Why do we do workouts slightly slower than race pace by like 6 seconds than doing it at race pace?

Question

Why do we do workouts slightly slower than race pace by like 6 seconds than doing it at race pace?

Answer 1

Running is body training.

long or longer than race length runs are always done at a slower pace because you are only teaching the body to run the length.

You run longer than race length becasue the body learns to run 10k or 10 miles then when you go inot a race at 5k or five miles the body is like "hey we are done already. I can run longer than that."

Speed work is what drops times. You go out and run 400 meter repeats at 70-75 seconds a piece. The body gets into a race and is running a 6 minute pacew (90 sec 400 meters) and the body is saying Hey this is a slow pace. I'm used to faster.

Then you alternate the workouts. One, to give the body some rest. Two, give the body variety. Three, the body learns both skills and combines them into a race. And then "Voila, you have PR's all season."

It's a simplistic explanation but it's the easiest way to explain.

Answer 2

Probally because of the following reasons:

A: We are not as pressured.

B: We have running on our mind more than when we are just practicing.

C: You have other runners pushing you on so you can beat them.

-That is my explanataion.