vDOT table - A MUST HAVE ;)

zwuba

As there have been some questions about how to pace a 10k ... take this as a reference!

At least for me and my training buddy the values are really very close to what actually happened in the race

Steve West

Stefan, that's cool. Can you post that as an attachment?

zwuba

Have no idea how I can do it as a plain attachment so just follow this link and grab it there

 

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1LFhH52RFZacTVqUGVDWnc2TzA/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

mgraffeo

I think the origins of that table are from this thread



forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=1062155



A little trip in the way back machine!

Dave Tallo

Great table, but I would put a big diagonal flashing “caution” sign on it for IM racing. I agree that it’s very neat to use as a post-mortem tool to see if you performed / underperformed / overperformed in a race. The caution comes from seeing this kind of thing and thinking it’s a pace or execution guide, and that if a person has a proven XX VDOT, than s/he just needs to run their finger horizontally to the corresponding column, and boom, they have ‘could and should’ numbers that are neatly prescribing their race. I have a bunch of EN-executed races in my legs and even though I know where I will probably end up on the run within +/- 3 mins , the fact is that for execution, the basics still apply, the four keys prevail, it really (mostly) doesn’t matter until mile 18, and racing to a time is something that very very few in the field can or should do.



The reason I come down so hard on this, or other techniques that suggest racing to a time, is the peril in someone looking at the chart, saying “I’m a 3:35 IM runner” and gaming things - s/he become more likely to start to make bad choices in case the first 10k, or 13.1mi, or whatever, aren’t “on pace,” and once they start to try to correct, the chances for things to go south increase dramatically.



In other words, execute smart and by the book, and look at the table the morning after the race to see if you were a superstar!

zwuba

Posted By Dave Tallo on 09 Apr 2013 03:15 PM


... execute smart and by the book, and look at the table the morning after the race to see if you were a superstar!

Couldn't say that better!!

I originally posted that table here because some other peeps here where asking about how to pace their first 10k run so they don't over-reach at the beginning. 

I never look at that table before a race - in a race my body-brain is the only pacing tool I use and afterwards I'll compare that with this table and as it was always very (very) accurate I provided that table here - just to have a basic idea and point at the right direction.