Suggested 5 Mile Race Tactics

[Jeff Linger]

I'm running a 5 mile race next weekend and looking for some strategy thoughts/suggestions. Last year when I ran the race I finished 5th with an average pace of 6:22s. It was a perfect day with temps in the 50s and sunny. The course starts out with the first mile and a half mostly on a downhill slant, then hits about a mile of flat before turning uphill for the remaining 2.5 miles. It is in no way a constant uphill, but rather numerous small but challenging repeated climbs of 100 yards over and over. I've done tempo runs over 5 miles recently in the 6:15 range, but these have been 'hard' bouts, not your standard paced tempo runs. For the most part I am a runner who does best running negative splits, but this is often difficult to do on this course. Last year 6:00s won the race with 2nd and 3rd marking 6:07s. How do I run this race? Should I keep an eye on my clock and run my own race? Should I shoulder the leaders and just see if I can hang (I'm not sure about this method as it may go against my best racing results)? Should I hang back a bit and keep the leaders in sight and try to make a push for them in the end (this can get difficult as course hills and turns make it so that you can often not see more than a few hundred yards ahead at a time)? Help me out on any of your race strategy thoughts.

As an aside, last year when I ran it I had only been running for 4 months and usually only 4 days a week with mileage around 35 mpw. This year I've had 6 days a week all year with the exception of 6 weeks mostly off after the marathon due to injury. I've steadily built my mileage back up since the end of June from 35 mpw to about 60-65 mpw. I know I'm a stronger runner this year than last, but I've always had speed and so preparing for a 5 mile race didn't take much. I just don't know if I can do sub 6:10s for 5 miles on this course, but I'm pretty sure I shouldn't have trouble with 6:15s. Do I forget the leaders and call them mostly out of touch and go for my own best, or bag the clock and run against the other top runners?

[Dale]

All depends on your goal.  Are you trying to get the best place or the best time possible?  The answer to that question should help dictate your race tactics.

[Jeff Linger]

Both.

[Bonnie]

There was an interesting article in this months Running Times -- it was about dispelling the thought that says "you need to run as hard as you have to stay with the 'leaders' (or whatever group you are racing) -- don't lose touch".  What the article said is that for *most people* running conservatively at the beginning and working your way up to your goal pace will result in the best time.  If you go out too fast, the amount that you gain in the first part of the race will not be enough to compensate for the time you will lose at the end. That said, the first part of the race is downhill -- so pace probably shouldn't be your criteria -- it should be  based on "effort" .  For a 5 mile race, you would want to turn on the juice somewhere between miles 2 and 3, but feel sort of comfortable until then - let people pass you on the downhill - you will catch them.  The last two miles will hurt, like with any shorter distance race (well really, like any race period).

With Des News, I let lots of people pass me on the downhill - I still ran faster than I would have on a flat course, but I was well within myself and my ability.  By mile 3 I passed many of the people I let go at the beginning.  

Good luck!!!

[Jeff Linger]

That sounds a lot like how I was leaning Bonnie. I'd love to hear other thoughts, but this re-affirms my present thoughts.

[Dale]

Tough call.  On one hand, you could play a bit conservative, play to your strengths (negative splitting), and pour it on at the end when you hit the hills, possibly surging when the leaders are fading.  On the other hand, going with the leaders may just be the extra impetus you needed to shed your preconceived notion of your speed limits.  Nothing like a little competition to drive you to new personal bests.  Of course, it could also lead to a blowup later in the race.  
Maybe look at it this way.....Do you need the positive reinforcement of a good but possibly conservative race or are you ready to hang it out there in a high risk/reward scenario?  

[Sasha Pachev]

Just go by what you feel and let your fitness shine. I think pacing strategies are overrated. You are going to run what you are going to run unless you do something exceptionally unwise.

[Dave Holt]

For a 5 mile race... Turn on the juice at the beginning and just keep turning it up!  Go out there and push yourself to the limit that you have developed in your training and have a lot of fun!  Good luck!

[Sasha Pachev]

To expound on the above.  Running 5 miles in a hard fartlek with paces evenly alternating by more than 1:00 per mile I can hit a total time that is within 30 seconds of what I would in an all-out time trial over the same course trying to pace myself evenly. A fartlek is obviously a very bad form of pacing, worse than anything that would naturally occur in a race. So I would imagine in the actual race situation the difference between ideal pacing and the worst that would naturally occur is only 15 seconds.