Split pace??

[Elfe5]

Probably a dim question but please explain what ‘split pace’ means. Thanks 😃

[MarkyD Graduate]

Divide your run up into sections. Say each section is 1km, so your 5k Run is split into 5 parts.

The pace that you run each section (remember pace is defined as time in minutes to run 1km) is your Split Pace.

For example, say you run 5km in 30 minutes. This means that your pace is 6minutes to run each kilometre. “You have a 6 minute pace”.

But of course you do not run all the 5km at the same pace (as you might start too fast, and get tired and slow down at the end). So your first split might be 5’40” and your last split 6’15”.

Monitoring your splits helps you keep a more consistent pace overall. Some training plans encourage “negative splits” meaning that your 1km times should get quicker during the 5km run. So you start slowly and get faster during the run: hard work.

Hope that helps!

[Elfe5 Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Thank you. So therefore when mapmyrun says “pace” it must mean the average so far & “split pace” must be the pace of the half km that I have just completed. As a general rule ‘negative splits’ ( which I have never heard of before) is a pattern I tend to do because I start off very cautiously & gradually warm up - but this would be starting as Supersnail and progressing to Snail. On a really good day I might manage a Gambolling Snail for the last split! Thanks MarkyD, much appreciated. 😃

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Well explained Marky, I find if I run too fast for the first Kilometre, I tend to slow down a bit later on, I have learned to run a bit slower, to begin with, and quicken up as the run goes on, especially for the last two kilometres.