This week on the Women's Running Collective, Hayles and Jussie are officially one week out from the Gold Coast Half Marathon! They chat all things taper week, from feeling a little flat and restless to trusting the training after months of hard work.

This episode is a deep dive into one of the biggest factors that can make or break your race... pacing.

Whether you're training for your first 5K or chasing a marathon PB, learning how to pace yourself properly can be the difference between finishing strong or hitting the dreaded wall.

The girls break down the different pacing strategies, including even splits, negative splits, chunking your race into manageable sections, and pacing by effort when conditions aren't ideal. They also share plenty of personal race stories (including pacing mistakes they've definitely learned from!), practical pacing tips for every race distance, and simple ways to practise pacing during training.

If you've ever gone out too fast, blown up halfway through a race, or wondered what pace you should actually be running... this episode is for you.

00:00 Cold Open & Podcast Banter

00:26 One Week Until Gold Coast!

00:50 Taper Week Check-In: The Emotional Rollercoaster

03:01 Coffee Chat & Race Week Catch-Up

03:49 Why Pacing Matters More Than You Think

04:48 Pacing 101: What Does Good Pacing Actually Mean?

05:54 Race Stories, Hitting the Wall & Lessons Learned

10:54 Why Pacing Feels So Hard on Race Day

12:00 Even Splits Explained

13:01 How to Run a Negative Split

18:20 Chunking Your Race Into Smaller Goals

20:23 When to Pace by Effort Instead of Pace

21:04 RPE, Heat, Hills & Race-Day Conditions

21:59 Pacing Tips for Every Race Distance

22:22 How to Pace a 5K

23:22 How to Pace a 10K

24:53 Half Marathon Pacing Strategy

28:12 Marathon Pacing: The Biggest Mistakes to Avoid

29:06 Training Drills to Improve Your Pacing

32:05 Race-Day Pacing Tools, Watches & Pacers

36:48 Weekly Recommendations & Wrap-Up

Whether you're chasing a personal best or simply hoping to cross the finish line smiling, this episode will help you run smarter, pace with confidence, and get the most out of your next race.

XO Hayles and Jussie