9 Weeks to Your Marathon - Race Strategy

With just 9 weeks until race day it’s time to start thinking about and determining your race strategy. There are a number of issues that go into your overall race strategy beginning with where you line up for the start.

Lining Up

You may or may not have a choice in where you line up. Most of the larger marathons will assign you a starting corral that is determined by either your qualifying time or your estimated finishing time. Faster runners are always seeded closer to the starting line. That is necessary to insure a safe and effective start in large races. If slower runners were to line up in front of fast runners there would be a lot of congestion and possible collisions as faster runners try to negotiate their way past the slower athletes.

If you do have assigned starting corrals, try to make your way to the front of your individual corral. That can save you seconds or even minutes in some large races.

If you don’t have an assigned start position, line yourself up according to your goal time. If you are a fast runner make your way to the front of the pack so you can avoid being blocked by slower runners. If you are a mid or back of the pack runner, avoid the temptation to move to the front. Not only will you be interfering with faster athletes but you will also be setting yourself up to run much faster than you should be during the first part of the race. Going out too fast is one of the most costly marathon running mistakes. If you surround yourself with faster runners you may be “pulled along” by the flow. That fast pace early in the race will cost you dearly later on.

Because of the long distance of this race, it is not really critical that you maintain a front position at the start. It’s a long race - you will have plenty of time to achieve your proper position in the pack, after the start. Even if you are one of the fastest runners it is beneficial in some ways to allow other runners to start in front of you. Allowing other runners to take the burden of the lead can pay benefits later in the race.

The Start

At the start of the race, you will probably be tempted to start quickly. You will be fresh, strong and have a lot of adrenalin built up. Try to avoid that temptation. The most serious mistake most marathon runners make is starting off at too fast a pace. Hold back just a bit at the start. Don’t run faster than your planned pace during the first few miles.

If you are competing, allow other runners to take the lead. It is very difficult to be in the lead, especially early in the race. Holding back at the start will allow you to run strongly through the highly important middle portions of the race and you will be able to finish with a strong pace and kick.

Race Pacing

There are a number of possible pacing strategies. Each of these have their advantages and disadvantages. The proper strategy will depend upon your strengths and weaknesses; and the race and course conditions.

• Even Pacing - Maintaining the same pace per mile throughout the race. This strategy is favored by many athletes and results in very good performances. Many studies have shown that the top runners in most races tend to run both the first half and the second half of the race in nearly equal times.

• Even Effort - Maintaining the same perceived effort level throughout the race. This type of pacing is more appropriate for beginning runners. Even effort pacing will result in slowing throughout the race due to the perceived effort level rising as you fatigue. This type of pacing will allow you to finish comfortably, but will not result in optimal performance.

• Negative Splits - Running the second half of the race faster than the first. Many coaches favor negative splits, because the easier start will reserve strength and energy for a fast finish. This type of pacing can be very enjoyable because you will pass a lot of runners in the last half of the race. If the course is flat and conditions are good, it can also give very good results. This is not always the best strategy if the second half of the course is harder than the first. It can also become difficult to catch competitors that run stronger in the first half and open up a large lead.

• Surging - Changing your pace throughout the race, depending upon race and course conditions. Surging is a very useful strategy and if used properly can give excellent results in any race.

• Front Running - Starting strong and trying to hang on throughout the race. This is not recommended for most runners. The idea of this type of pacing is to open a large lead and then try to hang on for the remainder of the race. This will always lead to a lot of pain in the last half of the race and very seldom results in top performances. There are some runners that have a very efficient stride that can maintain a quality pace when very fatigued. This type of runner may have success with this type of pacing, but for most runners, this is a bad pacing strategy.

• Strong Start/Middle Float - Starting strong, then running at a quality, but relaxed pace in the middle and finishing strong. This is a modified type of front running. Using this strategy, a runner will start strong and create some separation from the other runners. This runners will then slow to a strong but relaxed pace and try to recover while maintaining a lead. Then when partially recovered will finish strong. As with front running, only a runner that is able to handle a lot of pain and has a very efficient stride will have success with this strategy.

• Middle Push/Strong Finish - Starting at a relaxed pace, pushing hard in the middle miles and try to hang on for a strong finish. This is a very popular strategy that consistently results in top performances. Using this method, the runner will start with a relaxed pace in the early miles. In the middle of the race, the runner will pick up the pace to just over race pace and try to maintain this pace through to the finish. If you have the mental and physical strength to maintain that quality pace through to the finish, you will get very good results with this strategy.

