I'd say time of day and year is a factor too. Most 5000m track races I've done have been for my club in a T+F league. Typically 4pm in the summer. Often hot. Also a strange time of day to run hard. Road races tend to be morning or evening, both of which fit better into the normal running cycle of the day.
Good point - 5000 track races on warm windy summer afternoons on exposed tracks in small fields of very varied standards can be challenging to do good times for sure. Of course not always the case and conditions in road races can often be very varied too.
One thing you didn't mention was the actual distance run. Most road races are slightly long just to ensure that they're a fully legal 5k/10k and that's without worrying about running the optimal route as far as tangents and everything goes. With a track, you know that if you hug the inside rail, you're going to be running pretty close to exactly 5k/10k. I think there's an argument for which is more enjoyable (I think road races are much more enjoyable), but if you're strictly trying to go as fast as you can go, it's definitely on a track. You don't need it to be an official race. Just grab a watch and possibly a buddy around your ability to pace you for as far as they can go.
Not run on a track since I was a kid (a while back). I'd say track is probably quicker, but the difference is certainly narrowed on a quick road route (flat and not too many turns). My 5k PB is on one of those cycle loop races (1k loop), but even that wasn't flat 41m elevation and a couple of the turns felt a bit tight. I've also got a bit of shin pain right now, pretty minimal, but thanks for making me feel less like an old man! 👴 C'mon Coleee!
Thanks for the shout out. My fastest 5K (some years ago now) was on the track but 10K on the road although back then when I was mainly a 800/1500 runner I rarely raced either so hard to infer much. More recently at 5K where have raced track and road ones in the same timeframes there hasn't been much in it although slight "win" to the road. I would say at my level these days (18 something) that am more likely to get a "good" race in a road race even over graded track ones. Do also think track racing is a bit different and, as you mentioned, keep hearing splits every 400m can be counter productive especially if you feel you are "racing" the watch not the other runners. I have little doubt though that in similar weather and similar "pacers" that the track ought to be faster. I might have to do some stats to see if can show it. It may be well that the faster you are the more the "advantage" of the track is.
Thanks for sharing Tim. Very interesting. It’s hard to quantify but I think it might be that the track is more beneficial, the faster you are, the less time you have to spend in ‘legal’ footwear such as spikes 🤣
@@ColeRunning yeah I have done one track 10K in Dragonflys and “got round” fine but these days I am about a mile behind when could have been at least close to you. Does slightly change the nature of the race. Do say an 800 or 1500 in spikes and even now rather different feel which you need to be used to maximise using spikes.
All else equal, a nice track surface is faster. However, it's definitely harder to find 5,000 and 10,000 races with good depth at amateur/club level, and most tracks are in pretty poor condition relative to those that host elite-level races.
I’ve run a few 5000m and 1 mile races on the track this season - living in London there are a few of them around. Achieved my PBs at those distances on the track. Never done a 10000m on the track. Find running in Dragonfys preferable to road shoes.
Masters athletics have more generous stack heights. At least they do in Australia where most of the 5000m competitors were wearing Vaporfly's last nationals. Tough to choose between Dragonfly and Vaporfly...
I love both road and track and have done mile and 5000m races on track but the thought of a track 10K is horrific. My least favourite running surface would have to be a muddy XC course which I find so energy sapping.
tbh i run way faster on the hard tracks than the soft ones. you just dont sink into them as much. At one trainglokation we have 2 track besides eachother and the one is really new and soft and the other one is very hard. One day we did 400s on the soft one and during the workout we switches to the hard one the reps got about 3 to 4 sekonds faster. I like the track for faster short races like 800m to 3k, but the road for the longer ones because you can wear supershoes. The same goes for workouts. Whenever im wearing supershoes on the track it just feels to easy. But i find that on the track i can push myself further than on the road, because you dont focus on the surface and where your going.
never raced more than 1500m on a track, the idea of going further than that just makes me die inside. maybe it’s quicker but definitely more mentally demanding.
I'd say time of day and year is a factor too. Most 5000m track races I've done have been for my club in a T+F league. Typically 4pm in the summer. Often hot. Also a strange time of day to run hard. Road races tend to be morning or evening, both of which fit better into the normal running cycle of the day.
Good point - 5000 track races on warm windy summer afternoons on exposed tracks in small fields of very varied standards can be challenging to do good times for sure. Of course not always the case and conditions in road races can often be very varied too.
I never really thought about the time of day! That’s a great point. Road races are typically morning or evening so definitely a plus point there
The cute bird was the MVP of this video. hahahha.
Took me some thinking about....the parrot.
Hahaha
enjoying ur content! Lets go cole army!
Thank you! 🫶🏻
One thing you didn't mention was the actual distance run. Most road races are slightly long just to ensure that they're a fully legal 5k/10k and that's without worrying about running the optimal route as far as tangents and everything goes. With a track, you know that if you hug the inside rail, you're going to be running pretty close to exactly 5k/10k. I think there's an argument for which is more enjoyable (I think road races are much more enjoyable), but if you're strictly trying to go as fast as you can go, it's definitely on a track. You don't need it to be an official race. Just grab a watch and possibly a buddy around your ability to pace you for as far as they can go.
