Say your goal pace is 5:30 and you go out in 5:15-5:10, do you usually back way off, or ride it til the wheels fall off?
My early years in XC I had a really hard time not going out too fast first mile. I had never broken 27:00 for 8k, but due to EVERYBODY going out too fast as well, I would always be way to fast at 1-2 miles.
Pull out and go down on her then rally for round two.
I once went out in 4:50 for a 5k (goal pace was 5:10) and ended closing the last mile in 5:30. The race was miserable but I ended up running my goal time because the distance was so short.
It's like borrowing from the bank, you gotta pay it back somewhere. If the race is longer than 5k you're paying it back with interest.
Once the mistake has been made there's not much to do. Just go for it and test yourself; that's how you get PRs.
Depends on the distance. In a marathon, you slow way down. In a 5K you hope it is a once in a lifetime day and go for it.
Put your head down and grind it out.....