Class 19

Today, at long last, you arrived at the place for which your class is named: 5K or 10K Training. You’ve been training for 10 weeks for this. You have run longer at a slower pace, and shorter, faster. Now you got your chance to bring endurance and speed together in this final test.

Call it a “race” if you wish. Racing can be whatever you want to make it: just another long run, a social event, or a chance to see how much you can push. I hope you’ll accept that last challenge sometimes. You are trained to do that.

Thursday’s run will be an easy half-hour for everyone who attends. Some of you still owe me quiz answers by that day, which you can submit by email.

Today’s final term prize went to the student with the best attendance record (because in few sports is it more important to show up and train). Erik and Claire took every run -- with Erik winning on the extra credits tie-breaker, six to five.

TODAY’S 5K TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster for this shorter distance; * = faster than first week’s test; if you didn’t time yourself out at stoplights, I subtracted average stop time of 2:00)

*Jannik – 19:38 (6:20 pace, -19 sec. per mile) 2^nd most improved

Katie – 32:23 (10:26s, no target)

Maca – 28:04 (8:48s, +3 sec. per mile

Brady – 31:54 (10:17s, +31 sec.)

TODAY’S 10K TEST

(same info as above)

Erik – ran untimed

Jessica D. – 58:47 (9:29s, +7 sec.)

Daniel – 53:34 (8:38s, -23 sec.) most improved, earning extra credit

Rana – 53:59 (8:42s, +4 sec.)

Claire – 49:17 (7:56s, +3 sec.)

Jack – 50:46 (8:11s, +1 sec.)

Julian – 53:52 (8:41s, +27 sec.)

James – 49:15 (7:53s, +36 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.