Dialing in run pacing and Mental toughness
My pacing goals are a total hack. I am lost between converting from a "pace athlete" to an "HR athlete" I think. Could use some advice.
My last 5K TT results in a VDOT of 49, but this results in a totally unsustainable LRP, let alone MP for me on the long run. So, I plugged into the calculator my 13.1 time from a few weeks ago, which was representative of my long distance ability/plan, but this generates a LRP of 10:11 (which seems super painfully slow) and MP of 8:50 (which feels sustainable in the 7-12 mile range, except I do not yet fully appreciate the consequences of running a long time with HR @ 155).
Today's long run stats (prepping for IMCDA):
18 miles in 2:43
Elevation: 801ft total gain, 738 loss @ 77-79 degrees.
First 6 miles: 56 minutes, Ave pace ~9:18, ave HR 142 (hit pace goal perfectly, HR a touch higher than last three long runs)
Last 12 miles: 1:47, ave pace ~8:50, ave HR ~155
Last 2 miles: 9:12, 9:35. Those last miles were painful and I slowed down...but I did get them done. So, I ask:
1) Coach P tells me HR is very personal, but in the wiki I see we are "triathletes who aims for an HR, not a pace." So, how does one know if the HR targets are good/bad/ugly (assuming the subject has never run 26 miles - ever).
2) Has anybody else experienced a big difference between 5K ability and not being able to sustain the calculator result on longer distance runs?
Thanks in advance,
DS
Comments
Doug - my 2¢ based on the data you provide from your long run...Conclusion first: your first six miles @ 9:18/142 is probably a good target for your "LRP" on race day, meaning the first six miles off the bike will be at about 9:45-50. Keeping your HR in the range of 140-144 throughout the first 15-6 miles is probably what you should aim for. After that, it will depend on how you handle that pain you started to feel in the end (see below).
Now, 5K vs 13.1 VDOTs... most well-trained people should be able to run an IM marathon at an LRP calculated from a VDOT which is 2-3 points lower than their 5K VDOT. And most "beginning" IMers probably will have a 13.1 VDOT which is 1-2 points lower than their 5K VDOT. I won;t go into the probable reasons for this, just note that it is "normal". You can find examples of people for whom this doesn;t apply, but they are exceptions.
As to your final 2 miles...welcome to the world of long distance running. That is what you will feel like miles 16-26 on race day. I;ve never done a run longer than 16 miles, in training or racing, where it didn't feel by miles 16 or so that my quads were starting to get macerated. The "trick" is ignore this, and trust that your training and mental focus will get you through to the end - untold 1000s of athletes before you have successfully navigated that zone without permanent damage, no matter how they felt during the event. This is where your "one thing" (I suggest having 4-6 of them ready for use) comes into play.
If you haven't read this wiki post, I suggest taking a look, especially at the last section. I put together a bunch of thoughts from successful EN IM racers on how to pace the run and be prepared for the final 1-1.5 hours:
http://members.endurancenation.us/R...teady+Pace