I’ve found that I like to have mile by mile notes on pace power and HR for the run portion of my events in the same way I do on the bike. On the bike I have my power targets taped to my bars and tube. On the run I’ve been trying a few things. I find that I’m comforted by having the information, and it gives me something to focus on besides the discomfort.
In my last event I put together a wrist band with the targets for each mile. It was a hilly run and therefore there was some more fluctuation in the targets than their might otherwise be. I wrote the data on two strips of hockey tape, covered that in packing tape to make it water proof, and slipped it on my wrist over a standard wristband. It worked well (until my stomach gave out and I couldn’t hit the targets…). I was thinking about getting one of those football wrist coaches that the QBs use, but they seem bulkier than I want. I also just came across something called pace bands, so it looks like I’m not alone in this.
I look at my Timex Ironman watch to see what the total time is, then divide by the number of miles that I have run.
Math, especially division, for me is a challenge at 2+hours! I mean there are decimals, base 60 mixed with base 100…I’m getting dizzy just thinking about it!
When I was doing very targeted progression runs where the last 40 minutes I upped the pace every 10 minutes finishing at target pace I did all the math beforehand to figure out what mileage I’d be running. Since I was running by mileage, I did it to figure out when(mileage) to start the progression so I was 40 minutes out from finishing. I only had to remember the one mileage point for when to start though. I would have used a wristband if there were multiple points I needed though.
I look at my garmin to see my pace, and multiply by the number of miles left to go.
In a race I run by RPE. I’ll recon the course, and review the elevation profile online (if I haven’t run it before) to see what incline/duration there is to work against. If there’s anything unusual, I might adjust expectations for that. But, I don’t make “pace notes” per se. Pace up hills largely “is what it is”.
I might hold a little back for the first half of the run, but after the mid-point I just keep pushing the edges of what I think I can hold. As I begin reaching the “lasts” (last mile, lask km, last quarter, last 100y) I just keep ratcheting it up. But, those rachets are more based on a delta pace. So, at the mid-point I might speed up by 10s/mile. At the last mile, I might speed up by another 10s/mile. For the last km, 400m, 100y its just as fast as I can manage.
Granted, I specialize in Oly Dist. So, less than a 1 hour run.
There are a couple of garmin connect IQ apps that will let you program different target paces for specific miles. Most of them are marathon pacing focused.
There are a couple of garmin connect IQ apps that will let you program different target paces for specific miles. Most of them are marathon pacing focused.
I use some of the Garmin stuff on my workouts, but I haven’t seen any that let you set multiple factors. They defer to the major one you pick. I.e. you can run by power, pace or HR, you can’t switch in the middle.
I saw those pace bands in my interweb wanderings. That’s the general idea.
As for all of you guys doing math… in my most recent IM I forgot my number coming into T1, transposing the 2nd and 3rd digits in my head. That cost me a a good chunk of time. I can only imagine if I were trying to do math in my head…
As for all of you guys doing math… in my most recent IM I forgot my number coming into T1, transposing the 2nd and 3rd digits in my head. That cost me a a good chunk of time. I can only imagine if I were trying to do math in my head…
Lol!
I can only appeal to my youth, where I spent the Summer of 1990 working as a farm-hand. One day the farmer gave me a sharpened piece of leaf-spring (a makeshift machete), drove me out to a soybean field (1 sq-mile).
As he dropped me off he said, “Walk down every other row, and cut down the weeds. Lay them parallel to the rows so they don’t interfer with irrigation water flow. I’ll come pick you up for lunch.”
In order to pass the time, I did decimal long division problems in my head. Things like 3,450,997.65 divided by 12.4.
I think he did that just to test my resolve, there are certainly easier ways to weed a field. Plus, I think he only had me work on that field for a week or two, before he gave me something else to do. I don’t think I ever finished weeding that field—which would have taken 1760 miles of walking.
The first few problems I gave myself were, “How many rows are there in this field? How far do I have to walk to finish this job? How long is that going to take?” From there the challenge devolved into random problems as noted above.
Math, especially division, for me is a challenge at 2+hours! I mean there are decimals, base 60 mixed with base 100…I’m getting dizzy just thinking about it! :).
It is VERY hard. And why I like it in training because by the time I have the answer, the mile can be half or more over.
