riverside you tube negative split laura & whitney the mother runners

Most runners think pacing is either instinct or grit — but running coach Laura Norris of the Tread Lightly Podcast joins me to make the case that negative splitting is a skill you have to train, just like speed or endurance. In this episode, we dig into:

🌀The physiology behind a negative split — how a controlled start protects glycogen, delays muscle fatigue, and keeps your thermoregulation and cardiovascular system from breaking down late in the race

🌀Why fitness alone won't get you there — the specific workouts (split-pace long runs, cutdowns, fast-finish tempos) that train your body and brain to run faster on tired legs

🌀How to actually execute it on race day — from how much slower to start, to a surprising cue from a sport psychologist for how not to talk yourself out of going out too hot

🌀What to do when it doesn't go to plan — how to tell a normal rough patch from the start of hitting the wall, and the most common mistake runners make when trying to pace a negative split

Whether you're chasing a PR or just tired of blowing up in the last 10K, this conversation will change how you think about your first five miles.

& be sure to check out last week's episode with Laura on the power behind threshold workouts.

RESOURCES:

Website: Laura Norris Running

Substack

Podcast: Tread Lightly Podcast

THANK YOU, SPONSORS:

💗 GOODR functional, fashionable, fun, and affordable eyewear. Save $10 off at the link!