Race pace

Race pace is the speed you plan to hold on race day. Practising it in the last weeks teaches your legs and your head what it feels like before it counts.

Knowing a pace on paper and feeling it are two different things. Race pace sessions are repeats at the speed you mean to race, with easy running between, so the effort feels familiar by race day.

A 2022 review of world-class track and marathon runners found they do more running at race pace as their main race gets closer. Pacing is easy to get wrong, too: in nearly 2 million recreational marathon results, 28% of men and 17% of women slowed down sharply late in the race.

In Pajdo's plan, the speed session of the last 3 building weeks (2 with one workout a week) and the taper's workouts are race pace reps with 2 minutes easy between: 5 × 3 minutes for a 5K, 4 × 6 for a 10K, 3 × 12 for a half and 2 × 20 for a marathon, fewer and shorter in the taper. The pace is your target's when it's within reach or a stretch, otherwise the pace Pajdo projects for race day. For a marathon it's the marathon pace your current fitness gives. Your watch keeps an eye on it, give or take 3%.

This is general wellness information, not medical advice. If a number worries you, or stays away from your usual for a while, talk to a doctor.

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