Tips for keeping pace in check ?

[NoQuit]

Hello all,

I'm a new runner and looking for advice for controlling my running pace. Essentially, I find I only have 1 speed - ~5:20m/k. That's what I've done my races at (ORW 10K and Pearson Runway 5K) and when I got out and train, even when I try to slow it down a bit, next thing I know I'm back to that pace. I try to concentrate on it but I always end up there again. It drives me crazy to watch it constantly and end up giving up but I think that's hampering me from going out for longer distances, which is an issue since I'm training for a half marathon in September (Ottawa Army Run).

Short of trying on weights to my feet, any tips to stick to a consistent slower pace for longer distances ? Thanks.

[Joe Dwarf]

Join a run club and go with a slower group. Or have you considered that your pace is fine for training and you need to speed up in races? What makes you think your pace is too fast?

[ratherawkward]

How many days per week are you running right now? I'm finding that adding an extra day is keeping my pace moderate, since I'm rarely running on fresh legs.

[mas_runner]

How does that 5:20 pace feel? Could you carry on a normal conversation at that pace without huffing and puffing or breaking up words?

If so then that pace is likely your easy pace. If not then you need to slow it down and it just comes down to discipline and watching your garmin (do you have one?). When I go out too fast in races I find that "slow down" doesn't work so I try telling myself "smooth", "controlled" or "easy!" to help get the feeling right.

If 5:20 does turn out to be your easy pace, then you should do one tempo run a week at a pace faster than 5:20. [a typical tempo run is 15 minute warm up and then 20-30 minutes at a faster pace, then a 15 min cool down. The faster pace should not be full out but a pace that you can run that feels hard but that you can run with good relaxed form]

In the end to give the best advice we need to know more about you (age, gender, how many kms on average per week you run).

Welcome to RM though, there are so many great people here with a wealth of knowledge about running so you came to the right place!

[jgore]

I find that forcing myself to breath through my nose helps to keep me slow.

Welcome.

[dgrant]

I find that forcing myself to breath through my nose helps to keep me slow.

+1. I too find breathing through my nose (exclusively) is an easy guideline for jogging pace. Having to start mouth breathing is another pace, and having to mouth breathe and not talk is another.

Slowing down to run farther makes sense of course, but speeding up some of your training paces will also increase your fitness to help you run farther.

[fingerboy]

Its more likely that you're not running your fast paces fast enough?

If you're running your 10ks at the same time as your 5ks (especially in a race) you're missing that extra gear. I'd suggest adding a day (or changing a day) to an interval or fartlek based workout and maybe a second as you go along. You can still get a great workout in - ie with a proper warm up and cool down (maybe 15min each) you can then do a bit of hard work in between. I like the 30s hard 30s easy x 10 or 20 workout. There you can vary timing or length. Build it up and enjoy your new found speeds.

[MichaelMc]

Some of you are very optimistic!

A runner races a 5k in 27 minutes and you think that might actually be their proper easy pace?

Running slower with good form takes practice: running SLOWLY isn't taught much in school as I recall.

Running with a runner who CAN run a relaxed pace is probably the easiest way to learn.

Plain old discipline works too, it just isn't a popular answer.

Fatigue is a good motivator, so you could either ramp up your mileage or (as has been suggested) try doing some faster running. Strides can be a reasonable way: warm up really well then accelerate reasonably quickly from your normal speed to as fast as you can run with proper form. Hold your speed for 10 seconds then drop your speed way down: run EASILY to catch your breath, then go again. Run the rest of your run at easy pace.

[ultraslacker]

run with me. I'll slow you down.

[bruyere]

I, too, was going to suggest adding some faster/harder runs - a bit of speed training. Most training programs include a slow, easy, longer runs, a steady medium run, and some speed work of some form, at a minimum.

I don't know if you listen to anything while running, but on the psychological side of things, I find it helps to listen to a podcast (or some would prefer slower/calmer music) when I want to go easy. (I used to do that when I was doing longer run commutes, for example.)

[daddy_runner]

Practice going ridiculously slow, as in jogging at a walking pace. Once you have that dialed in, you can dial it back up a bit to something resembling an "easy" pace.

Figuring out what exactly your various paces should be is all part of the fun and mystery that is distance training.

[Avis]

Practice going ridiculously slow, as in jogging at a walking pace. Once you have that dialed in, you can dial it back up a bit to something resembling an "easy" pace.

Figuring out what exactly your various paces should be is all part of the fun and mystery that is distance training.

