A student shows poor performance in a running drill due to pacing. How would you adjust instruction?

• A. Increase running distance immediately
• B. Break into shorter intervals, provide tempo cues, practice pacing with metronomes or music, and gradually increase distance
• C. Remove running drills entirely
• D. Retest the same pace without changes

Answer: (B)

Pacing in running is a controllable skill that improves when practice is structured with achievable targets and clear rhythm cues. Breaking the drill into shorter intervals lets the student experience maintaining a steady pace without being overwhelmed, providing frequent opportunities to adjust effort and technique. Adding tempo cues gives a concrete rhythm to follow, helping regulate stride rate and energy expenditure so the student learns what a sustainable pace feels like. Using a metronome or music to establish a consistent cadence reinforces that external guide, making it easier to hold a steady pace across repetitions. Gradually increasing distance ensures progressive overload—the student builds endurance and pace control step by step without sacrificing form or confidence.

Increasing distance immediately can push the student past what their pacing can handle, making control harder. Removing running drills eliminates the practice needed to develop pacing. Retesting the same pace without adjustments yields no opportunity to reinforce pacing strategies.