Why are my easy runs getting slower? Any way to fix this?

getting slower wrote:

. But again, I don't get why my easy pace kept getting slower the last time I took a down week.

Cause you are not recovering and running on tired legs. Drop the mileage down to 30-40 for 2 weeks and you will pick the pace back up.

I second this. The answer seems pretty obvious, and several have told the OP what it is. But, for whatever reason, he doesn't want to internalize the advice. The OP did a big jump in mileage, does multiple workouts per week, does a long run, and the weather is changing. Of course something has to give way. And no, dropping a single week from 90 down to 60 may not be enough time to let the body/legs recover. Especially, if the drop in mileage came from shorter easy runs while keeping the workouts.

There could be a number of things going on. In the absence of any injury, one *possibility* is your energy levels. Check your calorie intake and your weight over the last few weeks. See if you've lost any pounds while adjusting to the higher mileage. I'm assuming as someone who can handle that mileage that beforehand you were at a healthy body fat percentage.

If you are running more mileage you are depleting your muscle glycogen stores more. You'll naturally slow down as you rely more on fat metabolism (simple model) to get the energy you need to run your miles. This is a familiar feeling to anyone who has hit the wall/bonked etc in the short term. Everything feels heavier and 'harder'. If you are increasing your mileage as much as you say, you should be eating a lot more to maintain your weight and calorie demand.

Here's an important question: why do you care? If your workouts are still on point and you're getting in your mileage, does it matter that your easy runs are now 8:00/mile?

Think about the purpose of the run and why you're out there. I can see no appreciable benefit to running 7:40s for 8-10 miles vs. 8:00 for the same distance (or same total time) assuming that 7:40-8:00 is easy running pace for you either way.

Go get your ferritin checked. If it is anything below 40 ng/mL, you are low on iron and need to supplement.

I have observed that high school runners can and do run much faster on their easy days than older marathon focused runners. I think what you're describing sounds ideal.

The fact that you increase the pace when running naturally by feel from 8:highs to 7:highs just means the legs are accumulating fatigue and the easy runs are helping them shakeout.

Recently ran 77min half and a 2:47 full and my easy runs were nearly identical to what you're describing. Averaged 7:50 for most of them with slower starts. In High School the kids run 6:30-7 pace for everything but they are racing at the most 5k (I think). Marathons are about endurance.

DON'T PANIC

grab a towel

runkeller wrote:

Go get your ferritin checked. If it is anything below 40 ng/mL, you are low on iron and need to supplement.

This is a likely cause, get your iron levels checked.

Op

I read your post (the WHOLE thing!) Good-god, man, can you blab on more???

Short answer- you need rest. Not just a day, but maybe three. Rest. Not easy run days.

I am listening to advice. I said I was going to cut back on mileage for the next week or two. I'm also dropping to just one workout a week. Part of me thinks reducing the workouts would help most if I need to recover since I can always handle mileage well, but too much intensity would always seem to wear me down. Also because my second workout of the week (tempo run) I usually fall short of goals because I'm not fully recovered from the VO2 max workout 2 days earlier (which I usually hit my goals just fine). This brings me to something that might be related to the easy runs slowing down on their own. Last week, I did a tempo workout of 2x3mile, which I noticed I was a little fatigued going into. Held 6:05 pace until halfway through the second set when I dropped to the 6:20s. What was weird though is that it didn't feel like anything changed. I didn't start dying, effort stayed at tempo, didn't feel like I intentionally slowed down, but my legs just seemed to slow down on their own. In the past, if a tempo wasn't going well, I would continue to hold the pace but it would start to feel extreme and I would have to quit. So yeah, maybe my body has just learned to back off on its own to the right pace to keep the effort I want. I was worried about the continual slowdown in easy pace because it made me think that I was getting less fit, since I assume that improvement in easy pace without trying is an indicator that your getting fitter. But I'm also concerned it could still be a lack of speed/power, because on strides the most I can accelerate up to is about 4:00 pace, and I would think I should be faster than that.

This could be the temperature too - as it's getting hotter, I've seen my fast and my slow runs slow down a bit. It'll get better as you get used to the temperature, I'm starting to get faster now again as I'm adjusting. For example, my first run in 80+ degrees this year had my heart rate 20 BPM above where it should have been, but it's back to normal now.

