone.  I was still growing and had only just begun filling out.  Add in the improved fitness of college training and I bet I get close to 2:00.  That's a solid time in D-2 and D-3 but a full 100 meters behind in a world class field and in an 800, that is light years away.