it's my typical routine - every 5K RR stands in the back of the pack. i don't dare go up front with the real runners even tho i know much slower runners than I are up there at the line.
my husband feels this is somewhat of a disadvantage to me. Sometimes, it takes me a full 2 minutes to catch up with the walkers who have started on the line. He thinks i should line up closer to the front -- like, toe the bleepin' line???
is it worth it to move up? I'm thinking on my 8.30 pace it might save me 15 seconds in the chute??
where do you all stand in that pack?? are ya with me or are ya up front?? i guess the size and seriousness of the race is a factor too. wouldn't see me up front at the Great Race
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I dont think so. You could easily make up the time by picking it up for a little bit for about a minute to make up the time.
I also think that they want people to seed themselves properly, so I am obeying the rules they set in place.
I also think that they want people to seed themselves properly, so I am obeying the rules they set in place.
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I line up at the front, but I usually run small races and can get a pretty decent place in the overall standings.
If I were to run in the Peachtree (50,000 runners. I think it's a seeded race too), I'd have to line up about 1/3 of the way back. There's just too many fast runners in that race.
Go back and look at your overall placing for the last few races. Were you in the top 25%? If so, you should line up 1/4 of the way back. We're you around finishing with the top 50%? Then line up about half-way back.
If I were to run in the Peachtree (50,000 runners. I think it's a seeded race too), I'd have to line up about 1/3 of the way back. There's just too many fast runners in that race.
Go back and look at your overall placing for the last few races. Were you in the top 25%? If so, you should line up 1/4 of the way back. We're you around finishing with the top 50%? Then line up about half-way back.
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I like to place myself around people that look like they will be doing a little faster then my target pace. I also place myself on the outside so that if people are slow, it is easy to get around them. If there are less then 100 or so participants, I will line up at the line.
My junior year of cross country, I allowed myself to start at the back and would focus on working my way up front. I was wasting so much energy in the attempt to catch up, that I couldn't compete.
My senior year of cross country, I only allowed myself to start at the front of the pack and keep that spot. I found I was able to compete with the other lead runners much better then when I was trying to catch them. That's why I'll put myself with others that are probably a little faster. I focus on staying with them and not catching the slower runners. I do this with my 5Ks all of the way to my half and full marathons.
My junior year of cross country, I allowed myself to start at the back and would focus on working my way up front. I was wasting so much energy in the attempt to catch up, that I couldn't compete.
My senior year of cross country, I only allowed myself to start at the front of the pack and keep that spot. I found I was able to compete with the other lead runners much better then when I was trying to catch them. That's why I'll put myself with others that are probably a little faster. I focus on staying with them and not catching the slower runners. I do this with my 5Ks all of the way to my half and full marathons.
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is anyone else wondering why ther are walkers closer to the start than ohter runners?
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WHy don't you try starting in the middle of the pack but out on the outer edge. That way you are a little closer to the start line and you can still avoid the mass of people that naturally surge up the middle. It might help to pull you along to a slightly quicker pace.
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I've run mostly small races and I line up on the line toward one side. I raced once in a 1000 participant 10k and lined up a few people deep, still to one side. Being on the side payed off because I got to pass up those that shouldn't have been in front of me.
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No, because I always wind up behind the family of four that grabs hands at the start and finds a baby stroller to push...
My pace is slower than yours, and I usually try to get just a tad back from the middle of the pack, and on the outside. I definitely spend a ton of time the first 1/2 mile on the sides passing people.
I really think that the only people who know where to line up are runners. I think walkers believe it's fine to line up anywhere.
My pace is slower than yours, and I usually try to get just a tad back from the middle of the pack, and on the outside. I definitely spend a ton of time the first 1/2 mile on the sides passing people.
I really think that the only people who know where to line up are runners. I think walkers believe it's fine to line up anywhere.
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Definitely not too far back- I agree with kobyj. I find that I get slowed down by going too far back b/c of all the walkers and slow runners blocking the way. You waste too much energy trying to pass them. For me Ill rather stay in the middle or near the front depending on the size of the race.
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The last race I ran, I edged my way closer to the front. Not the front but tried to get away from people that would slow me down.
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If there are pace markers, I'll go where I'm supposed to go. If it's a smaller nonchip race, I go for the right side about a quarter the way back. If it's a chip race I go in the middle half way back. I figure it doesn't matter, because there's no chance I'll ever win a race, and right now no way I'll win hardware, so the time is only for me to see how I'm improving or what I need to work on. No need to "steal" someone else's potential winning capability.
Joe's right - there are seeded spots for a reason. Imagine if you had a shot at hardware and missed it by four seconds because a slower person started in front of you. I think the only time I will ignore this and bogart some fastio's slot is at my marathon debut, where I'll need every second I can on the official results. I'll still line up on the right, though.
Joe's right - there are seeded spots for a reason. Imagine if you had a shot at hardware and missed it by four seconds because a slower person started in front of you. I think the only time I will ignore this and bogart some fastio's slot is at my marathon debut, where I'll need every second I can on the official results. I'll still line up on the right, though.
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In the last marathon I did, two young women stepped in front of me before the race started. You know how it is, all of you are standing around ready for the start to happen. Trying to stretch, trying to keep enough room around you so no one steps on your toes.
Anyway, having them in front of me wasn't a problem, until the gun went off. Then they saw some people on the sidelines that they wanted to wave at and get a picture of, etc. After slowing me down a little bit with this behavior, I just then put my hands in the small of their backs and pushed them along saying that the race had started and let's get going. I think it was their first marathon.
With all of that nonsense said, I agree with the boys here. Line up on the outside of the starting pack. And I would think with an 8:30 pace, you would need to line up much farther ahead than where you currrently do. Personally, I don't think you're being totally honest with yourself about your ability and your speed. (In other words, I think you're faster than you think/say you are.)
Anyway, having them in front of me wasn't a problem, until the gun went off. Then they saw some people on the sidelines that they wanted to wave at and get a picture of, etc. After slowing me down a little bit with this behavior, I just then put my hands in the small of their backs and pushed them along saying that the race had started and let's get going. I think it was their first marathon.
With all of that nonsense said, I agree with the boys here. Line up on the outside of the starting pack. And I would think with an 8:30 pace, you would need to line up much farther ahead than where you currrently do. Personally, I don't think you're being totally honest with yourself about your ability and your speed. (In other words, I think you're faster than you think/say you are.)
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I generally finish in the top 20% so I line up that way. I also make sure I don't get behind anybody who appears to be gabbing a lot at the start or looks like they are part of a group of runners who plan to stick together. I generally line up to the outside also and can jump up on the curb or whatever to pass slower runners if need be.
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I'm a race snob, I'll freely admit it. Since I shoot for the top 10%, when I go to the starting line, I enter from the front and work my way back a bit. Smaller races, a couple bodies deep and in larger ones, maybe 10 bodies deep. I also find lining up smack in the middle rather than near the edges the easiest for me since it seems every race has a corners somewhere within the first mile and running on the sides gets a lot of traffic at the turn.
Awhile back there was some Road-Race-Miss-Manner type articles (RW reference again, sorry) and basically it is that same as PH says..
Were you in the top 25%? If so, you should line up 1/4 of the way back. We're you around finishing with the top 50%? Then line up about half-way back.I really wish race registrations would emphasize this more. But that aside, I think as "thinking" members of the running community, it's just plain respectful to stand on the starting line in correlation to where you'll be at the finishline. :twocents:
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