10 Km Race Tactics
Racing is about getting from the start to the finish in the quickest possible time with the least amount of energy left in the tank. This means you’ve gone as hard as possible, leaving all your energy spent out on the road.
I have put a few tips together to help you to race a fast 10km race:
Break the 10km race up into 2 x 5km races.
The first 5km stay within 5-10 sec of your race pace without speed surges. Huge speed surges cost energy and could result in accumulating lactate faster than you can clear it. This will force you to slow down.
Know the route, this helps you to bank time for hills or lots of tight turns and to push on the easy sections to make up lost time.
Take the inside running line and cut corners across the road. Every second counts towards a new PB.
Set your pace (even splits to 8km), make sure it’s based on your current level of fitness.
If you are feeling good at 8km, it’s time to kick up the pace by 5-10 sec per km to the end.
If you are just holding on, keep your current pace. Re-evaluate your effort at 9km, we can usually smell the stables and find that extra little effort for the final km.
Even if you’ve run a perfectly paced race, at roughly the 7km mark the race starts to bite! Breathe, stay focused on good cadence and running rhythm. Keep to your pace as this is where you can lose concentration and your pace can waver.
Nutrition is just as important for a 10km race as a marathon. Eat 2-3 hours before the start of the race. Eg: cereal, oats, toast with jam. Drink 500ml of fluid from the time you wake up to the start of the race.
I usually have coffee as I get up with cereal and a Liqui Fruit about 30 min before the start.This works for me.
Evaluate your race afterwards, what went well and what areas you could improve on for your next race.
If you would like any further advice on 10km race strategies, contact me to discuss in further detail.