Negative split in my next marathon?

[hansielouw]

I am running a marathon on 29 February and want to run sub 4 hours (which I have not done in about 8 years). There is a running strategy saying you should run a negative split which means your first half must be slower than your second half. This may mean half way in e.g. 2hour 2 minutes and the second half in maybe 1hour 56 minutes.

What is your experience with negative splits? Does it work? My feeling at this stage is to run to get to halfway in 1hr 54 minutes leaving about 2 hours 5 or so for the second half.

Your thoughts?

[SlowLoris]

I will just set myself a pace and try to stick with it.

[Decker Ultramarathon]

I was given this calculator, which aims to get a slow start and a faster finish: runnersconnect.net/coach-co...

I tried this strategy in my one and only marathon in October based on some advice from some trainer friends. In training I was really hitting a wall past 30k and that happened again in the race itself. I finished in the tome zone I wanted but there was nothing left in the tank for the faster finish except for a short sprint in the last km. I was still working out a proper fuel strategy going into the race so it makes sense. I suspect with your Ultra background that you would have better results than me burning fuel more efficiently.

[hansielouw Ultramarathon in reply to Decker]

thanks very much for the link to the article - well written and supports the theory of going out slightly slower. My experience with hitting the wall almost every time had to do with nutrition (illness could be the other factor). It took me a long time to get that sorted out, but I am happy with my ability to get energy from fat and the nutrition mixture I take before and during the race. After reading the article I am convinced again that I should start slightly slower (we normally lose about 90 seconds or so in the first km anyway as a result of the amount of people) and then keep slower for the first half or even two thirds of the way and then pick up the pace.

Good luck with your next marathon!

[Windoze Half Marathon]

Hi. I am a firm believer in negative splits although I have not run a full mara yet.

10k and HMs I generally work out 1st half splits and know what pace/speed to hit in the second.

Theres only really been one race where it failed me as I was carrying an injury into the event.