Previous articles in this series describe the best way to pace a marathon without a crashing slowdown. Certain principles stand out: do the first 10K at least three percent slower than a realistic goal pace. And do not be faster than one percent of that pace through the middle 21K. That pacing strategy was determined easily by the early 2010s.
It soon became apparent, however, that a realistic goal pace was more difficult to determine. For when it comes to doing the marathon, most athletes find it difficult to be realistic, especially if they contemplate a one-and-done marathon racing career. Of course, most marathoners want to set a respectable record in their first race. But if they fail to achieve their desired time, ignominious defeat might also lead to early retirement.
Marathon racing is a tough sport to master. It requires a realistic assessment of one’s true ability. That’s the average pace they can run, jog, or walk for the entire 42K without a crashing slowdown. How many times have I heard someone say they were on track for their goal time when the wheels fell off at 30K? They cramped up, and that’s why they slowed down. They rarely consider antecedent factors, such as going too fast for their ability. In marathoning there are always cause-and-effect pacing implications.
So, consider what it means to be a five-hour marathoner. If an athlete can finish in five hours, is 4:55 possible? Or would that make him/her a 4:55 marathoner, instead? In other words, what is the time limit beyond which one’s overall performance is not only jeopardized but also prohibitive? Moreover, effort always determines the limits of ability. The fastest performance, for example, requires an all-out effort, meaning you couldn’t have gone faster for the distance, nor farther without slowing down. An all-out effort can embody a heavy mental and physical price to become the athlete one claims to be.
“We call it the sweet spot: finishing the race employing not more than a very hard overall effort.”
Yet, before a race, most athletes—especially beginners—are willing to pay any price to get “their” time. And because they identify with their time, they want the fastest possible time, so they look good among their peers. Besides, it sounds so much better to identify with 4:55 than 5:00. And, if one shoots for the moon and hits the wall, the fallback (cramping) excuse is still available. In the BC Endurance culture, we believe it’s better to leave something in the gas tank instead of pressing the limit of endurance.
We call it the sweet spot: finishing the race employing not more than a very hard overall effort. We assume we’ll be back again for other marathons. And, if we train well between races, we’ll improve our performance with the same very hard effort. According to this scenario, we give ourselves leeway between our best performance and something a little slower, but more easily managed and enjoyable.
Yet, leaving aside the issue of a manly willingness to endure extreme discomfort, how can we determine our true marathon ability? One way is to simply run the race. If you can eschew identifying with your finish times, conservative pacing and gradual acceleration from race to race will enable you discover the sweet spot that’s sustainable for a long career in the sport of marathoning, regardless of your finish times.