Is there such thing as going too slow on an easy day? If so, how do you tell?
Is there such thing as going too slow on an easy day? If so, how do you tell?
I don't think there is too slow on easy days. Listening to your body and making sure you are recovering well is very important for your workout days. If you're normal easy day is 7:45 per mile but your legs are feeling extra heavy due to little sleep, or a harder workout or just for no reason at all, running below that is fine. If you don't allow proper recovery you won't be ready for your next workout. Even taking a day off or cross training is fine. Whatever helps your body function well on your hard days is what your easy days should be aimed at.
I started my recovery run ( 3 mi tempo yesterday) today at 3 min slower than MP. Went for an hour and kept my HR below 70% MHR. By end on run was about 90 sec slower than MP and felt pretty damn good. Ready for longer run tomorrow. So , IMO , no, you can’t run too slow in your easy days
I know a guy who ran for Cornell, Brad Baird. Broke all kind of steeple records. He told me on his easy days he often ran 9:30 miles. He also told me he did crazy workouts like 5 x 1 mile in 4:32, 4:26, 4:27, 4:22, 4:19. I can't fathom how someone that fast can run that slow. Maybe it's the other way around though; maybe he runs that fast in workouts because he takes his easy days easy.
Jack on easy days
That is exactly why he was able to run those times (very simply put). If he wasn't recovering well on his easy days then those crazy workouts wouldn't be possible. Easy days are easy for a reason. never feel like you need to go slower on them. If anything, take the time you think you should be going that day and move it back 5-10 seconds. You're learning control as well as making sure you're recovering.
All the good adaptations take place on easy days
Mitochondria
Capillaries development
Enzymes
Lung capacity hence aerobic capacity
ATP
Other
fastboy77 wrote:
Is there such thing as going too slow on an easy day? If so, how do you tell?
No. Unless you're walking, then it might be too slow. Otherwise, keep it slow so you can get the aerobic benefits while still recovering to crush your hard days.
I like the idea of pushing yourself so hard on your workout days that you actually look forward to the next easy day.
I've poured over so many elite training logs, and what I've noticed by looking through those is that most people tend to run at around the low end of their Daniels's Calculator easy pace. For example, my Daniels Easy Range is 7:24-8:09, so I try to run as close to 8:09 as possible.
jabbathehut4444 wrote:
I've poured over so many elite training logs, and what I've noticed by looking through those is that most people tend to run at around the low end of their Daniels's Calculator easy pace. For example, my Daniels Easy Range is 7:24-8:09, so I try to run as close to 8:09 as possible.
My Daniels easy pace puts me at around 6:30-7:10 per mile, and I very rarely actually do that. I find the proper heart rate zones for me land more in the 7:20-7:50 range for easy/recovery stuff. Sometimes I get in that sub 7 zone but it’s rare.
My opinion is that as long as your heart rate is over 130 (based on a max of 200, so compensate if necessary) and under 150, you are doing easy/recovery correctly. I’ve seen some studies that show there isn’t much of any aerobic gain until the heart rate reaches that first threshold.
RIP: D3 All-American Frank Csorba - who ran 13:56 in March - dead
RENATO can you talk about the preparation of Emile Cairess 2:06
Running for Bowerman Track Club used to be cool now its embarrassing
Hats off to my dad. He just ran a 1:42 Half Marathon and turns 75 in 2 months!
Great interview with Steve Cram - says Jakob has no chance of WRs this year