The first kilometer of a 10K is a trap. The crowd is loud, your taper has you feeling springy, and everyone around you goes out like it is a 5K. If you follow them, you will meet the consequences at kilometer six, and they will not be friendly.

Think in three parts

Break the race into segments. Kilometers one to three should feel almost too comfortable, a touch slower than your goal pace. You are paying down the adrenaline debt that the start line always runs up. If it feels easy, you are doing it right.

Kilometers four to seven are the race. Settle into goal pace and hold it while others who sprinted the start begin to fade. This section is won with focus, not speed. Keep your breathing rhythmic and your shoulders loose, and check your watch at each marker rather than every hundred meters.

From kilometer eight, empty the tank gradually. Pick a runner ahead and reel them in, then another. A strong finish will not fix a blown first half, but a controlled first half makes the finish possible. Finish upright, and your second 10K will be faster than your first.