Mastering Ultra Marathon Pacing: Insights from Javelina Jundred Champions
I still hear the desert wind whispering through the scrub as I laced up for the first loop of the Javelina Jundred. The sun was still a thin line on the horizon, the temperature hovering just above 20 °C, and the 1 mile loop stretched out like a promise. I glanced at the aid station marker – a modest wooden sign that read “30 km – keep it steady” – and felt the familiar tug of doubt: How do I stay fast enough without burning out?
Story Development
That doubt turned into a quiet conversation with my own body. I remembered the night before, when a friend had asked me to “run by feel” rather than by watch. The next morning, the first 5 miles felt easy, the cadence light, the heart rate hovering around 150 bpm – a comfortable zone. But as the loop repeated, the terrain shifted, the heat rose, and the mental narrative swirled: push harder now, or conserve for the later miles?
I watched the other runners drift past – some sprinting ahead, others slowing to a shuffle. The race, I realised, was less about a single aggressive surge and more about a series of tiny decisions that together defined the whole 100‑mile experience.
Concept Exploration – The Science of Negative Splits
Research on ultra‑marathon pacing consistently shows that negative splits – running the second half of a race slightly slower than the first – minimise physiological drift. A 2020 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that athletes who kept their early‑race effort at or below their lactate threshold experienced a ≈8 % smaller decline in VO₂max over the final 30 % of the distance compared with those who started too fast.
Why does this matter?
- Glycogen preservation: A conservative start spares muscle glycogen, delaying the dreaded “bonk”.
- Thermoregulation: Lower early‑race core temperature reduces reliance on active cooling later, a crucial factor in desert races where evaporative cooling is limited.
- Mental resilience: Knowing you have energy left builds confidence, turning the race into a series of manageable challenges rather than a single, overwhelming ordeal.
Practical Application – Self‑Coaching with Smart Pacing Tools
You don’t need a lab coat to apply these insights. Here’s a simple self‑coaching framework you can adopt on any long run:
- Define personalised pace zones – use a recent long‑run effort to set three zones: Easy (≤ 65 % of max HR), Steady (≈ 75 % of max HR), and Hard (≈ 85 % of max HR).
- Plan an adaptive split – start the first 20 % of the distance in the Easy zone, then transition to Steady for the middle, and only tap Hard for short, purposeful surges (e.g., hill climbs or to catch a pacer).
- Leverage real‑time feedback – a wrist‑mounted sensor can alert you when heart‑rate drifts above the intended zone, prompting an immediate adjustment.
- Use collections of workouts – curate a series of “Negative‑Split Long Runs” that gradually increase mileage while keeping the zone structure constant.
- Share and compare within your community – posting your zone‑based splits to a running forum lets you benchmark against peers, refining your personal pacing model.
These steps echo the subtle capabilities of modern pacing platforms: personalised zones, adaptive weekly plans, instant feedback, and community‑driven data – all without sounding like a sales pitch. They simply illustrate why such tools matter for progressive, data‑informed training.
Closing & Workout
The beauty of ultra‑marathon running is that it rewards patience as much as speed. By listening to your body, honouring the science of negative splits, and using simple self‑coaching cues, you can transform a 100‑mile grind into a series of purposeful, enjoyable miles.
Try this next week:
- Workout: “Desert Negative‑Split Loop” (total 20 km / 12.4 mi)
- Warm‑up: 2 km easy (Zone 1)
- First half: 8 km at a comfortable Zone 2 pace (≈ 75 % max HR) – aim to keep heart‑rate steady, not faster than your recent 10 km race pace.
- Second half: 8 km at Zone 1 – deliberately slower, focusing on relaxed breathing and consistent cadence.
- Cool‑down: 2 km easy, noting any heart‑rate drift.
Track your zones, note how you feel after the second half, and adjust the next week’s split length accordingly. Happy running – and may your next ultra feel like a conversation rather than a battle.
References
- The Art of Pacing: Patrick Reagan’s Winning Performances at the Javelina Jundred Mile – iRunFar (Blog)
- Pat Reagan: running 100-miles fast | Fast Running (Blog)
- Nick Coury is Chasing Gold at the 2022 Javelina Jundred - YouTube (YouTube Video)
- 2018 Javelina Jundred Champion - Patrick Reagan - YouTube (YouTube Video)
- Shea Aquilano is Chasing Gold at the 2023 Javelina Jundred - YouTube (YouTube Video)
- Nicole Monette Is Chasing Gold at the 2023 Javelina Jundred - YouTube (YouTube Video)
- Patrick Reagan’s 2020 Race Plans | Desert Solstice 2019 - YouTube (YouTube Video)
- Blake Slattengren Is Chasing Gold at the 2023 Javelina Jundred - YouTube (YouTube Video)
Collection - Javelina Jundred-Inspired Pacing Mastery
The Foundation Run
View workout details
- 2.0km @ 5'45''/km
- 10.0km @ 5'45''/km
- 2.0km @ 5'45''/km
Active Recovery
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- 5min @ 6'30''/km
- 20min @ 6'30''/km
- 5min @ 6'30''/km
Zone Familiarity
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- 1.5km @ 6'30''/km
- 6 lots of:
- 4min @ 5'45''/km
- 2min @ 6'30''/km
- 1.5km @ 6'30''/km
to import the collection after you install it.
