The importance of pace for long distance running

Image source: athleticsweekly.com

It’s often been said that in marathon running, pace is everything. While this is an exaggeration, there is still a substantial amount of truth to it. One of the most important skills a marathoner needs to develop is pacing. The best marathoners know this all too well.

How often have we seen a thrilling end to a marathon wherein two or three competitors take over the race in the final half-mile? It’s happened more times than anyone can care to admit, that at the final stretch, marathoners sprint. After all those miles spent running, they wouldn’t be able to have that one final burst without pacing.

Image source: twooceansmarathon.org.za

But pacing isn’t just for that final explosion. It’s also important to keep one’s body in tune with the race, throughout the first 90 percent of the marathon. Pacing involves more than just the speed of running. It also includes breathing techniques and mental focus.

Go too fast and the body will run out of oxygen, the lungs will tire out, and the muscles start to cramp. Go too slow and risk finishing last. Pacing is what dictates a marathoner’s performance. There needs to be a natural rhythm with a slightly varying tempo, which marathoners need to adapt, depending on several factors that include the point of the race, the weather, and the elevation of the race location, among others.

Conserve and spend energy wisely. Those are the basics of pacing.

A graduate of the University of Delaware and St. John’s University School of Law, Steven Rindner has served in various companies across different industries. He is also a marathoner. To know more about Mr. Rindner, visit this blog.