Class 18

Almost done here, with only one tough run remaining. Tuesday's run will be your 5K test. After a full warmup, you'll run twice around the same course as last Thursday (all turf fields and 15th-University-18th-Agate-15th on streets).

Separately I sent you the class quiz. You're required to complete it (email answers are fine; in fact, preferred) if you are taking this class for credit and for the first time from me.

TODAY'S EASY TWO MILES

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to match that pace for this shorter distance)

Kamille -- 21:24 (10:42 pace, +25 sec. per mile)

Leily -- 16:48 (8:24s, -34 sec.)

Bryce -- 18:09 (9:04s, +5 sec.) day's 2nd best pacer

Alex D. -- 16:32 (8:16s, -32 sec.)

Soren -- untimed

Amina -- 21:07 (10:33s, +19 sec.)

Michael --12:35 (6:17s, -6 sec.) day's 3rd best pacer

Tara -- 16:28 (8:14s, -56 sec.)

Tanner -- 18:10 (9:05s, -3 sec.) best pacer, earning extra credit

Jessica -- untimed

Miranda -- 22:43 (11:21s, +32 sec.)

Becky -- 19:19 (9:39s, -17 sec.)

Sugam -- 21:17 (10:38s, -39 sec.)

Anthony -- Army 2M test in 14:05 (7:02s, -36 sec.)

Max -- 14:37 (7:18s, -42 sec.)

LESSON 18: RACE PACE

Even if you’ve done everything right in training, you can cancel all that good with as little as one wrong move on raceday. The first and worst bad move is leaving the starting line too quickly. Crowd hysteria and your own raging nervous system conspire to send you into the race as if fired from a cannon. Try to work against the forces of the crowd and your natural desires. Keep your head while runners around you are losing theirs. Pull back the mental reins at a time when the voices inside are shouting, “Faster!” Be cautious in your early pacing, erring on the side of too-slow rather than too-fast. Hold something in reserve for the late kilometers. This is where you reward yourself for your early caution, by passing instead of being passed.