Ideal Paces

Pacing yourself while running is very important the Complete Book of Running states "for too many years runners have been told to train as they feel. The problem is that no one tells you how you're supposed to feel when you're training right." (Burfoot 141) being a runner no one has ever told me what a good pace feels like. The book goes on to say "many runners fall into the no-pain, no-gain trap" (Burfoot 142) This can cause people to out-do themselves "They train too hard. You know what comes next: Burnout and injuries" (Burfoot 142) often time injuries can be costly, for example if you pull a muscle you can be out for one or two weeks. Amby Burfoot shows a chart of the correct way to pace yourself.

(Picture taken form Complete Book of Running)

This chart tells me how I should pace myself in certain situations. Burfoot later states ways to tell if you are overtraining, "Anytime you experience difficulty in finishing a workout, plan a rest period" (Burfoot 148) I find it wise you rest at least 1 or 2 days a week, doing this reassures that I wont get injured or over train. Lastly the book states "On your rest days it is smart to do a shorter workout" (Burfoot 149) what I learned from this is that I should have a harder training 3-4 times a week with a shorter more easy workout 1-2 times a week. Doing this has helped me in many ways and makes me have a less chance of getting hurt.

How do you runners know what your correct pace is? 

Citation:

Burfoot, Amby. Runner's World Complete Book of Running: Everything You Need to Know to Run for Fun, Fitness, and Competition. Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 1997. Print.