Someone get this man a shaker bottle 😂 the lumps in that glass 😱
Haha I’ve got loads I just find them effort to wash up haha
Not run on a track since I was a kid (a while back). I'd say track is probably quicker, but the difference is certainly narrowed on a quick road route (flat and not too many turns). My 5k PB is on one of those cycle loop races (1k loop), but even that wasn't flat 41m elevation and a couple of the turns felt a bit tight.
I've also got a bit of shin pain right now, pretty minimal, but thanks for making me feel less like an old man! 👴
C'mon Coleee!
Yeah definitely agree, I reckon I race better when not 100% recovered too… a bit like vitality, yep mate I get niggles like the rest of us hahahah
I think road is a lot more fun!
so true
Oh definitely more fun haha
DIDN'T consider how much impact those new road shoes make.
😃
Thanks for the shout out. My fastest 5K (some years ago now) was on the track but 10K on the road although back then when I was mainly a 800/1500 runner I rarely raced either so hard to infer much. More recently at 5K where have raced track and road ones in the same timeframes there hasn't been much in it although slight "win" to the road. I would say at my level these days (18 something) that am more likely to get a "good" race in a road race even over graded track ones. Do also think track racing is a bit different and, as you mentioned, keep hearing splits every 400m can be counter productive especially if you feel you are "racing" the watch not the other runners. I have little doubt though that in similar weather and similar "pacers" that the track ought to be faster. I might have to do some stats to see if can show it. It may be well that the faster you are the more the "advantage" of the track is.
Thanks for sharing Tim. Very interesting. It’s hard to quantify but I think it might be that the track is more beneficial, the faster you are, the less time you have to spend in ‘legal’ footwear such as spikes 🤣
@@ColeRunning yeah I have done one track 10K in Dragonflys and “got round” fine but these days I am about a mile behind when could have been at least close to you. Does slightly change the nature of the race. Do say an 800 or 1500 in spikes and even now rather different feel which you need to be used to maximise using spikes.
All else equal, a nice track surface is faster. However, it's definitely harder to find 5,000 and 10,000 races with good depth at amateur/club level, and most tracks are in pretty poor condition relative to those that host elite-level races.
Definitely agree. There’s not many good club level track races these days for the 5-10k!
I’ve run a few 5000m and 1 mile races on the track this season - living in London there are a few of them around. Achieved my PBs at those distances on the track. Never done a 10000m on the track. Find running in Dragonfys preferable to road shoes.
Yeah London’s quite good for all racing tbf! I defo prefer shoes over spikes tho 😃
Masters athletics have more generous stack heights. At least they do in Australia where most of the 5000m competitors were wearing Vaporfly's last nationals. Tough to choose between Dragonfly and Vaporfly...
Oh I’d defo pick a Vaporfly on the track if I could!
I love both road and track and have done mile and 5000m races on track but the thought of a track 10K is horrific. My least favourite running surface would have to be a muddy XC course which I find so energy sapping.
XC I just use as a bit of fun, like yourself I find it quite energy zapping and hard to run fast on grass!
Cole, do you do fitness tests (VO2max, LAT etc.) ? I'm just curious 😀
Very occasionally :)
tbh i run way faster on the hard tracks than the soft ones. you just dont sink into them as much. At one trainglokation we have 2 track besides eachother and the one is really new and soft and the other one is very hard. One day we did 400s on the soft one and during the workout we switches to the hard one the reps got about 3 to 4 sekonds faster. I like the track for faster short races like 800m to 3k, but the road for the longer ones because you can wear supershoes. The same goes for workouts. Whenever im wearing supershoes on the track it just feels to easy. But i find that on the track i can push myself further than on the road, because you dont focus on the surface and where your going.
Yeah for sure the harder tracks are probably faster, but if you train on them lots it can bugger up your knees haha
never raced more than 1500m on a track, the idea of going further than that just makes me die inside. maybe it’s quicker but definitely more mentally demanding.
100% agree :)
I'd have definitely edited out the reference to Southampton v Leeds if I were you. Trust us to put it right tonight though! #MOT #ALAW
Haha very good point, MOT 1-0 as I type this!
I find pacing a lot easier on road. Im not sure why
Yeah it’s weird isn’t it! I definitely feel the same :)
WAS THAT NOAH IN THE INTRO
CMONNN COLEEE
😏😏
@@noahpaterson4209 NPCCCCCC
Ww You still train with NPC
Still drop him you mean ;)
@@ColeRunning nah Noah’s hotter than you 😼
The relay race is in a park not far from me I may come and cheer you on…any idea what time you’re running?
2ish I believe 😃
@@ColeRunning got a small clip of you coming round the last bend…if you want it