Headwind?

How much does headwind affect your time, run a 10k last night and was hoping to go under 50 mins. The 35-40 mph headwind for much of the course resulted in a very hard and slower time of 54mins.  Can it really have that much affect? Or just put it down to one of those nights. 

Comments

  • senidMsenidM ✭✭✭
    Has a real effect, try slip-streaming another runner, as you approach them its really hard going, but as you catch them up and run just behind them they seem to be going quite slow. Come back out and try to overtake into the wind and you'll notice the difference!

    Same as in cycling where in a Triathlon its illegal to slipstream; effect may not be as pronounced but it definitely gives you a rest and conserves energy to run just behind someone into a strong headwind.
  • GuarddogGuarddog ✭✭✭
    Headwind must have an effect. Think how easier it feels when you either come out of the wind or you have a following wind. And a 35-40 mph headwind is probably going to mean you're putting in more effort for the same speed. Whether it's 4 mins is a good question, but if it was over much of the course then it's possible.

    I know when I did the Eastbourne half this year the last two miles were running into headwinds gusting at 60-70 mph and I felt I wasn't getting anywhere.
  • <blockquote class="Quote">
    <div class="QuoteAuthor"><a href="/profile/Guarddog">Guarddog</a> said:</div>
    <div class="QuoteText">Headwind must have an effect. Think how easier it feels when you either come out of the wind or you have a following wind. And a 35-40 mph headwind is probably going to mean you're putting in more effort for the same speed. Whether it's 4 mins is a good question, but if it was over much of the course then it's possible.

    I know when I did the Eastbourne half this year the last two miles were running into headwinds gusting at 60-70 mph and I felt I wasn't getting anywhere.

    I run a half last month and thefirt six mile split was done in 50 mins, so last night I was expecting to easily go under it but wasn't to be. I honestly didn't think it would have affected my time that much but hey ho</div>
    </blockquote>
  • GuarddogGuarddog ✭✭✭
    There's a reason why F1 teams spend a lot of time and money testing their cars in wind tunnels  ;)

    At least you know next time you face those conditions that you should tuck in behind someone and let them take the strain. I've done that before and then stepped out when it's on the downwind part of the run. Benefit from fresher legs and the wind behind. 
  • God yes. I did Liverpool Rock 'n' Roll Marathon this year. I was around PB pace when I got to 22 miles, then hit the mother of all headwinds. Pace dropped from 9:30s and 40s to high 10s and even one 11 minute mile. Bye bye PB. It was like running into a wall.
  • The BusThe Bus ✭✭✭
    Drag increase as a square of the wind speed (and your running speed added together).  Double the combined speed and the drag quadruples.  This is why drag is much more of an issue for a cyclist than a runner, until the point where you are running into a head wind that is about cycling speed!!!

  • YnnecYnnec ✭✭✭
    The Bus said:
    Drag increase as a square of the wind speed (and your running speed added together).  Double the combined speed and the drag quadruples.  

    Image result for mind blown gif

     :) 
  • Would be interested to hear people’s view on the etiquette here? This week’s ParkRun was windy, so I tucked in behind another runner and let them do the work, then sprinted past her on the final straight. I’ve been ashamed ever since. I should have done some of the work, right? 
  • I have tucked in behind the odd runner as our park run in Fleetwood is always windy.I have found the wind from the sea to be more punishing than in parks etc.
  • Might have been the gentlemanly thing to do, but I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. Parkrun is just a run, not a race, and it's about your own personal performance. And you never know, you hanging on to her shoulder may have meant she went faster to try and drop you and she may well have performed better than she'd planned to.
  • Yep, gotta hate those windy events. As said, get behind someone else :)
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