That horrible sensation 60 seconds into a race where you're already sinking? It's not mental weakness - your body wasn't ready. Learn the science behind proper warm-ups: how they prime your oxygen systems, activate lactate-clearing mechanisms, and why the 30-minute recovery window lets you arrive at the start line with your engine running at operating temperature.

A negative split takes practice, but I believe that it delivers the likeliest chance of you running your target time.