How To Find Your True Training And Race Pace (Without Guessing)

Stop guessing your training and race pace! In this episode of the Marathon Handbook Podcast , hosts Michael Doyle, Coach Katelyn Tocci, and Alex Cyr break down how to scientifically and practically discover your true race and training pace — without falling into common runner traps. We explore: Six pace trap archetypes every runner should avoid (like the Marathon Mathematician and Legacy PR Guy) The most effective tools and calculators to dial in your real fitness level How to adjust pace throughout the season And how to use time trials and recent race data to plan smarter Whether you’re gunning for a sub-3 marathon, aiming for a PR in the 10K, or just want to train more efficiently, this episode is your definitive guide to realistic and smart pacing strategies . 🔗 Resources Mentioned : ▶ VDOT Calculator by Jack Daniels ▶ McMillan Running Calculator 📩 Sign up for our newsletter: https://marathonhandbook.com/newsletter 🎧 Listen to the podcast: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7o72muiWY6TSNrwfzirqH6?si=4cf9310996e14ae6 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/marathon-handbook-podcast/id1687070922 📺 Subscribe for more running videos: https://www.youtube.com/@marathonhandbook?sub_confirmation=1 ⏱️ Timestamps / Chapters 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - Why Most Runners Guess Their Pace Wrong 06:50 - The 6 Pacing Traps Runners Fall Into 07:50 - #1: The Marathon Mathematician 12:18 - #2: The Legacy PR Guy 16:47 - #3: The Copycat 22:20 - #4: The Tempo Merchant 29:35 - #5: The Round Number Chaser 34:45 - #6: The Negative Split Fantasist 38:10 - Tools to Find Your Real Race Pace 39:30 - Using Time Trials and VDOT 42:50 - Recent Race Results as Fitness Predictors 45:30 - How to Use Pace Calculators (VDOT, McMillan) 49:45 - Short vs Long Race Prediction Accuracy 56:50 - RPE and Recovery Runs 59:30 - Final Thoughts + How To Apply This In Training 1:01:00 - Upcoming Reviews & Channel Updates Our free marathon training plans: https://marathonhandbook.com/trainingplans/marathon-training-plans/ Follow us on IG: https://instagram.com/marathon.handbook Follow us on Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marathon.handbook Like us on FB: https://facebook.com/marathonhandbook Follow us on X: https://x.com/MarathonHB