Right now, I'm a 15yo male (sophomore), and my 5k pr is 19:19. My resting hr is 49bpm, and my max hr is 206bpm. Using the Mcmillan calculator, my easy running pace is 125-175bpm. That calculates to 7:17-8:17 according to the calculator. However, I would more so train to the bpm rather than a specific pace. However, 125-175 is a large range. Is there a more specific heart rate range that I should be targeting for easy runs?
Run what feels easy, but if you don't know what this feels or lack discipline to keep it easy, go by heart rate. Which should be between 130-140 BPM.
Ok, tysm 🙏🙏
Easy pace is conversational. If you're running with a friend, you should be able to talk in complete sentences without gasping for air.
Its a complicated formula -- what feels easy is easy.
Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:
Easy pace is conversational. If you're running with a friend, you should be able to talk in complete sentences without gasping for air.
If your legs are sore or if you are tired, you should run slow enough to speak two complete sentences between breaths.
It should be slower than you think. Find a pace that feels super easy, and then slow down some more.
Once you break 16:00, you can start to pick it up on your easy days.
125-175BPM is like the difference between warm up (Z1) and threshold (Z4) run for me LOL.
For me 135-145BPM seems to be just about right. Conversational and agrees with a few calculators I found online. Below 130 feels too easy, while above 150 starts to feel a bit tough for an 'easy' run.
Polish Fernandez wrote:
It should be slower than you think. Find a pace that feels super easy, and then slow down some more.
Once you break 16:00, you can start to pick it up on your easy days.
So why do sub 13 guys run so slow?
Maybe during base building they run medium pace most days, but when the hard sessions and races come around they slow down on easy days.
Recovery is not about specific pace. It's about listening to your body.