Why do I race so much slower than my workouts?

I too have had issues with this. My mile pr is a 4:50 but I can often run mile repeats around 4:15 per with 1 minute rest. Not sure what the problem is. Let me know if you can figure out a solution!

shrekked wrote:

I too have had issues with this. My mile pr is a 4:50 but I can often run mile repeats around 4:15 per with 1 minute rest. Not sure what the problem is. Let me know if you can figure out a solution!

I think the race you did was a mile and the reps that you think are one mile are just one km...and if you've done a 4.50 mile you should be running those a lot faster

As much as I hate to quote from a certain book on this website, there is definitely a nugget of truth in this:

You've got to make yourself calm, right down to the little blood veins in your fingertips, and when you are as calm as you can make yourself, then you make yourself like a rock and start sinking, and the most important part is that you've got to not care. That's the hard part, the not-caring part. And the deeper you go and the colder it gets, the more you have got to not care. And then when you start back up, back toward real life...then you've got to start caring again. A lot.

Diving, distance running, and other endurance sports are ultimately about how long and how far you can survive on oxygen debt. Everything else is just trusting in your training. It has taken me years to understand one should always trust their training and I still struggle with it from time to time.

But the not caring part...well that's the difference between racing and participating.

But the not caring part?

EDIT: Didn't mean to type the "but not caring part" a second time.

You're overtraining and leaving your best races in your workouts, and you're probably also going out way too hard in your races and therefore running slower than your fitness should allow.

OP, you're probably mentally weak and cannot cope with racing stress

Explain the double distance thing. You're doing say 10km in 36 minutes in training and then running a 20 minute 5km race?

Or your repeats are faster? wrote:

Explain the double distance thing. You're doing say 10km in 36 minutes in training and then running a 20 minute 5km race?

Not going to use my actual times but for example:

- 10 x 1000m with less than a minute rest @ 5:20 avg mile pace

- Progression long runs where the last 6 or so miles are inside 6:00 /mi (5:40-5:50)

- Mile repeats with 2 minutes rest @ 5:20 average

Then going into races and bombing out at 5:40 mile pace.

My first race I knew I was way too fast because I went out in about 4:55 and paid for it later in the race, but after that I was going out at relaxed 5:30 pace which felt super easy for me especially since everyone goes out hard the first mile of XC races. I don't know why I am under performing so badly because even during the summer on "fun" days when I would go a little faster than tempo pace I was holding sub 5:30 pace for 4-5 miles, which is faster than what I am doing in races right now.

Train don't strain.

I used to push easy days too fast, but these days I've been going VERY slow, so that's not an issue

not slow twitch wrote:

I used to push easy days too fast, but these days I've been going VERY slow, so that's not an issue

You're running your hard workouts way too hard too frequently.

Nobody gets a medal for "winning" Tuesday afternoon workouts and nobody likes an easy day racer.

Are you warming up enough before you race? Some people need a lot more warm-up to run at their best.

Are you comparing track times to times on grass? Some people lose a lot of time on grass.

Do you have a coach?

Those are high volume, controlled workouts. They are great for experienced runners to develop strength, increased lactic tolorance, and racing ability over 5k. Young collegiate malesoften do the work at too fast a pace.

If done too fast these workouts will trash you, and it is easy to run such workouts too fast as they are not difficult if done right.

Get an idea of your max heart rate, and when doing the posted work do not exceed 90% (or better yet 85%) of max heart rate.

Save hard work for long recovery reps, and don't do that type of work too often.

Also, hydrate and rest up and for your next 8k, go out at 90% of max heart rate and negative split. You will run better. Once you get a feel for the distance you can be more aggressive early, but many college men flounder because of overly aggressive pace in real distance races. No more 5ks in October.

Not telling you, but I know why. You'll have to learn it the hard way.

Sounds like a performance anxiety issue to me.

You'll have to learn how to relax, don't get too excited at the start of a race, pace yourself. Go over your coach with these issues (if you have one who gives a damn)

Good luck!

not slow twitch wrote:

My workouts are often 20-30 seconds faster per mile for almost double the distance races, but I always break down mid race. In my season opener 5K, I broke down around mile 2 and in my 8Ks my legs are going lactic around 3- 4K in. I don't understand how my workouts have been going so smoothly (making weekly progress with what feels like the same effort) but whenever it comes time to race I feel so heavy and weak.

Not sure if this is mental or a result of doing a lot more mileage than I am used to in-season. Any tips for staying locked in when it gets tough?

You don't have a realistic assessment of your training, nor do you have realistic expectations for your races.

Someone who lives in the real world performs at or better than their expectations.