From road racing to the track

My favourite racing is either 5k (especially parkruns) and 10k. I know the pace I can hit for each split and train to get faster.

Next week though, I've entered a 3000m track race. I've done one track race before (a 5000m) and a mile challenge on a cycling circuit. So... what's the plan for a 3,000m track race? What's the pace I should set myself?

As with planning for a road race, I'm going to have a look at the pace I've done previously - but then add a bit on based on being a bit fitter (hopefully), the 3000m distance being shorter than 5k and the track being a perfect flat surface.

So looking at three past runs...

1. 5k PB
My 5k PB tells me I should be able to do a 3000m comfortably in splits of 3:30/km, 3:30/km and then 3:25/km (10:25).

2. 5000m track race
Just over a year ago I did a 5000m track race. Managed 3:30/km pace for a number of the laps. Again, this suggests a 3:30, 3:30, 3:25 is doable.
3. One mile challenge
Over the shorter distance (in a field of similar paced competitors) I managed sub-3:20/km...
So wanting to be ambitious, but also a realist not wanting to go off too fast and have a nightmare second half of the race, I'm going to go for a 3:25 first km and then take it from there.

I'd be happy with 3:25, 3:25, 3:25 = 10:15. If I cannot keep the 3:25 up and need to drop to 3:30, 3;30 (10:25) for the rest of the race then so be it 

I'd be delighted with anything closer to 10:00. Let's see...

UPDATE 2nd Oct:
Finished in a time of 10:34. The km splits were 3:22, 3:28, 3:31. Looking at the splits, it was far from the slightly negative splits I was hoping for... 

Looking at the splits for the laps, first two laps were good, but on reflection should have been slightly slower as I clearly couldn't keep up that speed. It was nice to dig in a bit for the last 600m to pull some pace back (finished knackered) - but at 10:35 I was 5s out of the time range I had aimed for.

There were about 12 people doing the run, and for first four laps I was 11th. But then by the finish line had moved up to 7th. So clearly going off too fast is a common thing for track races.

All good fun though. Doing a 5k properly measured/timed road race next week. My 5k (not parkrun) official PB is 18:12 - so desperate to do sub 18 - fingers crossed.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The day before the marathon

Image
Manchester Marathon tomorrow. My fourth marathon and have trained harder than ever before. Back in January I blogged what my plan was for the marathon training block . I've pretty much followed it. Only difference being instead of two runs on a Tuesday I just started the day with a double session. But in summary: Go into the training block doing 90km (55mi) a week. Take it up to 120km (75mi) a week. 12 weeks of increasing efforts, with a three week taper at the end. At the maximum do four weeks in a row with 36km (22mi) long runs on the Sunday. Long runs to be at decent pace with at least an 8km (5mi) mara pace section on tired legs. Run every day - alternating between efforts and recovery Tue - hard session (Typically 4x1mile efforts followed by 5k tempo) Thu - hard session (Typically three sets of 5km at mara pace with floats inbetween)  Weekly distances Not sure how much to read into the Strava Fitness and Freshness chart. But fitness went from +59 to +103 to +86. Form went from
Read more

Running goals for the year

Image
2023 was a good year. PBs in parkrun, 5k, 10k and Marathon. With the right conditions I feel I could have got 10mi and HM too - but cannot grumble. Particularly happy with parkrun as that is now eight years of incremental improvement through improved training and focus. Power of ten score card So what are the 2024 goals? It's a big year as I am 50 in July. Entering the V50 category gives me a real chance to pick some goals that weren't possible in recent years at the top end of the V45 category. So I'm intending on training harder than ever - and putting down some stretched goals that may not be possible - but are worth going for. Goal 1 - 2hr55 marathon Goal 2  - Top 50 in the UK runbritain ranking for V50 at 5k distance Goal 3  - England masters vest for V50 Goal 1 - 2hr55 marathon With hindsight I think I should have done around 2hr55 at London last year but a few things didn't go to plan and I ended up with a 2hr58. This year I'll try and put things right and
Read more

Bamburgh - Half Marathon Route

Image
Check out the route on Strava: https://www.strava.com/segments/26248649 This route was actually part of a RunNation organised race. That means that the route below is a lap that needs to be done twice to get to the half marathon distances. The main carpark in Bamburgh is at the post code  NE69 7BJ  - but if you look around the side streets you can get parked for free somewhere. The run starts just before the castle, it then goes up through the beautiful village of Bamburgh before turning left onto some narrow back roads. The day of the race I did it was very windy, but the hedgerow gave some great cover from the cross wind. The road eventually winds around the coast with views of the Farne Islands. Then back to the village again. Keep looping around a second time until you hit the 21.1km mark! Selected photos... Bamburgh Castle Each lap started and finished near the historic castle The Farne Islands Strava Segment of note : Bamburgh HM - One lap - A great little 10k route Useful links
Read more