Negative splits are HARD

[WeavingWonk]

So...I got a Garmin 45s for my birthday earlier this week. Decided to do a 5 to 10k program from Garmin Connect. Distance, not time, as I have successfully made it to 5k since graduating in June. Yesterday was the benchmark run.

Did a little relaxed 5k bike ride with hubby this morning (he doesn't exercise much so if he says he wants to, I jump to it and go with him). And then changed into my running clothes. Felt fresh still so decided I could do 5k. Slept really well last night for a change.

So...this run was supposed to be 3.22k at slow pace, 1.58k at faster pace, and then 400m even faster.

So I stumbled along trying to figure out how to slow down from my usual snail's pace. (My average for a 5k is about 8:30 - starting at 7:30 and ending at 9:00 as I get tired). Ended up shortening my stride (so basically mincing along) as it feels really weird to try to move my feet less often. Got through the 3.22 at about a 9:30 pace. Then stepped it up to my usual average pace. And at 3.97k my legs were aching, HR was high, and I was sweating buckets.

I gave up. Now it may have been the fact that my route is .5k uphill and then .5k downhill, repeating. Or the fact that I had been for a bike ride already. Or that it was humid. But I just don't know how to do this negative split thing! I slow down over the course of a run instead of speeding up!

I am also fairly sure I need to see a physio to sort out some of the physical reasons I am not running faster. My turnover rate is always 170spm. And I have really long legs. So my stride obviously needs improving!

[UpTheStanley Graduate10]

My guess is that in trying to run much slower than usual you lost any sort of comfortable rhythm, thereby tiring yourself out. If you'd started off at the 9'00"/k pace you usually finish 5k at, things might have gone better. But imho the first thing you need to sort out is a regular pace for a 5k. Use your Garmin to monitor your pace, settle in at at 8'30"/k (8'15" if feeling adventurous) and just try to maintain that throughout (don't believe the first pace readout you see though, give it 30 secs to settle down). It's very rare that it's worth starting a run at a pace you know you won't be able to maintain throughout - I only do it when I'm deliberately trying to extend the distance over which I can maintain the higher speed,

Good luck!

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Great input, thank you! It's a treat to be able to hear the pace information but also a bit depressing to see quite how inconsistent I am. I think I'll take your advice and abandon the training program for now and just try to run at the same pace for the whole run. I don't mean to start faster. I am often surprised when I hear my pace after 1k - not expecting a sub 8 minute pace at all! I'm going to go and run down by the river and nail consistency before trying the negative splits again. Thanks!

[Speedy60 Graduate10]

I'm not convinced your stride needs improving. Professional athletes aim for 180 spm. Obviously leg length makes a difference, but professional runners aren't generally short (like me 😳). Low spm can indicate over striding, which is associated with injuries.

Good luck.

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

Thanks! I just figured I'm not going far enough with each step. Assuming a cadence of 170spm is pretty good, the fact that I am so slow can presumably only come down to a short stride?

[Speedy60 Graduate10 in reply to WeavingWonk]

Have a read of this, it might help.

trainingpeaks.com/blog/find...

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to Speedy60]

Thanks - interesting article.

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

I have really long legs and my cadence is lower than yours. Don’t worry about cadence, it’s not important.

I’ve been working with my friend on improving my pace, and cadence isn’t something he bothered with.

Maybe follow the magic plan to 10k. You shouldn’t be thinking about different pace. Just slow down enough to complete each run.

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

Thanks!

I think maybe I don't know the right words to use. My cadence (steps per minute) are fine I think at 170spm. I think the reason i am so slow is that I don't actually go very far with each step (what I would think of as my stride length, but maybe that's not the right term). And I'm fairly certain that has to do with glute strength and muscle imbalances. I feel as though if I solved that I wouldn't be relying as much on my legs to move me forward, and when I push off I would actually go further.

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to WeavingWonk]

Seriously, don’t worry about it. Just run 😊 You’ll get faster over time, naturally. Bridging to 10k will improve your 5k pace despite you needing to slow down to increase distance. Just keep running. Improvement is a long, slow process over hundreds and thousands of miles.

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

Thanks! I am actually working on bridging to 10k. The Garmin coach has negative splits built in, and it really frustrated me because running (even) slower was really hard work. I feel as though I would be better off without all that fuss. I am hoping to get to 10k before Christmas. It's good to have goals

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to WeavingWonk]

Use the magic plan in the pinned posts instead 👍🏽

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to Tasha99]

I'm signed up for it starting Sept 4th...I was just getting ahead of myself as I got a new Garmin

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to WeavingWonk]

You are using all the right words ..... . The risk in trying to increase stride length it is that you may over-stride, which can lead to the IC. Your cadence is maybe a bit slow, and it might be a bit safer to try and increase that, but the key thing at your stage is to be comfortable.

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

I can get my cadence up to 180 if I am trying to run fast, but I don't last long at that!

I do land with my feet right under my hips, and striding further feels wrong and uncomfortable. I have weak glutes though, and a tight right IT band. Hoping that improving those things will naturally mean less work for my legs and a stronger push off from my back feet. Of course, I am a complete newbie with absolutely no physiology training so I haven't really got a clue what I'm talking about!

In truth, I'll be happy if I can just keep running, and 5k begins to feel relatively easy. And I know that I need to run further for that to happen. So I'm going to try for an even pace over 5k tomorrow and then start doing one longer run a week, pushing it up by .5k each time. I have a tendency to get overly obsessed with things and then they stop being fun. So I should probably stop trying to understand why my pace is slow and just keep running...

[UpTheStanley Graduate10 in reply to WeavingWonk]

Do you kick your heels up behind you by any chance? I have a theory that this can result in your foot landing earlier (I.e. further back) than the ideal. But I am no sort of expert .....

[WeavingWonk Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Definitely not - my feet don't lift far off the ground and my head doesn't bob much - Laura (on the podcast) made me think about that early on. I think it's just that my bum is weak from leading far too sedentary a life before I took up running, as my pace improves at the same cadence if I concentrate on using my glutes as I run - just can't keep it up for long! So I think strength training is what I need to do...

[Tasha99 Graduate10 in reply to UpTheStanley]

Her cadence is relatively high I think! Compared to mine anyway!