I have been trying to stick with consistent splits, other than hills. If I know that a course has some hills, then I will plan on being a bit slower on the up hills and faster on the down and flats. A year ago I did my first sub 60 10k and started a bit slower than an even pace and just kept picking up the pace a little bit every mile. That worked very well, but I could've started a bit faster and made a better time. In my latest HM, I was shooting for a similar strategy (8:10 to start hoping to increase every mile or 2 and finish with a 8:00 average). The first 2 miles and the last 2 miles were my fastest 4 miles. I got lucky at the start and was at the front of my corral, so I accidentally went out too fast. Since I finished with a solid last 2 miles, I think I should have pushed harder in the late-middle miles where I started to fade.<br><br>
Whatever you decide, stick to it as well as you can, but be willing to be a little flexible. Then, after the fact, analyze you results and decide if you could have done better by a- sticking to the plan better or b- by choosing a different plan. Then write it down and reread it when planning your next race. That is how to learn what works best for you.
Whatever you decide, stick to it as well as you can, but be willing to be a little flexible. Then, after the fact, analyze you results and decide if you could have done better by a- sticking to the plan better or b- by choosing a different plan. Then write it down and reread it when planning your next race. That is how to learn what works best for you.
