A pace plan is necessary for marathon runner to help them control their energy and maintain a pace throughout the race. The Boston Marathon begin in the suburbs of Boston and ends in the city. Throughout the race, there is a total drop of nearly 500 feet in elevation.
However, there are several hill throughout the race that can cause the runners to fatigue. One of the most difficult hills to run in the race is the Newton Hills. These hills are some of the most difficult because they are located when the runners are already tired from completing the race.
Boston Marathon Pace and Training Tips
Therefore, runners who compete in the Boston Marathon should avoid running too quickly during the early miles of the race. Instead, runners should aim for a negative split of the marathon where runners complete the second half of the race more faster than the first half. In order to determine the distance that runners should cover during the Boston Marathon, it is important for runners to understand how their goal for the race will relate to their split for specific distances along the marathon.
For instance, runners who desire to finish the Boston Marathon in three hours will need to run at a pace of 6 minutes and 52 seconds per mile. The Boston Marathon accepts a significant number of runner for the race; however, runners who qualify for entry need to run in speeds that is more faster than the qualifying speeds for races. To qualify for the Boston Marathon, runners need to complete a marathon with a time that is within the time limit for runners of specific age.
For instance, men between the age of 18 and 34 must complete a marathon in under three hours while women between the age of 18 and 34 must complete a marathon under 3:30. Some of the most famous point along the marathon are the locations where runners will pass through specific area of Boston. For instance, runners will pass through Ashland at four mile, Framingham at seven mile, and Natick at ten mile.
Additionally, at twelve mile, runners will pass Wellesley College. At this location, there are many spectator of the marathon who cheer for the runners. Between miles 16 and 21, runners will encounter the four Newton Hills.
The most challenging of these hill is Heartbreak Hill which is the longest at 0.6 mile and features a 2.5 percent average grade. After this hill, the marathon begins to descend for the remainder of the race to the finish line on Boylston Street. A successful strategy for runners will include a plan for their mile and the fueling of the runners.
For example, runners should plan to run the first 13.1 miles of the race 10 to 20 seconds per mile slower than their target marathon pace. Additionally, runners should avoid the temptation to rush runners on the downhills between the first five mile of the race. Fueling is also important for runners to maintain their energy throughout the race.
Energy gel should be consumed at the six mile, eleven mile, six mile, and twenty mile marker. Additionally, runners should consume fluids if runners feel thirsty, though they should avoid becoming overly hydrated. Since the weather during April is changing, runners should prepare for various temperature by wearing layers of clothing.
In order to train for the Boston Marathon, runners should incorporate specific exercise into their training plan. For instance, runners should incorporate miles that include running up hill each week in order to physically prepare for the Newton Hills. Long distance should also be incorporated into a runner’s training plan as runners should complete race of up to 22 miles to prepare for the fueling requirement of the race.
Three week prior to the race, runners should begin to taper their training to allow the bodys to rest and recover. During this three week period, runners should reduce their training by 20 to 30%. Additionally, runners should use the same gear that they will use during the race as the purchase of new gear too close to the race may lead to issue with those new product.
Finally, runners should avoid mistake such as starting the race too fast or consuming insufficient amount of nutrient during the race. If runners begin the race at a conservative start, they will have more energy to complete the race strong.
