Sunday 1/25/09 - Negative Splitting/Sugoi/World Records

Nasties- This is going to be our longest run yet.  Check your training program for the duration of your run.  (Note: look at how I am making you check your own training program rather than telling you how far you are running this week. Links to the training programs are at the bottom of this page.)

This week, we will have a chance to buy some Sugoi clothing.   Sugoi is a brand of cycling and running apparel, and the local rep will be at our run selling some of his samples for half price!  He is bringing both cycling and running clothes, and most of them are men's large or women's medium.

Starting Slow

Every single running world record (except the 800 meters) has been negative split.  Meaning that the second half of the race was run faster than the first half of the race.  So you might be thinking, "Wow, those runners are amazing, they start fast and end even faster!"  They are amazing, this is true - but they don't necessarily start fast.  Sure it's fast for us, but for them it's completely under control.  And after running the first part of the race under control, then they finish at speeds that I can't even comprehend.  (Kenenisa Bekele ran 53 seconds for his final lap when he set the world record for the 10K)

"Well, I'm not setting any world records so what's the bottom line for me."

The bottom line for you:  The idea of starting slow, and speeding up should be incorporated into pretty much every run.  The first mile of your runs should be little more than a shuffle, and then allow the pace to naturally increase itself.  (This is especially true on morning runs - when you are still half asleep when you start running.)  Now, this doesn't mean that you should shuffle the entire time, nor does it mean that you should finish every run as fast as you can; just allow your body to slowly work its way into your pace, rather than being a slave to your watch - or at the mercy of the pace of those runners around you.

Just for fun - here are some world records:

                              Men                                           Women

Mile                     3:43.13                                        4:12.56

5K                        12:37.35                                      14:11.15

10K                     26:17.53                                      29:31.78

Marathon          2:03:59                                       2:15:25

If you are interested in more, check out athletics world records.

See you Sunday.  Remember to bring fluids, calories, and cash for coffee and clothes.

Mark