As a novice runner I struggle with pace a lot. I'd say my 5k pace is around 6mins per k and 10k around 6:30. But I so often go out to run long and try to start slow only to hit 6.05 etc at 1k which means I then struggle.
Now we have this extra heat load it's even more important to get the pace right. I have veered away from longer runs lately as I haven't had the time/energy/motivation but I need to jog on a bit more by controlling the pace. Any tips or exercise anyone can suggest.
Also when I do force myself to be very slow it feels like I'm hardly moving. But it's just a perspective/speed trick of the mind, still it plays into me ending up too fast.
Written by
pinkaardvark
Graduate10
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I have the same problem. I'm doing ju-ju's plan aiming at around 6.30 m/km for the longer runs. I set off for the 7k the other day. I'd swear I was going super slow over the first km but turned out I was going at 5.54 m/km which is basically my fastest 5k pace. I did manage to slow down though and ended at 6.28 m/km average over the whole 7 k which i was pleased with. I think one thing that might have helped is my headphones conked out about half way through. I suspect listening to even quite slow music speeds me up and I'm considering listening to a podcast or going unplugged on the longer runs. The other thing I'm thinking about is setting my app to give me stats every 500 m.
Hmm 🤔 I hadn't really considered how music effected things. You may have a point. I could try 500m splits but worry they'd make the run seem longer 🙁. I have tried the pace feature on my garmin but found as I wasn't used to it it just confused me hehe
I ran without music the other day- slowest ever ☺️. This was what I was aiming for and got to 8K. That said, I did the first 1 -2 K with my daughter who is only 8 and that helped set the pace!
So I tried a short experiment tonight. Only 4k but took no tunes. Every 1k turned out within almost 1second and frustratingly bang on 6mins lol. I did have a yoga class to get to so was probably rushing subconsciously. My pace was like a metronome grrr
Try running with a weight vest or a backpack full of books (or bricks or sandbags, depending on how much weight you want/slowing down you want).
i don't mean do this all the time, just try it for a couple of runs, probably shorter ones until you get used to it. It will slow you right the hell down for obvious reasons, but it also has interesting physiological lessons. I did it for a few weeks last year. In fact started running all of C25k with a 15kg vest as an experiment (that I had to abandon due to chafing. Make sure whatever you use fits snugly) and it taugt me a whole new approach to how I run. I still sometimes go for long brisk walks like this. it is a whole other thing.
The easiest most practical one is actually a backpack with a couple (or half a dozen depending) of water bottles in. this allows you to lighten your load as you go, if required, by just emptying some out, and also have water to replenish yourself ditto.
If you do try this I would advise starting with less weight than you think: what feels fine when you put it on quickly gets heavy as you run. Somewhere between 5 & 10kg is a good start point.
I need these tips to, we seem to suffer the same. I am doing just under 6min km for 10k but the last 2 k inparticular are slowing significantly. I have tried to go off slowly but for some reason the first 2k are btween 5:30 and 5:45. I ran with a friend at park run on Sasturday and i thought I was going really slow but still got him through in 29:25, so def not got the handle on pacing
I have a similar problem but not enough expertise to advise on the right solution ☹️
I’ve been using my Garmin to monitor my pace as I run. It’s a bit frustrating as the pace on screen takes a while to catch up, and I end up glancing at my watch every 30 seconds, but it kind of works for me. This morning I was aiming for 6mins per k and averaged 5.55 so quite close. I suspect you may have tried that already.
I did something similar one run with heart rate - used the heart rate monitor and adjusted pace to keep it in a constant zone. That might be useful for the heat - it slowed me right down and made me really focus on breathing.
Come and run with me - I’ll soon slow you down 😂😂😂
Ive always had the problem of never really knowing how fast I am until my Nike app tells me , “1k done at xx pace”, I’m totally clueless it’s either 5:40 or 6:50 , they both feel the same to be honest, it’s always a suprise, it’s not until the 2k i then feel if it’s another 5 minute k or not , mainly coz I’m huffing and puffing like a steam loco, all I can reliable feel is that by 8k out of 10, it’s slowing down to “ a barely hanging on -come on just put one more foot in front of the other please” 7:30 “ ..for the remaking 2k 🤦🏻♂️
I put it down to I was an idiot and everyone else knew what they were doing and had some secret way of controlling their breathing 👍🏻🤪
I found the best way to stick to an easy conversational pace (without talking to myself) is to keep my mouth shut so I am breathing only through my nose. Not all the time, just when I find that my pace is picking up a bit.
Leave your watch off and go for a leisurely run 🙂 once the watch has gone you are more likely to go into the slow zone
I regularly go grocery shopping with my backpack on so my speed on the return leg is always slower than the outward leg. Serves a practical purpose too 👍
When I want to slow down I consciously slower my cadence and that works for me. But be careful about slowing too much. The movement uses different muscles and can really hurt the first few times. Like everything else here, build up to it slowly.
I once slowed right down as per an ASICS plan and I was in real pain the next few days 🙁
This is really hard to get right but so worth it if you are going on a long run. I look qat the pace on my watch and slow myself down. I imagine there is someone pushing me the other way. Its very easy to start fast but you will find that you can go so much further if you slow right down.....
Yep, totally aware of this. Hence why i'm looking for tips lol. I did notice for the first time last night that my garmin watch does show the pace at the bottom but I think it is an average over the km or averaged over some other distance and not immediate so has a bit of lag. I totally failed to slow down though, i was aiming for 6:30 and ended up pretty near bang on 6:00 for all 4 kilometres that I ran lol.
I think what happened was I would look at the watch and then slow down, but quickly forgot what I was doing and fell back in to the reverie that is my tangled mind and went immediately back to the prior pace lol
you can change the setting on your Garmin to be actual pace. It sounds like you currently have it on average pace....keep at it, you are doing really well on your running....
That’s a good tip. Just checked and made sure mine shows pace and not average pace. I have a feeling it already did. Do you find it takes up to 20 seconds to catch up when you slow down or speed up? I’ve noticed a lag but not sure if that’s because I was on average pace.
yes... when I was pushing for faster 5k's it always took about 20 seconds to catch up, sometimes longer... and ditto the other way!!!! I keep mine on average pace now as I am not currently pushing to go faster etc... You can also change that one to be elevation. I found that useful when I was doing the Strava hill climbing challenges...
I saw that in the app but not tried it yet. Might have a play tonight ready for another attempt at intervals tomorrow. I could literally spend all day planning my runs if work didn’t rudely interrupt.
Right, I really recoomend 30,20,10 intervals. I got my 5k from 31 to 26 minutes using these. My son programmed it for me. set a 1 mile warm up, the 30,20 and 10 second intervals X5, then 2 minute rest, and then 2 more times, then cool down mile. Its really really good fun: runnersworld.com/peak-perfo...
Will have a good root around with the settings. I may leave it on average pace now I understand what it is though. I did just notice my fenix 5 has a yoga setting, god knows what that tracks.. how much I sweat down dogging maybe.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Slower pace difficulties
Advice/tips to slow pace
Speed Challenge Week 4 - getting slower 😞
Getting back into running after a back problem
Tips for better morning running?
