What if I told you there is a way that allowed you to finish each race at your best- or very nearly your best on that day without having to struggle as hard to the finish line? It exists- and you probably have heard of it before, it sounds so simple but i can be so hard to execute as race nerves and excitement can get in the way.

It’s called negative splitting, it sounds simple right? But why is negative splitting more efficient than going out hard?

To clear the air of any confusion for newer runners, negative splitting is the runner jargon that loosely means you finish the last part to half of your run faster than the first part. It sounds trivial but having any type of workout that is run in this fashion will absolutely feel better than going out too hard and finishing slower the last few miles due to fatigue.

Negative splitting has been used almost exclusively for Men’s World Records since 1998 and while not totally for Women’s- most races are still run in a negative split fashion. If the world’s best approach racing in such a way- then maybe we should pause to consider why it might be so effective.

Negative Splitting Like A Pro

No matter how much we might try to fight it- running a conservatively paced beginning part of a race or workout will only lead to better results. There are a few reasons on why this is the case.

Physically

Warming-up

Your body is given a chance to warm-up starting slower than a goal pace. Standing in a corral before a big race for a long period of time means you’re not moving and blood isn’t able to go to the extremities of the body. Allowing the first few minutes of a run to be focused on getting the systems in gear before really getting into it allows for a more efficient race. It’s what NASCAR cars do- so why should you treat your body any differently?

Helps Regulate Body Temp.

Like discussed in our previous training blog running fast increases the temperature of the body. By starting conservatively it slows the rate of temperature increase allowing your body to stay dryer by the occurrence of less sweating and slight dehydration can greatly effect performances even in cooler conditions. A study done in 2014 highly recommends any runner should start a Marathon much slower than anticipated in warmer conditions to not just protect your pacing, but your life!

Mentally

Perceived effort is less

In a study of 6 hour Ultra Marathoners it was concluded that both effort and fatigue were considerably less for those athletes who purposely started very conservative in relation to their paces. No other physical signs like stride length or cadence changed from starting faster. But the effort felt much easier and less fatiguing than starting faster. Racing already hurts, wouldn’t you rather hurt less for the same performance?

The Mentality of Finishing Strong

Other studies looking at the World Half Marathon Championships concluded(obviously so) that the best runners maintained their splits, while slower runners began to regress after 5K. Not only that runners who were in a pack of other runners were much less likely to experience a slow down compared to runners who were by themselves.

Think about it, what feels better in the last third of a race- passing people or getting passed? By starting slower we are almost guaranteeing that we’re going to be passing people who went out too hard and are paying for it. This in turn gives us motivation and a confidence boost to keep picking it up. Rather than the feeling of falling behind. We get to finish the race feeling strong rather than wanting it to come around at any term

Hedging your bets

If a runners reach goal is to run 7:45 for a 5K it can be really tempting to start their race at 7:45 or faster. This racing style can be dangerous though if their body isn’t totally 100% ready for it or feeling good, it can be a rough last 1.5 miles by either cramping or a dramatic slowdown. By starting 10-15 seconds slower a mile they hedge their bets in case their body isn’t feeling it’s best. If they feel great they can cut down the next two miles likely still hitting their reach goal. If don’t feel great they can continue the same pace and still run a time that will feel better with a much stronger finish than if they went out too hard.

Conclusion

Negative splitting requires patience, which is hard to come by as many elites still struggle with this idea. But, giving our-self some wiggle room if we don’t feel great can lead to great results over the second half of the race. It’s something you can practice everyday you’re running too. Start 10 to 20 seconds slower a mile on a normal easy run day and practice just running the 2nd half slightly faster than the first. Try it out at the next race you’re at and see how good it can feel to finish feeling good with a good time.