Negative splits, only if they are TIGHT. Like 00:10m/m apart. Otherwise i think your leaving some time on the table. Positive splits are also fine and can be just as quick or quicker. Your threshold is your threshold, Get there and hold it.
Previous discussion here on the same topic:
Sub20 5k every day. wrote:
Negative split? Go out faster than goal pace and try to hang on? 3 miles even pacing and kick? Find the person who's face you just can't stand and run to beat them?
I start too fast for the first mile and then hold that pace for the next two miles.
so my pr in the 5k came in a super fast race when I went out 20 seconds faster than goal pace for the first and second miles and absolutely lit up but had a 40 second buffer. That's a terrible strategy.
My race strategy, not for time but for finishing first or second in a race that you think you probably aren't fast enough to finish first or second in: find the leaders at the gun and LOCK ON THEM, spend the first 1.5 miles completely zoned out and staring at the back of their necks, then make a jump for it at 1.5ish just before the agony really sets in, then just grit your teeth and get to the line without getting passed (or if you do get passed, lock on again and try for the kick but ur probably toast sry)
highhoppingworm wrote:
I’ve only run the event a few times but my PRs have all come with miles 1 and 3 being roughly equal and 2 a few seconds slower with a fast last 200. Last time I ran it was 5:02/5:06/5:02/33.6. Time before that was 5:07/5:11/5:04/33.3. These were both on the track. Running a TT on the roads and was going to experiment going out in 5:10 and then see if I can close the last 2 in the 4:5x range.
my experience as well. there is a bit of free energy that you can put in play during the first k that won't quite bite you in the @ss. Those 5 seconds or so are probably picked up in the first minute or so, honestly.
Balls out boys and girls, balls out! Go hard from start and hold on! Finish trippin! Train so you can do this!
I feel like I've never executed a 5k race plan truly effectively. I feel like the first lap you can take to shake things out, but then you have to basically be right on the money for the rest of the race, whether you're trying to grind it out the whole way or negative split the last mile.
I got next wrote:
my pacing strategy sucks really but here goes:
as a training block/season approaches an end, and a 5k race nears I rely on recent workouts to dictate my pace
eg if a recent 3x1 mile repeat workout on 90s rest suggests my proposed race pace is in the cards, I try to go out on 5k 'B' pace for mile 1 [adjusted for weather or if this is a road course, a couple seconds for crowding], eg normally target pace +10s for the first mile
say 20:00 5k is 6:26 pace right? So target 6:35 for mile 1
Mile 2 try to come in at/about goal pace [~6:25 -- 6:30]
right around mile 2.0 //2.1 have a gut check, yes based on the above you're about 15s off pace but hey, this is where you can go goal-pace or under if you're in to it.
Mile 3 sucks no matter what, in it to win it. Go for goal pace or goal-pace -10s/mile here
with the remaining ~400-500m of the race, hit your ~mile RP [normally this is say 5k goal pace -~25 or 30s], so this allows you to go for race pace by picking up the remaining 5-7s in the final 400m by 'running the last lap' at your ~mile capability
*note, I'm a late 40-something hobby jogger who can barely break 20 on a good day, but this is what I do. I blow most of my sub 20 attempts by taking mile 1 out at/about goal pace or -5s, I need a 5 second cushion there [neg. split] or I'm screwed. I'm not that tough
Very useful and honest post, I go out too fast in the first mile for my 5k. When I ran my 18:33 back in the day I remember the splits:
5:56, 11:55, 17:52 and 41 to close...
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