What's your favorite 5K pacing strategy?

I focus on being strong in the first 3k, trying to be as consistent as possible from the first to third kilometer. Try to keep the same pace for the fourth than try to push it really hard the last kilometer rolling into my final kick from about 600 meters out.

Go out as hard as I can and then try not to die.

In collegiate 5ks, just stick with the leaders, don't get dropped but don't ever lead, make a solid move around 300-400m to go and coming around the final bend throw it into high gear. Pacing doesn't matter too. much, I'm good enough to place top 5 in most races and not good enough to be in a race that's just too fast for me. It sounds boring but it just works. Always just trying to win your heat with a kick is pretty much the best way to run consistently well at the collegiate level.

I wasn’t a 5k runner in college, I ran the 800 and mile, but I stand by the “just try to win your heat strategy” it is truly the best way to run PRs at the college level. I was never able to run fast times when I was focusing on time, instead just focus on winning!

This^^^ wrote:

I wasn’t a 5k runner in college, I ran the 800 and mile, but I stand by the “just try to win your heat strategy” it is truly the best way to run PRs at the college level. I was never able to run fast times when I was focusing on time, instead just focus on winning!

I second this. As an 800 guy I used to obsess over splits in highschool XC because splits are very important in an 800.

I’ve now learned MY personal best way to race 5ks for time and placement is to NOT go out super hard the first 400, and run the first K at within 5 seconds of goal pace. After the first K, everyone will have settled down and a lot of the people that went too hard will have slowed down, trying to compensate for themselves going out too hard. I disregard pace at this point and make it a game to count how many people I can pass each K. This seems to get my mind off of the pain and keeps me invested in the race. The goal is to pass more people each K than the last. By the time the last 600-800m comes I’ll usually have a decent amount left in the tank. (not sprinting the first bit REALLY makes a difference) I’ll be at the point where I really don’t wanna go faster but if I dig deep and push I can pick it up to about 4:30 pace getting down to almost 4 flat for the last 150m.

I hope that jibberish makes at least some sense to you.

For me, I treat my 5k like a progressive run (this comes with more experiences of racing 3/5k). By increasing the pace every mile, here are my split from when I ran my 5k PR 4:55, 4:47, 4:42

I like to go out slow and then run the middle 10 laps even and then kick HARD the last lap. Man, I hope to run in a championship 5k soon...

I like to start a bit conservatively and gradually pick up the pace. I would constantly tell myself "bend but don't break" up to the midway point and then go absolutely berserk the second half.

How can this strategy work though, if you are way in front or way off the back of the pack? What is the plan b if you are not in a race that is an appropriate level of challenge to you? Of course being seeded correctly and running in the right heat/meet/race is key but that’s not always possible. I think one has to develop an internal sense of rhythm and pacing to stick to in a race.

I start too hard and then hold that pace.

get some perspective wrote:

People are literally dying and 5K pacing is your biggest concern? Get some perspective, dude. 200,000+ dead and all you want to talk about is pacing for some race that is meaningless in the grand scheme of things?

dude this is letsrun. the forum is about running. wanna talk about the virus? There are places to do so. even threads on here that you can talk about it.

yeah the virus is awful and a lot of people have died or have had worse impacts due to it than others but there isn't much someone can really do besides wearing a mask and limiting social interactions. but that is totally irrelevant to pacing a 5k.

as far as im concerned figuring out how to pace a 5k doesn't get in the way of doing those two things

Nope, I want to talk about running on this running-specific forum, because my run is currently the only part of my day when I can feel anything other than anxiety and existential dread :)

The question I have now, however, has nothing to do with 5Ks, so maybe that'll make you happier: People are literally dying and complaining at someone for using a running forum to ask about 5K pacing is your biggest concern? Get some perspective, dude. 200,000+ dead and all you want to talk about is someone asking a basic question that is meaningless in the grand scheme of things?

Go out hard the first .5, settle through 1.25 then make mental effort to push the effort through 2 then last 1.1 just focus and bring it in the final straight.

go to facebook paaaaaaaace

The best pacing strategy is to hammer the first 100-200 for the ladies, walk a mile, sprint when you see coach taking splits, sneak into the woods, and pop out somewhere in that gap between the leaders and the next pack.

Reminds me of junior high when the entire team would scout out the course before the race to find an area where the foliage was too dense for the coaches to see us. Then we'd go out way too fast and then we'd all walk while we were back there lol

Even pace monitoring splits every 400m

coleiolio wrote:

Go out hard the first .5, settle through 1.25 then make mental effort to push the effort through 2 then last 1.1 just focus and bring it in the final straight.

This ^^