Whenever I do a tempo run on a track, it is not very hard to keep up the pace without letting myself accidentally back off and slow down.
However, when I do something like that on a road it is a lot harder to prevent myself from slowing accidentally, even if its a slower effort like marathon paced instead of tempo.
Running a sub7 mile on a track feels like I am walking, but doing so on the road feels like I'm running pretty fast.
How do I get over this mental barrier?
I have the opposite issue, I ran a tempo run over 4 miles @ "tempo" pace, which I think I could run faster than if I actually realized my true tempo pace during my winter training. That was on the road at 6:30 pace. I ran a tempo pace on the track, granted I did run two workouts that week already, at the same pace when I was running faster mile/two-mile times and I could only run 3 miles before I felt like I was dying.
I would have to wonder what the conditions are that you are running on on these roads, are you running on gravel, are there slightly slick conditions on the road, is there a decent slope on the side of the road that you are running? Also are you using a device that measures your pace in some manner or another? I think it's one thing to feel like you're running super fast on trails where you could be running around at 8:00/mile pace and it could feel like you're running 6:30/mile. It's another thing to feel this way on a normal road compared to a track.
I think it has something to do with the fact that I am used to running faster things (races, intervals, etc) on the track and I usually stick to slower easy runs for the roads. That way running fast on a track is familiar but doing so on the roads is unfamiliar.
It probably also has something to do with the fact that on a track you can literally check you're pacing every 100m
I've never done one on the track, you must live a pampered life. We can swap if you want.
Would shoot myself before doing a tempo on a track.
suh wrote:
I think it has something to do with the fact that I am used to running faster things (races, intervals, etc) on the track and I usually stick to slower easy runs for the roads. That way running fast on a track is familiar but doing so on the roads is unfamiliar.
It probably also has something to do with the fact that on a track you can literally check you're pacing every 100m
Same here. You're probably a mid distance runner also, correct?
I got to admit that although I've never tempoed a 3 or 4 miler on the track, I'd think it might be a bit easier. If nothing else, easier mentally, due to (as noted above), the ability to home (hone?) in on desired pace easily.
I find it much easier, although part of it is that I tend to do my tempo work on the track as cruise intervals. Part of it may be the short breaks of a minute between miles; but I think it is mostly because you can run a very steady even pace because of the ability to check splits every 100/200/400.