I agree with these points. To pull myself back to a slower pace, I imagine myself actually running in place. And it is "fun and mysterious" to find and play with one's different paces.

[NoQuit]

Wow, thank you all so much for all the advice, it's really helpful !

As a bit of background, I'm 42, I recently dropped about 40 lbs thru a better diet (I started running after losing the weight). I just got the urge, got myself some decent shoes and started running. I suspect my technique is probably pretty flawed. My 5:20m/k pace is definitely not a conversational pace for me, unless the conversation only consists of grunts and 1 syllable words

I went out tonight (gaaah, so humid, that was tough) and I tried just breathing thru my nose and that was really really difficult. I lasted about 1Km doing that and felt kind of nauseous so I went back to my regular breathing. That being said, I *did* run slower tonight, about 6m/Km. I did 8.5k on Saturday and 12.5K on Sunday, so my legs were pretty heavy tonight. I did manage to do another 8, but I had to stop and walk for about 4-5m. So maybe pushing a little harder is the solution.

I'm going out of town for a few weeks but when I get back I'll drop by one of the RR clinics and see if I get myself straightened out a bit more.

Thanks again for the advice and the warm welcome !

[daddy_runner]

Wow, thank you all so much for all the advice, it's really helpful !

As a bit of background, I'm 42, I recently dropped about 40 lbs thru a better diet (I started running after losing the weight). I just got the urge, got myself some decent shoes and started running. I suspect my technique is probably pretty flawed. My 5:20m/k pace is definitely not a conversational pace for me, unless the conversation only consists of grunts and 1 syllable words

I went out tonight (gaaah, so humid, that was tough) and I tried just breathing thru my nose and that was really really difficult. I lasted about 1Km doing that and felt kind of nauseous so I went back to my regular breathing. That being said, I *did* run slower tonight, about 6m/Km. I did 8.5k on Saturday and 12.5K on Sunday, so my legs were pretty heavy tonight. I did manage to do another 8, but I had to stop and walk for about 4-5m. So maybe pushing a little harder is the solution.

I'm going out of town for a few weeks but when I get back I'll drop by one of the RR clinics and see if I get myself straightened out a bit more.

Thanks again for the advice and the warm welcome !

Congrats on the 40lb! And welcome to the forum.

[ultraslacker]

sometimes I sing along to my ipod when I'm running. You can't do that if you're running fast... so it might be a good way (aside from nose breathing) to force yourself to slow down. :)

[fingerboy]

One thing not to try... I've run with my wife on some occasions (well we do it weekly) were I started experimenting with my stride for fun. I ran 12k all on my toes because it was relatively pedestrian. Needless to say, my calves and my shins took quite a beating that day.

But welcome and congrats on the 40 lbs!

[kab]

As I have gotten a bit older I have found that I have to be careful to start slow so that I am warmed up before I hit my race pace so I breathe through my nose as some have suggested and it slows me down. I am in the habit of popping a hard candy in my mouth just as I start as it keeps my mouth closed and gives me something to think about other than breathing through my nose. By the time the candy is finished, I am warmed up and can up my pace. I keep my Garmin on pace mode to keep an eye on things as well.

[Jwolf]

I have never been able to run while breathing through my nose, even at really slow paces. I just get too congested. I know it works for a lot of people though. (My paces range from 7:30/km for slow easy runs to 4:30/km for 5k races so I do know how to slow down. )

I agree with the suggestions for mixing up your paces including introducing a small amount of faster running (short intervals to start, like the "strides" MichaelMc suggested). But you still might have trouble slowing down the slow runs and that might make the speed work a bit risky.

One thing that wasn't suggested yet was slowing down by shortening your stride length rather than slowing your step rate (cadence). [Note this a different use of the term "stride" from above- hope that's not confusing. Here I mean the length of your steps.] Perhaps you're trying to brake your steps to get slower, which feels unnatural and can actually lead to injury. Concentrate on shorter steps but at close to the same cadence (for most people should be about 170-185 steps per minute). So quite different than a walking or sluggish running style.

I would also caution against something like "running on your toes" as fingerboy mentioned. That's a good way to introduce stress on your calves and muscles/connective tissue in your lower legs and feet. The shorter stride length of the slower running should still have you landing on your feet in the mid-foot range.

[Joe Dwarf]

I have never been able to run while breathing through my nose, even at really slow paces.

I've never even tried but I know it wouldn't work. I go by feel and by breathing pattern - if I am breathing 2-2 I know I am going too hard for an easy run. 3-3 or better yet not really conscious of pattern means it is easier.