Again, get your ferritin checked and report back the number. Anything below 40 would require supplementation. I'd guess you are around 20 ng/mL.

Actually had a blood panel done about 2 months ago. Ferritin was fine, it was 86. Everything else on there was good also. So I'm solid nutritional-wise.

I live in Florida and my easy runs went from 8:40 pace to - there is no longer an easy pace. Within the last two to three weeks. 9:00 miles now feels like a tempo run (I'm 60). It's the increase in temperature in recent weeks. I'll acclimate to it partially nut not fully. My pace won't improve until the temps drop.

My Garmin Vo2 max went from 56 to 53 and in a few weeks. In mid-summer it will be 52 or even 51 for a few weeks.

birdbeard wrote:

Here's an important question: why do you care? If your workouts are still on point and you're getting in your mileage, does it matter that your easy runs are now 8:00/mile?

Think about the purpose of the run and why you're out there. I can see no appreciable benefit to running 7:40s for 8-10 miles vs. 8:00 for the same distance (or same total time) assuming that 7:40-8:00 is easy running pace for you either way.

Yup. I routinely run easy days over 9 min/mile and I'm in pretty good shape right now. Easy days should be guided by feeling/effort, not a specific pace.

Even the elites will run some easy days over 8 min/mile.

Someone posted Lelisa Desisa's training and he had 10-15k recovery runs at paces like that.

The key workouts are what make you fitter and your easy days are just getting you ready to smash the workouts.

It's a worse mistake to run your easy days too fast cause that's a fast track to burnout/crappy workouts, and injury

Pass the pretzels wrote:

I live in Florida and my easy runs went from 8:40 pace to - there is no longer an easy pace. Within the last two to three weeks. 9:00 miles now feels like a tempo run (I'm 60). It's the increase in temperature in recent weeks. I'll acclimate to it partially nut not fully. My pace won't improve until the temps drop.

My Garmin Vo2 max went from 56 to 53 and in a few weeks. In mid-summer it will be 52 or even 51 for a few weeks.

I'm in FL too. What part are you in? Southern FL?

The humidity is indeed becoming quite relentless. Whenever it dips below 90% it feels so nice.

Rhodium Nights wrote:

Pass the pretzels wrote:

I live in Florida and my easy runs went from 8:40 pace to - there is no longer an easy pace. Within the last two to three weeks. 9:00 miles now feels like a tempo run (I'm 60). It's the increase in temperature in recent weeks. I'll acclimate to it partially nut not fully. My pace won't improve until the temps drop.

My Garmin Vo2 max went from 56 to 53 and in a few weeks. In mid-summer it will be 52 or even 51 for a few weeks.

I'm in FL too. What part are you in? Southern FL?

The humidity is indeed becoming quite relentless. Whenever it dips below 90% it feels so nice.

I'm just outside of Tampa. Yeah the humidity is relentless. I run around 5:00AM when it's "coolest" but I think it's peak humidity - if there is such a thing.

First, if in extreme hot and or humid conditions your runs need to be in the early morning and or evening.

Second, cut down the mileage 30-40% for a couple of weeks and incorporate some "Active" rest which includes cycling and or swimming (running in water).

Third, be sure to incorporate a weekly "Purge" workout. Easy warmup, repeat 100's, and or 200's at accelerated pace finishing at MAX EFFORT for each (15-20 x 100m or 6-8 x 200m) followed by an easy cooldown of 1-2 miles.

Lastly, be sure your runs are casual and easy with no expectation of how good or bad you feel. Be sure to finish ALL runs with 4 x light accelerated strides of at least 100m. Ideally, if you can do these on grass w/out shoes that would be perfect. You can incorporate this 2-week plan throughout your season. Maybe 4 weeks of high mileage and 2 weeks of recovery or something similar.

"Go Run One"

Pass the pretzels wrote:

My Garmin Vo2 max went from 56 to 53 and in a few weeks. In mid-summer it will be 52 or even 51 for a few weeks.

how do you get garmin Vo2 max?

Could try introducing a warmup and strides before getting into the actual run. I’ve been doing my standard warm up before long runs and now my first mile of the run is no slower than 6:45 closing down to 5:40 range.