Race-Specific Preparation

Pacing strategy

For most non-elite runners, pacing by effort (and heart rate) is more reliable than chasing pace numbers, especially on hills, trails, or in heat. On flat road races, even pacing or a slight negative split (a touch faster in the second half) produces the best results¹ — and the most common mistake by far is going out too fast. A systematic review of marathon studies found runners used positive pacing (starting too fast) in about 77% of cases, and true negative splits in only ~18%².

The encouraging part: even pacing is a *skill*, not just willpower — you build it by rehearsing goal effort in training. On trails and in ultras, pace by effort throughout, power-hike the steep climbs, and start more conservatively than feels necessary; most ultra blowups come from the first quarter, not the last.

The marathon "wall"

"Hitting the wall" — a dramatic slowdown, usually after mile 18–22 — is largely glycogen depletion: the body runs low on its stored carbohydrate. A large-scale analysis of about four million marathon records found ~28% of men and ~17% of women hit the wall, and the risk rises in the years around a personal-best attempt, when runners take pacing risks³.

It's largely preventable: pace conservatively early to spare glycogen, carb-load before the race, and fuel consistently from early on rather than waiting until you feel empty (see the fueling & hydration article). Even pacing spreads the metabolic cost more efficiently than charging the first half.

The workouts that rehearse the race

The peak phase is where training mimics the event. For the marathon, the signature session is the marathon-pace long run — for example, 16–20 miles with the final 8–14 at goal pace⁴ — plus cutdown long runs that finish faster than they start⁵, with the goal-pace portion growing across the cycle. For the half, lean on tempo runs at goal pace and shorter tune-up races (5K, 10K) to sharpen and calibrate.

For trail and mountain races, train on terrain that matches the course — the climbs, descents, technicality, and altitude — and practice fueling on the move. For ultras, back-to-back long days rehearse running on tired legs, and you should practice aid-station routines, gear changes, and (if relevant) night running. Across all of them, treat your longest efforts as dress rehearsals for race-day fueling and gear.

The taper

Tapering sheds fatigue while preserving fitness — the consistent finding is to cut volume but hold onto intensity and frequency⁶. It is not the same as rest: keep a little sharpness with strides or short faster segments, and sharply reduce strength work, since its adaptation window has closed.

• Half marathon: about a 7–10 day taper, volume down ~30–40%.
• Marathon: about a 2–3 week taper, volume down ~40–50%, with the final long run 2–3 weeks out.
• Ultra: a 2–3 week taper, with how aggressively you cut volume varying by experience.