I recently started doing some slow runs on the treadmill at around 70% of max heartrate, and I couldn’t enjoy it more. They are not long runs, just 30 minutes to an hour, but it feels great afterward. My body doesn’t feel trashed, and I feel I still have plenty left in the tank afterward.
I guess I never knew how to run slow before. Ever since i’ve been running, all my runnings were done at a heartrate of at least 10 to 20 beats per minutes higher. I am now enjoying these slow runs even though they are done at an embarrassingly slow speed.
My question is do you guys do these slow runs? if so, how often? Please tell me i’m not wasting my time and they are beneficial.
I try to run 6 days/week. 3 of those runs are short and easy as per BarryP’s plan. I also try to do these short and easy runs right after my bike workout.
Most of your running should be easy. That’s the only way that you can run with sufficient frequency and, by extension, volume. You should probably do only 1 or 2 hard workouts a week. The mistake that most people make is that they run too hard on their easy days and not hard enough on their hard days. For perspective, Ryan Hall will sometimes run as slow as 9 min/miles. That’s almost 2x his marathon pace. Much of his volume is at the 7-7:30 range, which is about 60% slower than his marathon pace.
it’s meant to be easy. running easy helps. you’re not wasting time.
to the poster writing about hall. it’s true that the pros do much of their runs slow. but they’re also running 100+mpw. that’s much different than the people running 30mpw. one of the best things you can do is plug in a race to the mcmillan calculator and check out the outlined paces. do that. HR is fine to work with but a given pace can be a better way to go. i’m sure some will argue that. oh well.
I recently started doing some slow runs on the treadmill at around 70% of max heartrate, and I couldn’t enjoy it more. They are not long runs, just 30 minutes to an hour, but it feels great afterward. My body doesn’t feel trashed, and I feel I still have plenty left in the tank afterward.
I guess I never knew how to run slow before. Ever since i’ve been running, all my runnings were done at a heartrate of at least 10 to 20 beats per minutes higher. I am now enjoying these slow runs even though they are done at an embarrassingly slow speed.
My question is do you guys do these slow runs? if so, how often? Please tell me i’m not wasting my time and they are beneficial.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve really embraced the LSD method with the emphasis on S.
Sometimes I even go with SSSD(super slow short distance) training.
I really enjoy running(to me the most relaxing of the 3) and it is nice to run for the fun of running, not trying to do x distance in x time.
Just go out at whatever pace feels good that day and run for how long I want.
Now just lose the treadmill, get outside and really enjoy running. There is nature and shit out there.
Agreed. Enjoy nature. Don’t step in the shit.
I do 1-2x a week short (4-6m), very ez (avg hr in 120’s/pace 7:2x-7:4x) runs, and I enjoy them a lot.
Joke after that I was just “blazing along at IM goal race pace”.
There’s definitely something to be said for a run that’s casual enough such that you feel a lot better after having done it.
To the OP - do yourself a favor - run outside. Whenever possible.
(which in my book, is 99.9% of the time, only T-storms and blizzards keep me off the roads)
Seriously.
Now just lose the treadmill, get outside and really enjoy running. There is nature and shit out there.
Agreed. Enjoy nature. Don’t step in the shit.
To the OP - do yourself a favor - run outside. Whenever possible.
(which in my book, is 99.9% of the time, only T-storms and blizzards keep me off the roads)
Seriously.
I’ll enjoy running in nature again when nature doesn’t have the thermostat set at 112 degrees. I am not running 1/4 mile repeats in 112 degree heat. About the only run I’m doing outside right now is my 2 hour run on the weekends, and I start that at 5:30a.
I am a huge fan of the ‘mostly slow’ run strategy. There is a catch though - you generally have to increase your run volume enough to still improve. That might take 30 min a day for a newb runner, but make take 1.5-2.5 hrs a day for a competitive runner.
I don’t think you’ll get much faster doing these ‘easy’ runs at only 30min-hr, honestly, unless you’re a slow runner right now. If you’re a FOP runner, you’re talking more like 60-120 mins, for long runs, and nearly daily to keep the volume up. At 30 min, you’ll have to put in some intensity to keep sharp.
Believe me. I despise the treadmill. But it is much easy for me to control the pace. I guess I would have to learn how to run slow outdoor as well.
Easy running pace is much “easier” to gauge than most people think. If you can speak in complete sentences (without gasping) then you’re at easy pace. If you can only utter 3-4 words before needing a breath, then you’ve transitioned out of easy pace and into long run (or roughly marathon) pace.
If you’re running for performance, easy running should really be a function of accumulated volume. Those starting out should expect a high percentage of easy running (most likely in the 40-50% range). I’ve got a solid 18 months of 40-60 mpw running on my legs right now, so easy running is little more than a luxury. I usually finish every other workout with 2 miles of easy running - maybe a total of 5-7 mpw of easy running. Time is a premium for me, so if I’m on my feet it’s typically quality time.
But it is much easy for me to control the pace. I guess I would have to learn how to run slow outdoor as well.