Sustainable pace...

[womblejogger]

Why do i still find it hard at the start of my runs still to go at a sustainable pace? it isn't until i am about half way through that i realise i am going hell for leather and pull my pace back to a realistic level... as you all know i womble along but i "feel" that unless i am going hell for leather i am not running properly which thanks to all the advice gathered here is not true, that it is distance and stamina more than speed... can any one advise me on how to achieve a realistic and sustainable pace from the off or does it just come with practice?

[sheps Graduate]

I didn't understand pace at all until week 3. I learnt to really concentrate on going slowly because I found it difficult to complete the runs. If, once you slow down you can compete them, perhaps you are worrying unnecessarily.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to sheps]

not sure what it is exactly, i know what i am doing but don't quite understand why i am doing it i feel as though unless i am going uber fast (well as fast as my short fat hairy legs will carry me ) i am not running, its a mind game i have to play out i suppose

[sheps Graduate]

If that's the case then there are many people on here who would dispute your definition of running😊. Just beware of injury. That's the main reason for taking it easy.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to sheps]

thx sheps i am taking on board all advice had shin splints once don't want a repeat of them ever again

[SC1472 Graduate]

I am currently just about to start week 3 of Bridge to 10k having graduated a couple of months ago, and it is only in the last week that I have found my sustainable pace. Up until then I think I was the same - going off too fast then regretting it later in the run as I felt I had to stop. The last three runs I have done I have just managed to set off and kept going at the same speed (even running in two different locations I managed the same distance in the set time).

I am obviously not an expert here and am still learning but if my 'running' has anything to go by, it will come with practice.

[Hidden]

I have exactly the same problem. I love running fast so as soon as Laura said go I would dive into it and then be struggling for breath a minute later. Running shoes in week 4 made it worse as they felt so lovely and springy. It comes with practise but I still have to think a few seconds in, can I keep this up for 30 minutes? That thought usually scares me and slows me down enough. I also have to watch out for speeding up on the downhill and forgetting to slow down again at the bottom. I think I also find it easier now I am running without music so I can hear the rhythm of my steps.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to Hidden]

i find it odd that i speed up going up hill and tend to brake a bit on the down hill, i can't run with both ear pieces in now i have to hear my breath to see how bad i am exerting myself my legs also tell me but i find if i listen to my breathing i can usually get myself under control

[AndyD Graduate]

You could use technology to "adjust" your pace when you start your run if you are unable to do it by "feel". If you have a running watch (Garmin etc) you can display your current pace and back off a bit if you're going too quickly. Of course, depending on the type of run you are planning will determine the pace ie if it's a long run your pace may be a lot slower than a short fast interval run.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to AndyD]

use my fitbit, am going by feel at the moment and it seems to be working as i really don't like looking at the watch constantly

[Gabby08 Graduate]

I was definitely like this too and had to make a real conscious effort to slow down. When I look back at my pace from some of those early weeks now, I can't believe how fast - or daft - I was! 🙈 Then I read one of our more experienced forum-members (can't remember who) explaining 'negative splits' - essentially, just running the second half faster than the first. I use the Endomondo app, which tells me my pace after each kilometre and I began adjusting accordingly. Weirdly, now my second kilometre is always my slowest and my second to last is always my fastest, even if I'm paying no attention to pace whatsoever.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to Gabby08]

Gabby08 thanks... i realise what i am doing about half way through my 30 min run when i feel like i am about to keel over, i look at how fast my legs are going and think i am slow but in reality i am not. its all about perception with me at the moment and i have to get my brain to stop thinking along those lines, i know i need to slow down which i do which is great but i then think i am going far to slow and look an idiot which is wrong and i know it ... you would think that after the graduating and listening to advice my mindset would be different but i don't know why i think as i said it how i perceive i should be running rather than how i need to be running

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Try nose breathing ( even if you only breath in through your nose) - this will slow you down!!!

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

will give that a try

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Now you have graduated working on pace will be very useful to you.

Have a look at this runnersworld.co.uk/rws-trai... You may not understand it all (I certainly don't) but it illustrates and explains why you should run at different paces and maybe with this knowledge behind you you can learn to moderate and differentiate your pace.

I will openly admit that I am crap at pacing and after four years I still run like an archetypical new runner, ie. at too high a pace for too much of my running time. Speed is exciting because it returns PBs and we all love those, but slow running, especially on long runs is theoretically more beneficial to our overall development.

My maximum sustainable pace is defined by my ability to breathe adequately. As you get stronger you will find that you can maintain that for longer.

[womblejogger Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

great answer will check out that link

[RebeccaSK Graduate]

This is the one thing I am actually quite good at! Sometimes, however, to my detriment - I think that there are times when I find my pace and relax into it when I could probably push myself a little more. There is one thing that really helped me find my comfortable pace - a treadmill. I know, I know, many people recoil at the mere mention of them but there is definitely a place for treadmills. You can adjust the speed until you find what is comfortable for you and then do a few more treadmill runs. It really helped me. The other thing you could do is look out for pace days at Parkruns. You can then pick your pace, find the most appropriate pacer and run with them for the whole 5k.