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Personally, I like to go with the flow, since I'm pretty easy going in the first place. But I recently recognized that I also go with the ebb... Recognizing your ebb and flow during an endurance activity is important, but the key to unlock that potential is what you do once you recognize it.
You can think of your ebb and flow as a cycle, just like the cycle of the tides. Sometimes the tide is low and weak and sometimes the tide is high and strong. As you participate in an endurance activity, if you can recognize your ebbs and flows and adapt to them, then I believe you can get one step closer to putting in your best performance.
I'll use a simple example to illustrate: running on flat ground (neutral), uphill (the ebb), and downhill (the flow). Obviously, when you are running uphill, it will take more effort to cover the same distance in the same time as on flat ground. Conversely, when you are running downhill, it will take less effort to cover the same distance in the same time as on flat ground. That example is too obvious, right?
Now let's forget about the terrain causing obvious ebbs and flows, and focus on our internal ebb and flow. You should recognize the times during your run when you feel like you're running with ankle weights on. Alternately, you should recognize the times where you feel like you are effortlessly gliding along like a gazelle (ok, I don't ever feel like that, but you get the point :) When you are in tune enough to recognize it, you can adapt your effort level to take advantage. When you are in ebb, focus on maintaining; worst-case, go to your recovery pace and wait for the flow. Once the flow kicks in (aka second wind), take advantage of it and step up the effort. Keep the extra effort up until you start to ebb again. The reason I don't call it a second wind is that I believe this cycle may happen several times during one activity.
I'm not talking about intervals here. The ebb and flow I'm describing result in very subtle changes in your pace, but enough change to the pace so that your performance overall will be better than if you were just pacing yourself the entire way.
So get out there and go with the ebb.... and flow!
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ebb, flow, pace, intervals
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