Aiming for an 11:10 ish. Last year when trying to hit 11:20s, my coaches would have me negative split but every time it would never work. Thought I was unfit but I just went out at the pace I needed and after that things clicked. Maybe I need more practice but starting out hard or a little under pace needed always worked for me. Is this a good strategy? I just can’t seem to pick up the pace once I’m going and I feel like my body gets accustomed to the slower pace.
Go out in 3:43 for the first mile and try to hold on
3200meterz wrote:
Aiming for an 11:10 ish. Last year when trying to hit 11:20s, my coaches would have me negative split but every time it would never work. Thought I was unfit but I just went out at the pace I needed and after that things clicked. Maybe I need more practice but starting out hard or a little under pace needed always worked for me. Is this a good strategy? I just can’t seem to pick up the pace once I’m going and I feel like my body gets accustomed to the slower pace.
I always prefer negative splitting because the ideal way to run a 3200m is probably to go out as even as possible at for 2400m, play whatever tactics you need to in the pack (stay out of trouble and don't be jostled or surge too much, match moves gradually) and ramp it up over the final 800m. That means for any goal time to start going out 1s per lap slower than pace, make sure you're feeling competitive with 800 to go, then to ramp it up hard.
But this kind of strategy needs the right kind of race with competition around the same shape as you. If not, then a solo effort might be best even split and don't open up the race slow-ish because you don't have people to kick race against final 800 and it becomes harder to motivate yourself to go.
All of that rests on your competitive drive though. If you're competitive with yourself and intend to be competitive in real races then negative-even split is how it goes.
Source: Ran 5:00 - 4:53 for 9:53 with a 2:21 final 800m (now this is an extreme example but the race was just so tactical in the middle and I sent it with 800 to go)
Even split. Easiest to pace and very energy efficient
I would go out in 80 then try to settle in at 83s for as long as possible then finish the last lap strong.