Negative Reinforcement

[Nick]

Negative Reinforcement
Running negative splits is a highly effective training and racing strategy. As you'll see
        by: Joe Henderson  


One of the great misnomers of our sport is the term "negative split," which means running the second half of a race or training run faster than the first half.

But running a negative split is hardly a negative. Just the opposite. It's one of the most positive experiences a runner can have--and you can have it often. You can run negative splits in your everyday runs, in races, and in speed training designed specifically to teach you how to finish faster. Here's how it works.

Normal runs: Almost all daily runs can be positive "negatives." This can easily happen if you ease into the run, then bump up the pace as you warm up so you're running faster at the end of it than when you started.

I don't measure my daily runs or check mile splits anymore, but I always make sure I finish faster than I start.

The proof is on my watch. I often run out-and-back courses, going in one direction for 30 minutes. (I make note of the time I hit the turnaround.) The return trip usually takes only 28 minutes--with no apparent increase in effort. I figure any run that ends faster than it started is a good one.

Races: On a normal training run, the natural tendency is to start slowly and work into your pace of the day. On race day, however, the tendency is to do the opposite. Your adrenaline urges you to join the crowd that bolts from the starting line too fast.

Starting faster than you'll be able to finish is the least effective way to race. You will be better off resisting that urge and smoothing out your efforts by running the first mile slightly slower than you hope to run the final one. It's uplifting to increase your pace and pass others toward the end. To guard against starting too fast, begin the race well behind the starting-line crowd.

All my best times, over a wide range of distances, were set while running the second half of those races either at the same or faster pace than the first half. Those personal records were set years ago, but the pacing rule is still applicable.

Fast-Finish Training: You can practice fast finishes every day as part of your normal run. Mimicking your race speed for a small part of your daily run can improve your final kick at the finish of a race. It also teaches you how to make a longer, more sustained, more controlled push for the finish.

Regina Jacobs first ran in the U.S. National Championships more than 20 years ago. Now, as she approaches her 40th birthday later this month, the Californian is still winning national and world championships against women half her age. ?ften her advantage is her finishing kick.

After Jacobs set the 1500-meter indoor world record last winter, a reporter asked her, "How have you been able to hold onto your speed as you get older?"

Her reply: "The older I get, the more careful I have to be about speedwork. It's essential, of course, but I run these sessions less often and at lower volume than I used to."

The answer seemed to end there. But after pausing she added, "I also finish every run fast, even if it's only for the last 100 meters. This is a constant reminder to my legs of what they have to do in a race."

That's good advice that everyone who races can use. Run at top racing pace every day, even if only for a short distance.

A favorite session of mine is to run 3 miles continuously. The first mile is an easy warmup, easing into the run as on any other day. Then, I run the second mile about 60 seconds faster than the first one. That shouldn't be too tough. The real effort comes on the final mile, where the pace drops down another minute (or a pace that's approximately equal to what you could hold for an entire 5-K).

You don't even have to worry about exact distances. If I'm going out for a 30-minute run, I'll run easily for 15 minutes, then at the turnaround point, I'll pick up the pace. At the end, I'll stop my watch. Usually, I've run the second half 2 to 3 minutes faster than the first part.

You might call this "negative-split" training. I think of it as "half-fast," with the last half being the faster one.