How do people do easy runs so fast?

If you're under the age of 30 you are wrong.

You mean 7 min per KM right?Easy runs are supposed to be EASY.When a sub 13 min Kenyan does an easy run at 7 min/km and you don't then yeah, you and everyone else are doing something wrong...

Easy runs are gucci wrote:

Everyone on here that matches my 5K PR does their easy runs at like 7:15, and sometimes even below 7. Mine are consistently above 8, sometimes in the 9's after a tough workout. My PR is 16:37, and my "hard" long run pace is 6:25 for 12 miles. Am I doing something wrong?

Good god you're dumb wrote:

When a sub 13 min Kenyan does an easy run at 7 min/km and you don't then yeah, you and everyone else are doing something wrong...

Easy runs are gucci wrote:

Everyone on here that matches my 5K PR does their easy runs at like 7:15, and sometimes even below 7. Mine are consistently above 8, sometimes in the 9's after a tough workout. My PR is 16:37, and my "hard" long run pace is 6:25 for 12 miles. Am I doing something wrong?

They don´t

Good god you're dumb wrote:

You mean 7 min per KM right?

Easy runs are supposed to be EASY.

When a sub 13 min Kenyan does an easy run at 7 min/km and you don't then yeah, you and everyone else are doing something wrong...

Your name says it all. Kenyans aren't running 7mim/km idiot.

How old are you?

If you have only run 16:37, there is no reason to run workouts that are so hard that you have to run your next day's easy run in the 9s.

On the day after a 5k race, how fast do you run?

What workouts do you run that are so hard that you need to run 9s to recover?

Don't know much about the Kenyan, but Haile Geb never ran slower than 4:30 per km for his easy runs.

http://www.takethemagicstep.com/coaching/athletes/interviews/haile-gebrselassie-i-cant-run-slowly/

sodkm0985 wrote:

If you have only run 16:37, there is no reason to run. PERIOD.

Fixed that for you

16, I've been running for 2 years so far

Well aren't you a downer.

Steep trail runs that destroy my legs.

It depends on how many miles your doing. If you're running 100 mpw then sub 7 isn't too easy for a 16:37 guy.

But if you're running like 40 mpw then sub 7 is fine.

There was this quote from some college coach talking about his freshman recruits that did 40 mpw and less. When they went to college they started to do 60-80 mpw and the coach forced them to do their easy runs at like 7:30 even though they were used to 6:15 pace for all their miles. The coach had a great response:

"If you only did 40 mpw you better be going 6:15"

Don't worry about it. Run the pace that feels best for you. There is countless testimonials on this webpage and in the message board that running fast on your easy days is the least important part of training.

Easy days should be ways to get your body ready for the hard days and races. They shouldn't be stressful. If your worried about loosing speed on your easy days add some strides at the end of your workout, being sure to leave 2+ mins in between each stride for full recovery.

I would encourage you not to even worry about pace on your easy days and just run by feel. I would even encourage you to run by feel on your hard days and not worry about hitting an exact pace.

I guarantee you that the guys running 7:00s on the their easy days are not in an easy effort level. If you were to put a heart rate monitor on them they would be going too fast. I've never met a runner who hasn't been surprised once they use a HRM as to how slow their easy pace is.

Also: Fast guys (13:00 5k guys) run fast on their easy days because they are really fit. Don't try to run their paces; you aren't a 13:00 guy.

Stop doing steep trail runs that destroy your legs, and you'll be able to run your easy runs at 7:30. Either do the steep trail runs shorter or slower so they don't destroy your legs. If it hurts that bad the next day, you are past the point of diminishing returns. The poster was trying to help you, not be a downer.

Elite runners don't log super slow runs ever. Maybe they did in the past, but just look at the logs of any top distance runner in the world. You will never see an easy run slower than 6:30/mile. That slow of a run is completely a waste.

If you are a 16:37 5k runner and you don't recover enough after a full nights sleep to run 7:30/mile for your pace on a run then you are over-training or aren't recovering nearly as much as you should.

Here are some examples of elite guys easy runs that I have read about:

Chris Solinsky 5:45/mile on easy runs

Hicham El Guerrouj - 5:10/mile on easy runs

Keninisa Bekele - 5:30/mile on easy runs

Galen Rupp, Cam Levins, and Mo Farah - 5:50/mile on easy runs

trials of miles and miles of trials will always beat hard/easy

Kenyans often start their runs at a very slow "shuffle", sometimes over 10:00 mile pace, but treat them as a progression and are usually running much faster within a couple miles.

That's interesting. I've read quite a few studies that have concluded that if you don't run at an easy pace after a hard effort workout, you're actually going to be doing more damage than good. I haven't read any studies that have concluded that you should take your hard days medium and your easy days medium effort.

Easy runs are gucci wrote:

Mine are consistently above 8, sometimes in the 9's after a tough workout. My PR is 16:37, and my "hard" long run pace is 6:25 for 12 miles. Am I doing something wrong?

Yes, you are confusing "easy runs" and "recovery runs". Recovery runs are what you do when you are tired or after hard days. Easy runs are just regular runs.

Race

Recovery

Easy

Workout

Recovery

Workout or long run

Recovery

McMillian has you at 6:22-7:22 (easy runs) and 6:31-7:37 (Long Runs) 7:27-8:11 (Recovery Jogs). If you running 9:00+ that has to feel like your walking!!

HMArunner wrote:

McMillian has you at 6:22-7:22 (easy runs) and 6:31-7:37 (Long Runs) 7:27-8:11 (Recovery Jogs). If you running 9:00+ that has to feel like your walking!!

You can't calculate a pace for recovery runs. It depends on how hard your workout/race was.

I don't remember where, but Salazar said that easy runs should be your 5k pace per mile + 1:30.