Finding your ideal running distance
Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.
I distinctly remember two races I ran as a teenager. The first was an 800m: I recall running harder and faster than I’d ever run before. I also remember people quickly passing me, and I soon trailed in last. The other race was a 5,000m, and I remember the feeling of entering the finishing straight on the shoulder of the runner in first place, certain that I had enough energy to take me across the line as a winner. I did – and I knew I had found my distance at last.
So, how do you find yours? Most of us who have run for a while probably have developed a rough idea of what distance suits us best. This is the gut instinct route – how far do you actually like to run? Here’s what Steve Plasencia, from the University of Minnesota has to say on the matter of picking your optimum distance –
Follow your gut
“Certainly, there is a scientific method involved to some degree, as a 5K runner is genetically different from a marathoner, but there’s not much difference between the 5K and 10K runner. So, to some degree it boils down to what the runner likes. The distance where you feel the most comfortable plays a major factor. Do you like the long runs? Can you stay focused for that long a time or are the shorter runs better suited for you?”
A more scientific approach
If you’re feeling a little short changed by that answer, then you might be pleased to hear that there are also more scientific routes to finding your ideal race. Race time equivalent charts – that predict likely finishing times for longer distance races based on the performance in shorter races (or vice versa) – are a good place to start.
Look as well at how you’re physically put together – ideally, sprinters are tall with a muscular, slim lower legs and narrow hips (think Usain Bolt), middle distance runners have plenty of stamina but are more than capable of high speed, while long distance runners are lean and lightweight with slim bodies and legs.
I believe there’s a perfect distance out there for everyone – so go out and find it!
Until the next time,
Mohsin Salya