Bad part though, I was in a race and carried the remainder wrong basically coming to an answer that I was smashing my PR so I backed off a bit so as not to over cook it. Turns out I was actually a little behind goal pace, and that slow down cost me my goal, so I sort of bagged it.
Ran the calculations again after the next mile and turns out the first one was right, but by this time the ship had sailed.
I suppose I should have been more specific in my question. I’m interested in what people do when they race. Like the markings above, but I would sweat that off before I hit the run in an IM. My body marked numbers never make it past the bike.
Cool to know about the rural house numbers though.
lanyard with laminated index card for the run? Put on in T2? (They make one kind of odd retracting zip ‘button’ like a yo-yo, I think)
carry laminated card in your hand on the run? Get at T2? sticker that can be applied to your bib in T2? note in a ziplock in your hat in T2 to be picked up? card attached to arm (w rubber bands or…)?
These are from adventure racing and ultra-running, where you always are referring to a map or passport/scorecard over 12 hours or a couple of days, but they might work for a Ironman mary…I hope they don’t sound too outside-the box.
Do you write out pacing (as in MPH/pace per mile) goals or timing benchmarks (as in, I want to be at X point on the course at Y time)? That would take terrain out of the equation, if I read you correctly.
Do you write out pacing (as in MPH/pace per mile) goals or timing benchmarks (as in, I want to be at X point on the course at Y time)? That would take terrain out of the equation, if I read you correctly.
For long running events I like to have a pace for each mile (modified by terrain as needed), but also a power cap for the same section, finally a HR cap. The idea is that I will maintain roughly x pace per mile, but I know that if I put out power of more than y on this section I’m burning a match (like when you approach a hill faster than intended), and since that’s an instant correlation I can dial it back quickly and my HR wont fluctuate. Finally I have the HR targets as a failsafe for when the targets don’t work or the day has gone to hell.
I’m effectively trying to level out the course in the same way I do on the bike and used to do in time trials.
I’ve found that I like to have mile by mile notes on pace power and HR for the run portion of my events in the same way I do on the bike. On the bike I have my power targets taped to my bars and tube. On the run I’ve been trying a few things. I find that I’m comforted by having the information, and it gives me something to focus on besides the discomfort.
In my last event I put together a wrist band with the targets for each mile. It was a hilly run and therefore there was some more fluctuation in the targets than their might otherwise be. I wrote the data on two strips of hockey tape, covered that in packing tape to make it water proof, and slipped it on my wrist over a standard wristband. It worked well (until my stomach gave out and I couldn’t hit the targets…). I was thinking about getting one of those football wrist coaches that the QBs use, but they seem bulkier than I want. I also just came across something called pace bands, so it looks like I’m not alone in this.
I’m curious what other people do, if anything.
For my first ever trail race and first ever 50K, I created a map and turn by turn directions. I printed them on the back of each other and laminated it.
It fit in my shorts pocket and I could easily pull it out at any time and mentally prepare for climbs and descents.
I do the same for 200+ mile rides (turn by turn laminated sheet).
You are way overthinking this. I use Heart Rate/Pace as an upper limiter to make sure I don’t go out to fast, then my focus is just on running as fast as I can in the back half. This isn’t a final exam, notes aren’t required. Just run
For a marathon I make two-sided pace charts with mile split and cumulative time on it. I wrap packing tape around it (multiple layers). I bring two of them - one I carry in my hand the other is a back up in case I fumble it (happens most races).
I have thought about getting it laminated. If it was for an Ironman I would definitely laminate it and then keep them in the pocket of my Tri suit.
The size I make mine is ~1.5†x 2.5â€.
I also give myself a HR cap for various points of the race and for the last few miles I am just going as hard as I can, but like the comfort of holding my pace while meeting my HR caps through 3/4 of the race.
You are way overthinking this. I use Heart Rate/Pace as an upper limiter to make sure I don’t go out to fast, then my focus is just on running as fast as I can in the back half. This isn’t a final exam, notes aren’t required. Just run
Glad to see someone else doing this. I use a hr cap up to a certain point in the race, after that it’s as fast as i can maintain. The cap is really important for mile 1, usually pace works itself out after that as setting the right pace early means i don’t have to think about much after that.
