Class 19

Today, for the first and only time all term, everyone ran the namesake distance of this class. Five kilometers the most popular road-race length and the entry point into long racing for most runners.

Thursday’s final run together will be 30 minutes, paced easily or even walked if you wish. This is to recover from today’s test.

If you owe me a quiz (as a for-credit student and in my class for the first time this term), please email your answers by Thursday noon. I need to submit grades on Friday.

TODAY’S 5K TEST

(with per-mile pace for 3.1 miles and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster; * = faster than first week’s test; ! = faster than midterm test; if you didn’t time yourself out at stoplights, I deducted the average pause time of 1:00 from your result)

! Erik B. – 26:22 (8:30 pace, -38 sec.)

! Leah – 16:17 (8:32s, +2 sec.)

Amina D. – 35:01 (11:17s, +39 sec.)

Houston – 22:56 (7:23s, -30 sec.)

Tori – 23:58 (7:44s, -36 sec.)

Bella – 26:12 (8:27s, -51 sec.) day’s 2^nd most improved, tie

*! Daniel – 24:53 (8:01s, -27 sec.)

Leticia – 28:40 (9:14s, +33 sec.)

Aminah K. – 35:01 (11:17s, +30 sec.)

*! Scott – 22:25 (7:14s, -13 sec.)

James S. – 26:22 (8:30s, -2:07) day’s most improved, earning extra credit

! Eric S. – 20:18 (6:32s, -51 sec.) day’s 2^nd most improved, tie

! Eleanor – 3.2 miles in 31:13 (9:45s, +18 sec.)

LESSON 19: EVEN PACING

Talking about even-pace running is easier than running it – or calculating it. The problem is that races in the U.S. combine two measurement systems. While most events are run at metric distances, such as 5K and 10K, splits are often given at MILE points and pace is usually computed in PER-MILE terms. So you need calculate metric-to-mile and vice versa. Even-paced running is most efficient, and slightly negative splits (faster second half) are preferable to “positives.” The two halves of a race are best run within a few seconds per mile of equal time, plus or minus. In a 45-minute 10K race, for instance, plan to run the first 5K in a few seconds either side of 22:30.