jazzytherunner wrote:
Easy runs can be tough for a lot of runners to get right. Easy runs should be slow enough to enable recovery from workouts but not so slow in that heart rate becomes too low for aerobic benefit and that running form gets sloppy. However, the optimal easy pace varies greatly among runners, even of the same ability level. In particular, I notice that fast-twich runners tend to have a slower easy pace than runners who are more endurance oriented. The training period also plays a role in how fast runners do their easy runs. During the base period when no workouts are done, doing easy runs faster is helpful to bring about training benefit. On the other hand, when you are in a training period doing hard workouts, easy runs need to be done slower to allow for ample recovery.
I think this makes sense.
Marius Bakken ran 13.06 5k and used a threshold rep + very easy pace training model and backed all this training and experimentation on a lot of measurements.
He said that the most important for racing 5k was the anaerobic threshold pace. He also measured that threshold of 3.5mmol was what the Kenyans really trained on.
He tried to maximize the milage at mmol of 2.5-3.5 and ran easy pace inbetween. He did first easy pace at 3.45-4 min/km, but reduced it to slower and tried to stay below 135 bpm having a 192 max. That is quite slow, but he thought the lost benefit of running slower on easy was so much less than the benefits of coping with the threshold training and upping the milage for that.
This is an example of a complete training model, and I do not think one can compare easy paces without comparing training models.
He motivated the slow pace also with that easy running was of course to let the body recover, but primarily to get the required milage and training the ligaments/tissue and the running economy, but not on the expence of needed recovery and quality of the fast work.