Pacing Suggestions

I would suggest using a combination of even pacing and surging. You should hold back just a bit at the start. The main reason for this is to avoid a start that is too fast. If you run the first miles of the race at significantly faster than the pace you have trained for, you will suffer greatly during the last miles of the race. It is much better to run even pacing in a marathon. As in other races, you can use surging tactics when passing other runners, testing other runners, trying to discourage other runners or breaking from a pack. Do not try to maintain a surge for a long distance. The exception to this is when surging to the finish in the last mile or so of the race.

If your course has hills, use them to your advantage. On the uphills run strongly, but stay relaxed. Your pace will drop slightly on the uphills, but stay strong on the uphills. Do not allow your pace to drop dramatically. Take advantage of the downhill sections to recover. You can maintain race pace or even a faster pace on the down hills and still get in some recovery time. Do not lean back and fight the hill. Maintain a forward lean and use the hill to maintain your speed while decreasing you effort level.

Weather will play a major role in proper pacing. For most runners, high temperature means slower pacing. If you expect hot weather during your race, try to do a considerable amount of your training in similar temperatures. Extremely cold or wet weather can also cause your pace to be slower. If the race day temperatures are mild, you should be able to maintain a slightly faster pace.

Proper pacing and race strategy are critical to the success of your marathon. If you run the first part of the race too fast you will pay a great price in the last miles. Your conditioning, course terrain, weather and race events will dictate correct strategy.

Strength Training Countdown

Beginning Runner Level

Key Workouts for Finishers

• Key 1 - 5 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 2 - 4 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 3 - 8 miles @ endurance pace

Suggested Workout Sequence

Recreational Level

Key Workouts for Finishers

• Key 1 - 6 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 2 - 5 miles @ endurance pace

• Key 3 - 8 miles @ endurance pace

Key Workouts for Pacers

• Key 1 - Run 2 x 400/800/1600 meter compound sets. Run the 400 meters @ 5K pace, the 800 meters @ 10K pace and the 1600 meters @ goal pace. Take no recovery between the distances. Recover between each compound set with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 2 - Run 5 x 800 meter repeats @ 5K pace. Recovery between each 800 meter repeat with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 4 miles @ endurance pace up a steady hill of moderate incline or a treadmill elevated to 5%.

Suggested Workout Sequence

Competitive Level

Key Workouts for Pacers

• Key 1 - Run 3 x 400/800/1600 meter compound sets. Run the 400 meters @ 5K pace, the 800 meters @ 10K pace and the 1600 meters @ goal pace. Take no recovery between the distances. Recover between each compound set with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 2 - Run 10 x 800 meter repeats @ 5K pace. Recovery between each 800 meter repeat with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 7 miles up a steady hill of moderate incline or a treadmill elevated to 5%.

Key Workouts for Racers

• Key 1 - Run 3 x 400/800/1600/400 meter compound sets. Run the 400 meters @ 5K pace, the 800 meters @ 10K pace and the 1600 meters @ goal pace. Take no recovery between the distances. Recover between each compound set with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 2 - Run 10 x 800 meter repeats @ 5K pace. Recovery between each 800 meter repeat with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 7 miles @ endurance pace up a steady hill of moderate incline or a treadmill elevated to 5%.

Suggested Workout Sequence

Elite Level

Key Workouts for Pacers

• Key 1 - Run 3 x 800/1600/2400 meter compound sets. Run the 800 meters @ 5K pace, the 1600 meters @ 10K pace and the 2400 meters @ goal pace. Take no recovery between the distances. Recover between each compound set with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 2 - Run 10 x 800 meter repeats @ 5K pace. Recovery between each 800 meter repeat with 2 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 9 miles @ endurance pace up a steady hill of moderate incline or a treadmill elevated to 5%.

Key Workouts for Racers

• Key 1 - Run 3 x 800/1600/2400/800 meter compound sets. Run the 800 meters @ 5K pace, the 1600 meters @ 10K pace and the 2400 meters @ goal pace. Take no recovery between the distances. Recover between each compound set with 3 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 2 - Run 10 x 800 meter repeats @ 5K pace. Recovery between each 800 meter repeat with 2 minutes of passive recovery.

• Key 3 - Run 9 miles @ endurance pace up a steady hill of moderate incline or a treadmill elevated to 5%.

Suggested Workout Sequences

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