So a few days back, I announced that my game plan would be to go out easy and negative split. Well, thanks to some discussions with my friend Tim and a re-read of Pfitz's recommended race strategy, I am back to the drawing board and resetting my goals and my mind set.Yes, negative splits are nice. But they also often mean you left something out there. Given the nature of the marathon, it is common for runners to drop off pace by 2-3% in the latter half. Indeed, the 3 times I came close to my 3:25 goal, I was on pace at half, but fell off by a minute or two in the second half of the race.
SO, my strategy is this: Take it easy the first mile or 2. Run at goal race pace 7:52 or a little slower (up to 8). Then settle into a 7:44-7:45 pace and hang on. This is a 3:23 pace and, if I slip a little in the later miles, I can still reach my 3:25.
Now, last season, I would not have even considered this. But I am now, because I think a 3:23 pace is completely doable for me given the numbers I have seen this season.
So I am going to go for it.
Why am I telling you this? Because I need to get my head into my race strategy too. And that is what I am working on now.
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Taper is going well, although I am feeling very tired. I am finally getting more rest, and I just feel slammed. Good, hopefully my body will start adjusting. I only have 3 real workouts left: 3 x 1 mile intervals tomorrow; 13 on Sunday and dress rehearsal on Tuesday. I already started looking at the weather forecast and it sucks (humid; 77 degrees; rain). Good thing we are too far out to take any such predictions seriously. But for now, I am going to begin praying to the weather gods and asking that they generously smile upon me on 10.9.11.
3 comments:
I have a similar race strategy. (But much slower!) You will do it!
Yay! I all depends on the course, but for me on a flat marathon course I need to figure I'll positive split about 30 seconds to a minute in the second half if I'm running right at my goal pace. I just tend to lose a bit of focus and fatigue sets in.
Huge positive seem to really excite people, but in my mind that means going out way too slow in the first half--treating like a training run and then racing the 2nd half. It's an easier way to race and more fun but not the way to get your fastest result possible.
Opps, 2nd paragraph I meant to type:
**Huge negative splits seem**
(tired, drugged and recovering from surgery is my excuse!)
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