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Runner’s World August 2005
By Jeff Galloway

Q. I start runs too slow and have too much left at the end. How can I learn to judge pace?
A. It’s definitely helpful to know how to push the pace in the mid to lager stages of your runs or races. To learn pace judgment, try this drill once a week on a track or measure course that’s about a quarter mile.

1) After 10 minutes of easy running, time yourself as you run one lap very easy. Then walk/jog for two minutes.
2) Time a second lap, and try to run it two to five seconds faster than the first. Walk/jog for three minutes.
3) On the third lap, try again to shave two seconds to five seconds.
4) Next week, try again and add a fourth lap. Walk/jog for three minutes between the third and fourth laps.

Continue to do this drill once a week, adding one more lap until you work up to six laps. A that point, you goal becomes running all of the laps at the fastest pace you worked up to. By slowly building your pace over the weeks and then striving to maintain it, you’ll learn how to pace yourself on any run.

Summer Speed
One Short But Sweet (And Sweaty) Workout
Try this speed session when you want a quality workout but only have about 30 minutes. When it’s hot, your warm-up can be as little as three minutes of walking followed by three minutes of easy jogging. Reverse this for your cool down.
Part One: Jog for 30 seconds start to pick it up for 30 seconds, hit 5-K race pace for 30 seconds, then back off slight from 5-K pace for 30 seconds. Repeat sequence. Walk/jog one minute.
Part Two: Jog for one minute, start to pick it up for one minute, hit 5-K race pace for one minute, then back off slightly from 5-K pace for one minute. Repeat sequence. Walk/jog one minute.
Part Three: Repeat Part One.

The Excuse (And How To Beat It)
If I Don’t Run Every Day, I Lose My Motivation
Some runners feel they must run every day because of the positive boost they get from their workout. Other’s "have to" because running isn’t part of their daily routine, they won’t stick with it. But running every day increases your injury risk. Here are some ways to establish a routine that will leave you fresher and stronger for the days you do run. (1) Establish exercise as part of your daily routine by carving out a block of time every day. But instead of running every day during that time slot, experiment with cross training a few times each week. (2) Get a step counter and try to accumulate more than 10,000 walking steps a day (equal to five miles). (3) Record all exercise - not just mileage - in your running log. It takes the pressure off accruing any specific mileage total, while also reinforcing exercise as part of your routine.