The start of a marathon is very exciting.
Your adrenaline is pumping and you are feeling good.
The start gun goes off and the marathon has begun.
If you have done your homework and paid attention during your marathon training you will know what pace you want to run the race so you can achieve your goal time.
If you allow your adrenaline to get the best of you, you will start out too fast and run out of steam.
This is why it is important for your body to know what your pace feels like.
Going out too fast can set you up for failure.
You may use up all of your energy sources in the beginning miles of the race and bonk before you get to the finish line.
Going out fast will not build a time cushion for you to go slow later in the race.
Just the opposite is true, you will run out of steam.
If you go out slow, you will reserve your energy sources and have more left in the tank for the later miles in the marathon.
The best way to know your pace is to test it during your training runs.
The long runs are where you can test your pace to find out what pace you can maintain for the marathon distance.
Marathons' training involves long runs every other week, building the distance each time.
During these long runs you are getting your body accustomed to travelling a long distance.
You are also finding out how your body reacts to taking in fluids during the run.
Getting some nutrition during the training runs will also help you figure out what works for you body.
To determine your best pace, participate in some shorter races such as a 10K or a half marathon.
This helps you get used to running in a crowd and seeing how your respond to those around you.
Use your finish times during these races to determine your marathon pace.
Your marathon pace will usually be slower than the pace you ran during the 10k and half marathon.
For example, you can take your half marathon finish time, divide it by 13.
1 miles to get your per mile pace.
Then add 10 to 20 seconds to that pace per mile to get your marathon pace.
On your next long run during marathons training, try out this pace.
If you are not able to maintain this pace during your long run, then you will likely not be able to maintain it on marathon race day.
The long run is where you can tweak your marathon pace.
There are some runners who like to build in walk breaks into their marathon.
You can do this by starting out with scheduled walk breaks in the beginning miles.
This will help you reserve your energy for the later miles of the marathon.
It will also prevent you from letting your adrenaline get the best of you.
Then when you get to the later miles and you are feeling good, you can run more and reduce the walk breaks because you have reserves in the tank.
Many runners who use the scheduled walk break will run a little faster because they have more energy and are using the walk breaks to restore fluids and nourishment.
For example, if you want to finish in a 10 minute mile pace, you may run at an 8:30 pace with scheduled walk breaks.
This can average out to a 10 minute mile over the course of the marathon.
Runners will also wear a watch so they can see how they are pacing themselves during their runs.
In addition, you can put some notes on a wristband to remind you of where you want your pace to be.
During training for my first marathon, one coach shared with me a wristband where he would put specific time goals at set mile markers.
For example, to run a 5 hour marathon that would be an 11.
5 minutes per mile pace.
So by mile 3 he should not be any faster than 33 minutes and by mile 6 be at 66 minutes.
If I covered the first 3 miles in less than 33 minutes, I was going too fast and should slow down a little.
Or if I was at 6 miles in more than 66 minutes, I needed to pick up the pace.
That little wristband was a simple reminder of where I should be without me having to do the math when I wanted to find out my pace.
It allowed me to concentrate on the race and not get distracted by trying to figure out how I was doing.
Work out the kinks during your marathons training so that marathon day is where you will shine.
Your adrenaline is pumping and you are feeling good.
The start gun goes off and the marathon has begun.
If you have done your homework and paid attention during your marathon training you will know what pace you want to run the race so you can achieve your goal time.
If you allow your adrenaline to get the best of you, you will start out too fast and run out of steam.
This is why it is important for your body to know what your pace feels like.
Going out too fast can set you up for failure.
You may use up all of your energy sources in the beginning miles of the race and bonk before you get to the finish line.
Going out fast will not build a time cushion for you to go slow later in the race.
Just the opposite is true, you will run out of steam.
If you go out slow, you will reserve your energy sources and have more left in the tank for the later miles in the marathon.
The best way to know your pace is to test it during your training runs.
The long runs are where you can test your pace to find out what pace you can maintain for the marathon distance.
Marathons' training involves long runs every other week, building the distance each time.
During these long runs you are getting your body accustomed to travelling a long distance.
You are also finding out how your body reacts to taking in fluids during the run.
Getting some nutrition during the training runs will also help you figure out what works for you body.
To determine your best pace, participate in some shorter races such as a 10K or a half marathon.
This helps you get used to running in a crowd and seeing how your respond to those around you.
Use your finish times during these races to determine your marathon pace.
Your marathon pace will usually be slower than the pace you ran during the 10k and half marathon.
For example, you can take your half marathon finish time, divide it by 13.
1 miles to get your per mile pace.
Then add 10 to 20 seconds to that pace per mile to get your marathon pace.
On your next long run during marathons training, try out this pace.
If you are not able to maintain this pace during your long run, then you will likely not be able to maintain it on marathon race day.
The long run is where you can tweak your marathon pace.
There are some runners who like to build in walk breaks into their marathon.
You can do this by starting out with scheduled walk breaks in the beginning miles.
This will help you reserve your energy for the later miles of the marathon.
It will also prevent you from letting your adrenaline get the best of you.
Then when you get to the later miles and you are feeling good, you can run more and reduce the walk breaks because you have reserves in the tank.
Many runners who use the scheduled walk break will run a little faster because they have more energy and are using the walk breaks to restore fluids and nourishment.
For example, if you want to finish in a 10 minute mile pace, you may run at an 8:30 pace with scheduled walk breaks.
This can average out to a 10 minute mile over the course of the marathon.
Runners will also wear a watch so they can see how they are pacing themselves during their runs.
In addition, you can put some notes on a wristband to remind you of where you want your pace to be.
During training for my first marathon, one coach shared with me a wristband where he would put specific time goals at set mile markers.
For example, to run a 5 hour marathon that would be an 11.
5 minutes per mile pace.
So by mile 3 he should not be any faster than 33 minutes and by mile 6 be at 66 minutes.
If I covered the first 3 miles in less than 33 minutes, I was going too fast and should slow down a little.
Or if I was at 6 miles in more than 66 minutes, I needed to pick up the pace.
That little wristband was a simple reminder of where I should be without me having to do the math when I wanted to find out my pace.
It allowed me to concentrate on the race and not get distracted by trying to figure out how I was doing.
Work out the kinks during your marathons training so that marathon day is where you will shine.
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