Simulation 5K This Week?

I am going into this week with some apprehension. The Run with Hal Advanced 5K training plan has a simulation 5K race this weekend. I don't know what my time should be for this simulation run. My goal time and pace for the end of the training block five weeks from now are 24:30 and 7:53/mi.

I’ve looked back at my training, and my tempo runs have not peaked faster than 8:05/mi. for 5 minutes, my fast runs of 4-5 miles have been run at 9:06/mi. I wonder where I will get the speed for my 5K simulation.

Then I realized that my 400 meter interval time paces have averaged around 7:05/mi., and my 200 meter interval paces have averaged around 6:27/mi. I have the speed, but how will I go the distance?

I must trust the training and see where I am with this simulation run. Rather than try to hit my end goal time and pace, I will split the difference between my current PB and my goal. I will try to run a sub-25-minute 5K with an 8:00/mi. pace.

I find this part of pacing the most challenging part of preparing for a race. Do you have any tips or pointers? Please share them in the comments below.

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