Fwd: BM-HM Race details

[Prabhakaran Chinnappa]

FW !

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hari Menon <2.00adidas...@bengalurumarathon.in>
Date: Mon, Oct 13, 2014 at 3:38 PM
Subject: Re: BM-HM Race details
To: Prabhakaran Chinnappa <prabhuk...@gmail.com>

Here's a note I had shared that you might find useful:

Now that the route is up, here's a note for my fellow travellers on the 2:00 bus:

I did the HM route as part of a training run (Garmin file here: http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/609825995 and Strava page is here: http://www.strava.com/activities/205817277)

On this course, of the final 7 km from the Domlur intersection to Kanteerva Stadium, the 6 km from Domlur to Jewels de Paragon/Cubbon Park is mostly a steady uphill. It's nothing steep, but it is certainly tough, coming at that stage of the race, and is enough to take the edge off your pace if you ease off even slightly. So be prepared to draw on your reserves for that stretch.

Also, for most runners, this will be a difficult course for a negative split. My plan is to go out in a little over 1:55 HM pace -- around 5:28/5:30 min/km -- and come back in at around 2:00HM pace -- around 5:39/5:41 min/km. This should leave a margin of safety of around 2-3 minutes for negotiating factors like a crowded start and aid/water stations.

A few things to remember:

1. Perceived Effort: If you get your goal pace right, the first 5km should feel almost too easy (and on this course the next 10 won't feel very much harder, either), the final 5km should feel quite hard.

2. Too Slow? As a pacer my aim will be to run at as even a pace as possible, keeping changes of pace as gradual as possible. This will mean that on an undulating course like this I may draw away from you on the uphills, while you'll wonder if I'm going too slowly on the downhills. As long as you don't drop so far behind that you lose sight of me and the group in the final 5-6km don't worry too much about minor to-ing and fro-ing. But yes, definitely don't fall too far behind on this course -- you'll leave yourself a very hard task on the finishing stretch. If for some reason, Oct 19 turns out not to be your day for a 2:00 remember that the 2:15 and 2:30 pace groups will be behind you and you can use them as a guide to getting yourself to the finish line in the best possible time. 

3. Want to go quicker? Equally, if you've made it to the last few km with the group and are clearly feeling good and confident that you can do better than the benchmark set by my pacing, feel free to put the power on and push for an even better time. Internationally, it's quite common for runners to use a pacer to get to the 16.1 km mark and treat the final 5K as the real effort. As a pacer my role is at most a guide, not a guarantee of any particular time. If you're feeling great on the day, it would be great to push your limits!  

4. Running Etiquette: Remember also that everybody in the pace group has a finishing goal and has worked hard for it. Be mindful of their needs and space and keep runner etiquette in mind -- don't block your fellow runners unnecessarily (make way when asked to) and try to keep out of each others' way at aid/water stations. And try not to block your own pacer :)

5. Emergency breaks: Sometimes you do have to stop -- whether it's for something small like a loose shoelace, minor, like a toilet break, or major, like a medical problem. Feel free to ask me or anyone in the group for advice if you're feeling unwell, but remember that the pacer and the group cannot stop for you. There will be a medical crew to attend to any emergencies on course. For smaller stoppages, don't panic and burn too much energy getting back to the group -- there will be enough time to do whatever you have to do and then *gradually* pace yourself back on to the group.

     

6. IMPORTANT NOTE for GPS users: On my Garmin the course measures at a shade over 22km (1.5km to 23.6km on the linked activity files). This sort of error is *not* unusual on a course with a lot of sharp turns and trees en route. However it does mean that my GPS will be telling me that I'm actually taking you out at 1:53 pace and bringing you back at 1:58 pace. If your GPS isn't in sync with mine, don't worry too much -- we should be on course for 1:59:xx on the actual course.