for elites/subelites.. recovery pace

I used to run my easy days around 6:30 pace back in the day.

You have fast times and you say you need it, so who cares what other people do?

I personally need to do the same thing, but I'm no where near elite/sub elite level.

don't kenyans runn them at 9-10 min. pace?

i'm 14:1x, 8:1x, 3:4x. so i guess i'm a sub elite. i start almost all of my recovery runs (especially when i'm doing structured workouts) at around 9:00, progress to 8:00, and probably run the bulk of the run in the 7:45-7:15 range. some days i get going faster, depending on terrain and how far i'm going. i'd try some more volume and don't worry about the easy run pace. the recovery run should start as slow as is really comfortable and progress accordingly, if you ask me.

i think there are actually more elites who run their recovery runs as slow as they want, especially for the first few miles, but they are never talked about. it's the ones who hammer who are always talking about their easy pace like it's really important. remember, the point of recovery days is to recover and add volume and relaxed running to your training. You are letting your body absorb your latest training run when you run recovery days.

cheers.

i've run 4x 400, 1:5x 800, 3:4x 1500

the fastest runners I know all run slow on their easy days. and I know some very fast runners.

in London during the summer Mottram does lots of easy runs with the girls.

I'm not exactly elite or sub-elite, but I feel the same way. I found that by slowing down recovery runs I was able to do a lot more mileage and get a lot more out of the quality runs. In my case I was doing recovery runs at 8:00-8:10 to start and sometimes getting faster, maybe up to 7:45 depending on how it felt. Even if I felt good I made sure to hold back. Marathon pace was 5:55.

Generally I did this one day a week, between hard workouts and also a couple times a week for the easy side of a double.

I hear a lot of guys bragging about how fast their easy pace is. If you are pushing (consciously or subconsciously) to do recovery runs faster you are not giving your body the rest it needs. If you can train well while doing this you probably aren't pushing your quality days hard enough.

It is hard to swallow the pride, especially when people see you out slogging, or ask about your recovery pace. For me I had to run by myself, away for my usual groups to keep from picking up the pace. Just remember to let your races do the talking.

Although i am no elite. Recovery pace should not even be thought about. The point of recovery runs are to recover while still running. Just go out and run easy. Some workouts leave my legs feeling completley obliterated...so i run on grass really slow, and just monitor my time and effort and dont think about how fast im going. While other times some workouts sessions dont leave nearly as dead sore in the legs, so i just go for a run no other day, just keeping in mind effort my own effort and listening to my body.

Point I'm trying to make is that on recovery run the last thing you want to think about is pace, but instead on effort and depending on your legs you might have to take it as weee bit easier or not. Just don't be a panzy and run incredibly slow. Be smart and recover. Recovery runs don't make you run faster on race day.

a runner1234 wrote:

Just don't be a panzy and run incredibly slow. Be smart and recover.

this is the wrong attitude....recover....10 minutes/mile....12....who cares....just run.

You should enjoy your easy days - just go for a run, leave your watch at home, go explore a new loop, stop off and see a friend at work/home etc.

Craig Virgin used to describe these runs as, "stopping to pet neighborhood dogs".

I run in the mornings with a 2:16 marathoner. I let him set the pace, and it normally hovers around 8:30-9:00/mile. Occasionally I'll meet him for an afternoon run. Fastest we've ever run together would maybe approach 7:15-30, perhaps once or twice at close to 7:00/mile. Of course his workouts are very fast, and I don't run those with him, and he runs his long runs at a pretty steady pace (6:00 plus or minus).

I think if you are a 1500/5000 runner then keeping the pace slow on easy days is pretty much a given.

For marathon runners, however, I think everyone is different. Some guys might do well slogging the easy days then hammering the hard ones. For others though being within 10% of marathon pace on the easy days might be a good thing. I think Canova recommends that marathon runners do around 250km per week, with hard sessions, and as much of the easy running as possible at 10% slower than marathon pace. That means a 2:10 guy is running 5:30's, a 2:20 guy is running 5:50-6:00's.

If recovery runs are supposed to be so slow, why not just take the day off or at most cross-train or go for a walk to get blood flowing? Does jogging at 9 min. pace when your race pace is 6 min. pace do anything for you on race day? I just don't get it.

If it works for you do it.

26.2 wrote:

If recovery runs are supposed to be so slow, why not just take the day off or at most cross-train or go for a walk to get blood flowing? Does jogging at 9 min. pace when your race pace is 6 min. pace do anything for you on race day? I just don't get it.

Builds up mitochondria and muscle capillaries.

26.2 wrote:

If recovery runs are supposed to be so slow, why not just take the day off or at most cross-train or go for a walk to get blood flowing? Does jogging at 9 min. pace when your race pace is 6 min. pace do anything for you on race day? I just don't get it.

All of this is only anecdotal but the guys that I train with and I all run our workouts really hard and run tempos at a good pace, but run our slow days slow. That can mean anywhere from 8:30 to 7:30. None of us are elites but none of us are bums. Low 15:00 and 4:0x milers 52 min 10 milers. Again, just because some people have success with this doesn't mean all people will. You have to find what's best for you and do it.