What is pacing?

• Pacing: the even spreading out of athletes' strength in longer-distance events, so that they don't burn themselves out.

• Pace: the rate of running, usually expressed as minutes per kilometre (min/km) or minutes per mile (min/mile)

What is an even & negative split?

• Even split – the first half of race is completed in the same time as the second half. Alternatively each equal distance segment of the race is run at the same pace/in the same time.

• Negative split – second half of the race is quicker than the first half. Alternatively each equal distance segment of the race is completed at an incrementally faster pace/in a quicker time.

Pace selection
Your choice of pacing will depend on the distance you are running, what type of athlete you are, how you feel on the day, and the course you are running – it is very difficult to run negative splits on a course that is flat in the first half and hilly in the second. The aim is though you cross that finish line having expended your last drop of energy and not before!

In sprint distance triathlons when running 5km it is widely accepted that running negative splits leads to the fastest times. This technique is especially useful as a triathlete because your body takes time to adjust to running, especially having already worked hard on the bike, and as your body adapts you get up to speed. Remember in a triathlon the key is running well on already tired legs. Track sessions are useful to develop your speed and endurance but it is likely you will be completing these session on fresh legs therefore it is unlikely you will be able to run this fast and set your PB at the end of a triathlon.

If you have a distance marked course and a stopwatch or a GPS device (like a Garmin) you can monitor your pace and is a very good way to train but in a race this is not always available so you also need to understand what it feels like to run at a certain pace so if you are without distance markers or your GPS you can still run at the appropriate pace.

Aim of the sessions
These sessions will progressively build so that in week 8 you will complete 5 x 1km and then hopefully in week 9 we will have a 5km race to see if you can set a new PB.

As the weeks progress the interval distance and recovery period will change but your aim is to keep your pace consistent throughout each of the sets. You will need to complete each set at or slightly above your target pace. In setting your target pace you need to be realistic – if your current 5km PB is 22mins and your target time is sub 20mins this is unlikely to happen in 8 weeks training and you need to set yourself an intermediate goal.

If your target time is 20mins for 5km then you have to be able to cover 1km in 4mins – which is a pace of 4mins/km. If the weekly session is multiples of 400m then you need to complete each 400m at this pace which means 400m in 1min 36sec.

Please have a look at the pacing charts so you can gauge what pace you should be running at and in what time you should complete the different sets.

Other training
Interval training is an endurance training method and is effective method to both train and improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity and develop their anaerobic systems. It will hopefully result in an increase in speed at a given intensity.

To compliment this interval training, it is suggested you complete a steady run per week. This run should be about 40 minutes to 1 hour at a pace at which it is comfortable to talk. By running slower you will develop your aerobic energy system and improve the efficiency of movement – a great way to go for a run in a group and have a chat.

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