Any coaches out there know of some ideas for easy days besides simply distance runs? I'm thinking something involving 5k race pace that's the same effort as a recovery run.
Any coaches out there know of some ideas for easy days besides simply distance runs? I'm thinking something involving 5k race pace that's the same effort as a recovery run.
bump
coach zz wrote:
Any coaches out there know of some ideas for easy days besides simply distance runs? I'm thinking something involving 5k race pace that's the same effort as a recovery run.
That's gonna be pretty damn hard to do. Maybe you could have 100-200m pickups at 5k pace, but if you want to get to same effort as a recovery run you'll pretty much need to be walking in between.
If we assume a 15:30 guy, 5k pace is 5:00/mile and recovery is probably somewhere 7:30-8 pace. If you run 200 in 38, the next 200 would need to be 82, which is like 11:00 pace or something.
Moreover, the mechanical effort of 5k pace is probably quick enough that you won't be able to recover as well even if the net average effort is similar to a recovery run.
Do you have any trails nearby with steep hills?
While running on the trails is easier on the legs, a few steep hills mixed in will simulate race pace effort.
Very True...
So do you think there's any other strategy to an easy day than an easy distance run? I feel like running straight 7:00 miles 3-4 days a week is an under-utilization of those training days. It seems like you're spending at least half of your training time getting better at running 7:00 pace...
What about something like 1.75-2 mile warmup followed by an easy stride session of some sort with slow jog recovery, and then 1.75-2 mile cooldown. Strides would be at or a little under race pace, and you could make it very easy and yet promote good form at goal pace over time.