(This is the altitude profile in meters for Brocken Marathon on Saturday)
As I see it, there are two good, but opposite, arguments:
1. Start out fast and then it won't matter how you feel the second half because it's all downhill.
2. Start out slowly so you can run the downhill more quickly.
Then there is the thought that I won't be able to run the uphill anyway, in which case strategy won't really help.
11 comments:
strategy: find a fast, flat race elsewhere :)
seriously, strategy, monitor your heart rate and breathing closely and don't let them climb above acceptable marathoning levels. As per steveq's post awhile back, the one that was all letters, L, M P something something... you want to make sure you stay in the aerobic, marathoning zone until at least 20 miles so, use your biofeedback to dictate the strategy.
first comment, yay!
At 350 feet/mile you'll be able to run it just fine. Shorten stride and pump the arms. Monitor your breath and HR rather than pace. Looks like a great course.
Start fast and hang on. :-)
800m in 10miles. That's not that bad, but running uphill for 10 miles probably is.
I would go with option 1. Downhill will be probably too technical to run fast so you will have to go slowly anyway and therefore will not have opportunity to use that saved energy.
However, after I read PPC's highly scientific comment I was not sure whether I should even express my "just good old common sense" opinion.
Depends on how you feel on the up portion. If half way there you feel strong, push it.
Going down, just go for it.
Oh, gosh, can't wait to read your race report.
That looks similar to the Equinox Marathon I ran a few weeks ago. What I decided to do was run like hell to the hill, walk whatever I needed on the steep uphill parts, and then the fatigue won't feel so bad for the downhill and probably keep a pretty good pace. :)
It's a lot harder to make up for starting out too slow than to run faster when really tired. Go for broke !! :)
Hej Sealegs
For mig var det et svært løb. Det er to løb i et.
Jeg tænkte, når først jeg når toppen er resten bare ned af bakke. Men det er svært at løbe så forholdsvist stejlt nedad, når man har løbet opad længe.
Jeg syntes faktisk den sidste del nedad bjerget var den sværeste del af turen.
Løb som du føler, jeg tror ikke der kan laves en opskrift....
Men det bliver fedt og det er en smuk rute :)
KH Karina
i think the math would say start slowly so that you can run strong on the downhill section. think of the extra effort required to climb, say, 10 seconds per mile faster v. the extra effort required to run downhill, say, 20 seconds per mile faster...much less effort required for the additional speed gain. isn't there some physics formula to back this up? w=f*d or some such thing? much less force required to go the downhill d because gravity helps out. less work means less exhaustion, more oppty for speed. have fun! take an ice bath after..
I'd run the first 8 miles slow, climb that huge hill, then sprint to the end. ;)
In every race, there are essentially two approaches: even pace and even effort. Pick one.
Looks to me that you have picked a right strategy:) (yes, I am a stalker again). Can't wait to read the report.
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