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Keeping a pace

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‎09-18-2016 09:51

‎09-18-2016 09:51

Hello!
I need help figuring out how to set my fitbit up to keep me at a pace, so if you want to run an 8 minute mile you can tell it and it beeps at you when you are going under or over that pace!
Please help!!
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5 REPLIES 5

‎09-18-2016 17:37

‎09-18-2016 17:37

@Shianalee wrote:
Hello!
I need help figuring out how to set my fitbit up to keep me at a pace, so if you want to run an 8 minute mile you can tell it and it beeps at you when you are going under or over that pace!
Please help!!

What you're asking for isn't possible as of yet; it may never be on the Surge.

 

As a long time runner and running coach for a lot of beginning and intermediate runners, I'm curious, what benefit do you think you will get from such feedback?

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‎09-18-2016 17:56

‎09-18-2016 17:56

Hello! Thank you for your response, I know one of the Garmin watches has this feature.

I want to run a steady pace so I can get a certain score on my pt test for the army. It's really convenient to have it tell you if you're going too slow!
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‎09-19-2016 06:49

In response to Shianalee

‎09-19-2016 06:49

To best train for any given time for any given distance you're far better off running a lot of very slow miles until you can comfortably run two or three times the distance of your PT distance.  Then, once per week, run the PT distance with a timer.

 

If you're trying to teach your body to run at a specific pace it will take much longer to extend that pace for whatever distance you need.  Long story short, a pace alert is a worthless training tool.

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‎09-19-2016 06:57

‎09-19-2016 06:57

I can run alot of miles slowly, but I want to run these two miles fast. It wouldn't be a worthless tool to me, but thank you anyway
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‎09-19-2016 09:07 - edited ‎09-19-2016 09:08

In response to Shianalee

‎09-19-2016 09:07 - edited ‎09-19-2016 09:08

@Shianalee wrote:
I can run alot of miles slowly, but I want to run these two miles fast. It wouldn't be a worthless tool to me, but thank you anyway

That's the point of long slow distance; it makes you fast.  I coach a lot of runners and it is absolutely true, if you pile on the miles, even very slow miles, you get faster when you run shorter distances.  I don't know what your length and time limit is, but when I was in the Marines back in the 1970s we had a three-mile run which to get maximum points we had to complete in eighteen minutes; the best way to train for that run is to consistently run six (or more), dialing the pace up near the end of each run.

 

If you follow the above advice and want to keep tabs on your progress, once per week time yourself running your PT distance.

 

Long story short, pace training for anybody but a very-very experienced runner is not a productive way to train (and even for experienced runners the benefit is highly controversial).

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