Starting today.... keeping pace....

[AlbertRoss]

I'd decided to try out a plan for 10K that Endomondo has created, based apparently on some recent runs, and today was Run 1. Looking at it, the plan seems to be mainly based on one or two interval runs each week, a longer but slower-paced run on a weekend, and occasionally what it describes as a 12 minute test - the idea being cover as far as you can in 12 minutes to give it an idea of your speed endurance etc. At least, that's what it's starting off with. Looks reasonable, and I'm going to add in Strength and Flex sessions a couple of times a week as well. I don't have a particular 10K race in mind, maybe one possibility in late autumn, so if it's not seeming to work I can always try something different.

So today it had me doing a session that was supposed to be....

10 mins warmup at 8:00min/km

3x1km at 6:40/km, with 1 min at 8:00/km to recover

10 mins cooldown at 8:00/km

I did a few minutes walk before starting, and with an audiobook on one ear and Endomondo whispering in the other every minute, off I set along the canal on the grounds that I'd rather do the faster bits on the flat....

What I discovered was that it's actually quite difficult for me to run to a set pace that's not my normal one. The minute updates seemed to show quite an erratic pace, with me having to consciously slow up. Even so the warmup section was at 7:33 pace, the cooldown very similar, and one of the recovery minutes was only slower because I walked a large part of it.... I also overshot somewhat on the intervals, being about 6:30 pace rather than 6:40.

In some ways it's a bit of an ego boost to realise that I can maintain that sort of pace for that sort of time, and it does mean I've just done a run of almost 6K with just about a minute's walking - at the same time, I'd rather do this cautiously than go out all guns blazing. So, any hints as to how to work out and stick to particular paces - including how to run a little more slowly?!

[Tanethra Graduate10]

Its pretty difficult to hit a precise target pace and I suggest say run the pace times with a margin of error of + / - 20 secs. The key thing to observe when running is to evaluate your RPE, (rate of perceived exertion), i.e. what's your breathing like, how hard do you need to focus in maintaining that pace and can you talk a short sentence? Compare your various RPE at the easy pace, tempo pace and maximum pace and use this to gauge your efforts.

[Bazza1234 Graduate10]

I have found "current pace" as indicated by either running Apps or running watches to be almost unusable. The inherent nature of the GPS system has too many inaccuracies in it to be able to calculate instantaneous speeds accurately at slow speeds - (in a car it is OK).

So I have always used "average pace" - it takes a bit of practice but if you have the App to report your average pace to you every minute then you can quickly adjust your pace to give you a close approximation of your desired pace over the duration of the run - the longer the running period the more accurate and more stable your average pace will be - but I can use my running watch to allow me to run 200 metre intervals at a specified pace quite accurately. Also, seeing I am not training for the Olympics ( at least not this year ) - close enough is good enough for me

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

Sounds interesting... I started a new, 'improve my time' for 10K plan on Sunday, so a few of us all embarking on new adventures.. well done you !