SIGNS FOR TEACHING TRACK PACES

One of the hardest things for most runners is learning how to pace the beginning of a race correctly. It's not enough for coaches to give them a target pace.

Most charge off the starting line, adrenaline pumping, and realize only later that their pace was too fast. And they pay later with an overall slower time. 

Our pace training signs help runners get a feel for the correct pace during practice sessions on the track. Instruct runners to run their target pace for their event. Our standard sign sets cover the 800, 1500, and 3000 or the 800, 1600, and 3200.  

Tell your runners: "Remember, you're running what FEELS like your target pace. When you hear my whistle, stop and walk back a few steps to where you were when the whistle blew."

Our instructions tell you how far along the track to place each sign, facing away from oncoming runners so they can't see where they're supposed to end up.

Start the runners and blow the whistle after 90 seconds. 

Coaches then jog a partial lap in the opposite direction, using the signs to tell each runner what pace they actually ran.

For your second go at it, ask runners to run their assigned pace for a different distance. That keeps them from focusing on the place they should reach rather than the pace they should hit.

Swap runner's distances again for their third and fourth attempts to nail their assigned pace by feel.

The sturdy sign sets then get folded flat and put away for another workout.