I have had a huge kink in training for my first marathon and haven’t been able to run. While I feel I will have the legs to do the run, how do you run slow efficiently?
Brian
Hmm, not quite sure specifically what you’re asking but an interesting question if I’m answering the right one:
To run slow efficiently it is important to remember you will need more calories and fluids since you will be out there longer.
If pacing is a concern use a heart rate monitor or Timex Performance Monitor to keep your pace under control.
To fight boredom when running slow it is fine to “disassociate” or think of other things. Think of all the people you’ve known, your favorite music, all the things you’ve done, the races you’ve finished- anything. Make lists in your head, solve problems in your head. It all works.
Is that what you were asking?
Do you do a high turnover rate but short strides, try your normal stride length but a lower turnover rate? I don’t normally run a training run “slow”, so was curious if there was a way.
Brian
Hi Brian,
I think I understand your question. Personally, I find it difficult to keep an efficient stride when I run slower than a certain speed. Having said that, to run slower I typically both shorten my stride and slow my turnover. Whether that’s the ‘right’ way or not, I couldn’t really say. If an easier pace is my goal, I just try to think about moving forward as efficiently as possible without exerting too much effort.
Not sure if this helps you at all…
Alicia
What a great question. I found I had to actually learn to run slowly and that helped me quite a bit.
What really works for me is high cadence/short stride. Maintaining a nice quick turnover will help you resist ‘pushing’ at the ground. Use the POSE(and other) example of falling forward and letting gravity do some of the work. Experiment with very short strides and a faster cadence than feels comfortable at first. You might be surprised at the difference it makes.
The key to this is a nice short stride. Try to let your feet fall just under, and not in front of, your body. To really get a feel for it, you might find a metronome watch, set it to around 90 bpm, and experiment.
All the best,
–ashayk
I wonder the same thing. I’m far from fast but for the life of me I can’t see how anybody can run 9 minute miles or slower and get anything out of it.
Maybe it’s just me but anything much slower than 8:15 is tough to do. Perhaps if I trained longer distances I’d feel different. The longest I run is 10 miles and only race up to the 1/2 mary. Still I can’t see the point of 9 minute miles.
“how do you run slow”
Comes natural to me. It’s the only way I know how!
hello,
To answer the original question, you should shorten your stride and keep your turnover quick. Your run cadence should be about 85 - 90 strides per minute. A one point a coach counted almost every running event from the 800m to the marathon at the olympics and found this to be universal. Tall short men or women it didn’t matter.
As far as 9 minute miles seeming slow, when I’m rested and feeling good I feel like I could run 9 minute miles all day long. At the end of an IM its amazing how fast that seems.
Shawn