PACE FACTS
Whether it’s couch to 5K or a marathon, pacing can help you clock up the miles more effectively, says LIZ CONNOR
Keeping to the right pace is one of the most important running skills to master. Yet many beginners start pounding the pavements at peak speed. So how can you find out your running pace, and what can you do to improve it?
WHY IS PACING SO IMPORTANT?
“Pacing is a vital skill as it helps improve consistency and speed, which is important if you’re training for an event, or simply trying to get fitter or beat your personal best,” says David Wiener, training specialist at AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics (freeletics.com).
“It ensures you’re running at a speed where you can comfortably accumulate mileage,” says Tiago Ribeiro, co-founder of Common Purpose( common purpose club. co.uk). “It’s the base foundation, and once you’ve nailed that, you can start thinking about interval training and tempo.”
It can also help avoid injury. “You can’t go full pelt on every run, because you run the risk of picking up knocks and injuries that might set your progress back,” says Kieran Smith, founder of Chester’s The Kilometre Club (thekilometreclub.co.uk).
HOW TO FIND YOUR TRAINING PACE
“If you’re new to pacing, you need to establish your base training pace, a pace you can maintain and hold a conversation. Known as the ‘talk test’, this method will allow you to find a pace where you are not breathless, helping to develop aerobic threshold,” David explains.
Another way to work out your training pace is by finding a running track or a flat road and then running one mile or 1km hard – not your max effort, but close to it, and seeing what your time is. The ‘track test’ “will help you determine what pace is good for your fitness level, and from there, you can try to increase your speed every few weeks,” he adds.
“Keeping track of times and distances will help assess if you’re improving, and give you a solid understanding of your capabilities and where you can improve.”
Once you find your base pace, you can use that to calculate what to expect with increased mileage.
David says there are also some free, online pace calculators where you can input your running time and distance to obtain optimal training paces, which help towards your running goals. Strava (strava. com) has a helpful tool that can help you calculate your finish time for popular race distances like 5k, 10k and half marathons.
TIPS TO IMPROVE RUNNING PACE
“One of the best ways to improve your running pace is by getting to grips with and nailing your form,” says David. “Keeping your upper body tall yet relaxed and swinging your arms forward and back, not side to side, at a low 90-degree angle will help propel you forward and improve speed.” Regular hill sessions can also help with pacing as can strength training.
“If you are stronger, every running stride is easier than it would be if you were weaker. You will also consume less oxygen, which improves your running technique,” says David.
Interval work can also be beneficial. David advises sprints, HIIT (high intensity interval training) and tempo training, to increase fitness levels and – as a result – your pace.
Finally, recovery is also vitally important, which comes from a good diet, proper stretching and sufficient sleep, says David. “Aim to eat a quality meal or snack of carbohydrates and protein within 30 minutes after finishing your run. This is the optimal window of recovery, where your body can best absorb the nutrients to refuel and recover with.”