Race Preparation -setting pacing goals for a run

So, I did a 5K last week...

No, this photo has nothing to do with the run...

I know...woo-effing-hoo, right?  It's just a 5K.

Actually, it was good practice for pacing.

Even though I haven't been training for break-neck speeds over short distances, the competitor in me wanted to beat my time from last year.  At the very least, I needed to know my pace from last year and set a pace for this year.

So I looked up my time...

Yep, there I am, 19:51 with a 6:24 pace (19th overall...not to shabby for an old guy who prefers longer distances).

6:24/ mile over 3.1 miles.  Got it. But what good does my pace do if I don't know how fast I'm going?

I'm a triathlete.  We, by our very nature, are obsessed with data...dare you think I wouldn't have some type of toy to tell me how fast I'm going?

I'm lucky enough to have one of these gems.  The Garmin Forerunner 910xt  and I have it set to tell me my 1/4 mile pace...so every 1/4 mile, it beeps and vibrates and the time it took me to cover that distance comes up on the screen.

With a little math, I can figure out how long it should take to cover 1/4 mile at a 6:24 pace.

Here is the math.

6:24/4 = 1:36 (you have to convert the 24s into a decimal because it is 24/60 of a minute)

Long hand that's 24/60=.4 So 6.4/4 for 1/4 mile 1.6 minutes (.6x60seconds =36)
so 1:36 every 1/4 mile

yes, I made an excel sheet because I'm nuts

Anyway, to beat last year's time all I need to do is hit my 1/4 mile splits at 1:36 or faster.  There is an average pace and current pace section on the watch so I can tell if I am on target but to know exactly how on or off I am, I like to know my 1/4 mile splits.  This way, if I lose or gain seconds, I know and can adjust my speed.  I use the average pace for a big picture guide but when the mileage gets high, adjusting my speed off that number becomes difficult....hence the 1/4 mile split time.

Long story short, I was able to beat last year with a 19:34 6:18 pace and slide up into 18th overall...not too shabby for a longer distance runner.

So I wore my GoPro Hero -unfortunately my memory card ran out of space before the finish...but it is still somewhat entertaining.  Check out the video below!

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