how do you learn to pace yourself when running?

[wintersdawn]

Hi. I'm currently training for my first 10k in January and I'm struggling with running at a pace I can maintain. I know I can do 5k in about 31 mins but I know I can't maintain that pace for 10k.

I'd like to run the whole thing in 1 hour 10-20 mins so I ideally need to be running at 7 km per hour but I'm struggling to slow down and keep burning out instead around the 7km mark.

Does anyone have any tips on pacing yourself? At this rate I'll be walking the last couple of kms.

[lastqueenofscotland]

You need to be going so slowly you could hold a conversation.
If you can't you need to slow down again,

It should feel a real plod. You can always speed up

[Sirona]

For a 10k I would take it easier until the 5k mark, as lastqueen says a conversational pace. From 5k speed up depending on how much you feel you have left in the tank. It's your first 10k, enjoy.

[MelanieCheeks]

Are you using a garmin or similar to elk you what lace you're actually running at?

[MelanieCheeks]

Tell you what pace.....

[eckythumpenallthat]

Just that. Get a Garmin or use runkeeper to give you feedback on your pace. I tend to go slow for the first 7k or so then pick it up towards the end.

Or. Flip side. If pacing is something your good at, get some interval training in so you can maintain your 5k pace

[eckythumpenallthat]

If pacing is something you aren't good at even.

[pootlebug]

I disagree. If you can run 5k in 31 mins you can run 10k in not-that-much-over twice that. You just need to believe you can, and have the race-day feeling (everyone runs slower in training).

Have a look at this race time predictor. Put in your 5k time and it will give you an estimation for 10k time. When I put in my 5k PB it gets my half marathon PB and 10km PB to within a minute. www.runnersworld.co.uk/general/rws-race-time-predictor/1681.html

Then train by doing mid-length and long intervals at slightly above race pace.

So if the predictor above says you will run at 9.2km per hour, do intervals at 10km-ish per hour, with short intervals a bit faster than longer ones:

• 5 mins warm-up, 2 mins 10.3km/hr, 2 mins slooooow jog recovery, 2 mins 10.3km/hr, 2 mins slow jog recovery etc
  
• 5 mins warm-up, 5 mins 10km/hr, 3 mins slow jog recovery, 5 mins 10km/hr, 3 mins slow jog recovery etc.
  
  And one longer run per week where you just up your distance (assuming you haven't done 10k before or don't do it regularly) but go at an easy pace - 10-20% below race pace based on race pace above.

[Philoslothy]

There are websites that allow you to select music at your running speed m. I find that helpful to maintain a steady pace.

[Anglaise1]

Pootlebug is right. Your race pace will be a lot more than your normal running pace. My comfortable training pace (not intervals) is 10.5kph, for 10k races I do 13.5kph but there is no way I'd achieve that without the race/adrenalin/competition itself. It really counts for a lot, don't even try to emulate that in training. If I were you I'd get a watch to pace yourself, they really do help. I find it impossible to pace myself otherwise, unless I'm running with someone else and we go above the comfortable conversation pace so we can no longer chat easily.

[museumum]

I run a 10k race is twice what I take for a 5k training run.
Just keep adding another half k to your run twice every week and you'll soon be up to 10 from 7.

[wintersdawn]

Thanks for all the tips. I'll have to try the interval training and see if it helps.

[MrsMook]

I've begun to get to grips with pacing this year. In the early days it's quite normal to run or walk with little control in between.

Getting a watch helped. As did creating different play lists with different paces. Build up longer runs with keeping other runs shorter and faster. Hills and intervals are also worth playing with.