The "dive, pull up" scenario is only potentially relevant if there is a strong wind gradient - by diving to an altitude where the headwind is lower, you might make the airfield. If you know the aircraft performance well this might be worth trying. The pushover after the pull up is at <1g, and thus the stall speed is lower, but you need to be sure you will regain sufficient airspeed before inertia returns you to the 1 g environment (otherwise we're in plummet territory).
This is a known maneouvre (often demonstrated, but not taught) in gliding. It's last ditch stuff, and you could easily overfly a landable field and still not make the runway unless you are confident that you know what the result will be.
I'd definitely put the flaps away though.