Old Mutual ultras; the Two Oceans Marathon and Om Die Dam, both have tough second halves. So how do you go about calculating your pacing? While Lindsey Parry is a big advocator of negative splits, on this episode of the Ask Coach Parry podcast; he tells you how to handle a course with a hilly second half.

Transcript

Welcome onto this edition of the Ask Coach Parry podcast, I’m Brad Brown, we’ve got Lindsey Parry with us once again who has been around the world in less than 80 days. Lindsey, welcome back from the two London’s, London proper and East London, nice to have you back on. Great question today from Mtunzi Danwa.

Mtunzi is asking a question about pacing, says: while I’m not doing Old Mutual Two Oceans, it’s a race that’s got a tougher second half than the first. The Om Die Dam is pretty much the same, much tougher second compared to the first.

You recommend negative splits insofar as pacing is concerned. Is it advisable to run a race like OMTOM or ODD to aim for negative splits, or rather obtain a race profile and pace according to that, which may then mean a positive split?

Lindsey Parry: Absolutely and I think Om Die Dam is even harder in terms of pacing than Two Oceans. So in other words, the second half or the last 17 or so kilometres are the toughest part of the race. No, I would expect to run a little bit slower in the second half of Two Oceans and of Om Die Dam. Look, again, it does depend on what you’re aiming for and what your target is.

But to run your absolute best possible race, I would say that the second half of Two Oceans is probably in the region of five minutes slower than the first half, particularly because you’ve actually finished Two Oceans at a higher point than what you started it. I do highly recommend taking the course profile into account and planning your run according to that.

Pacing remains a delicate balance to master

BB: It’s also important to bear in mind, particularly in a race like Two Oceans which is coming up this weekend. Even though that first half is a lot easier, you can’t go out too hard thinking, you’re going to lose time in the second half and we’ll make it up in the first.

LP: No, you still need, in yourself you need to be very comfortable and you don’t want to get carried away. If you’re running 10; 10 is quicker than you think you’re going to run in the second half, then you’re almost certainly going to blow.

Those three to five minutes that you lose in the second half shouldn’t be because you’re dying, it should just be because the proof, the profile is harder. So your effort level will increase slightly because obviously you’ve been on the go for a much longer time.

The point is, that in terms of your relative intensity, it shouldn’t change much. If you still run conservatively and within yourself, you should be faster in the first half because it’s flat. But you shouldn’t be charging to put time in the bag.

BB: Brilliant, thank you very much for that question. Lindsey, thanks for your time, we look forward to catching up again soon. Don’t forget, if you are down at the Two Oceans this coming weekend, make sure you pop past the Comrades Marathon coach stand, Lindsey is going to be there.

He’s got his own stand at the Expo, I’m going to be there as well, we’re going to be broadcasting live on Old Mutual Live. Looking forward to catching up. Do come and say hi and we look forward to chatting then. Lindsey, until next time, from the two of us, it’s cheers.