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Pace groups

by Andrea Hill on January 21, 2009 · Comments

in General

After the marathon on Sunday, I mentioned to my folks that I tend to do better when I run with someone, at least for the first half. I think it helps to keep my head out of it, until it needs to be there.

When I was speaking to my folks about it, I mentioned that the 3:20 pace group had been in my sights for the first 6 or 7 miles of the marathon, and my Dad asked if I had considered sticking with them. I laughed: if 3:23 was aggressive, 3:20 was surely out of reach!

I just received an email from a friend also asking if I’d thought about using a pace group. Just on a whim, I decided to check out the pace for a 3:20 marathon.
…
7:38 per mile

So that explains why I saw them for so long on Sunday: 5 of my first 8 miles were exactly that pace.

So now in a dangerous frame of mind, I’m wondering if the mental support offered by a pace group would help me with those few extra seconds, since it appears my body likes that pace anyway (at least for awhile)..

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  • i would definitely go for it! i have a tendency to aim higher than i can usually reach, but it sounds like you have the speed and fitness to make a 3:20. i'm sure the group would help distract you early on from thinking about the race too much and pull you along later when you start to doubt yourself.
  • I enjoy running with a pace group during a marathon. I ran with a 3:10 pace group for the first 12 miles at '08 Flying Pig and another 3:10 pace group for the first 5 miles at '08 Columbus. My finishing times were just a few minutes ahead of the pace groups, but I think the pace group helps remove the mental aspect of worrying about pace during those early miles. It's during those miles that you don't want to expend mental energy which you really need during the late miles. They typically have a large number of runners in the group, so they often help block any head wind. In my limited experience, I find the first 5-7 miles are about finding the pace (mentally challenging), the next 12-14 miles are just repetitive motion and the last miles are about hanging onto the pace (mentally and physically challenging). So, anything saved from the first 5-7 miles helps make the last miles a little easier.
  • Andrea Hill
    I agree completely! My own guide is the 8 mile marker: at 8 miles, I should barely be aware that I'm running, I should be mentally and physically fresh.
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