What is the best way to learn to run at an exact pace?

Question

I ran in a 1500m yesterday for the RAF Athletics Association in competition. I ended up with a time of 4:52.7, but I believe I could have been a lot faster if I had stuck to my pace more exactly; I didn't realise I had slowed down until too late and so hadn't used all my energy up, even after a 200m kick. My splits were;

400m - 1:16 (19s / 100m on this split)

800m - 2:40 (21s / 100m)

1100m- 3:40 (20s / 100m)

1500m- 4:52.7 (18s / 100m)

If anyone has any advice, coaches and athletes alike, on how to really get those paces stuck in your mind so you know exactly how fast you're going, and don't slow down by accident, it'd be greatly appreciated.

John Wright, 17yr, Welbeck Defence College

Answer 1

I would try doing some 400m repeats, each at a specific time, in your case about a 1:15. Do about 6 or 8 of those with a 3 minute active recovery in between. This should help with your pace and also improve your time.

Answer 2

dont listen to any of this song garbage. there is one and only one way to get good at pacing. run, run at that pace often, not alot, but often. if you are doing a track workout like 400 repeats then do them equivalent to what pace you want. if you can sustain that pace then next time you do that work out slow every interval down. so maybe the first time you went for 74s. if you make it great but if you don then slow it to 76s. after you have mastered 76s go faster. no one can run even without practicing what the pace feels like. you slowed down every lap so instead of going out in a 76 which is a second above 5 flat pace go out at a 78 then repeat the 78 and run a 77 then a 76. negative splits are hard but if you know in your head that you can run a 76 or even faster for your 6th interval of your 400 work out then that 76 second last lap should come easy. good luck with your racing and

thank you for running

Answer 3

if you can find a song, make your running fit the beats.

its kinda hard to explain but if you run with the beats, just think of it in your head and youll follow along

well....it works for me

Answer 4

listen to a song on repeat and run to the beat lmao

Answer 5

tredmeel

Answer 6

just practice running around and run with a stop watch with you and after every 400 or so meters see how long youve run and if your time was too slow then run faster next time. I know that sounds kind of simple but once you teach your body the speed that you want it to run at it will want to run at that speed