Is that too slow for recovery runs? I used to think you could never go too slow for recovery but this has to be just too slow.
I think that at this slow pace form starts to get affected and some type of injury could occur. Anybody go this slow?
Is that too slow for recovery runs? I used to think you could never go too slow for recovery but this has to be just too slow.
I think that at this slow pace form starts to get affected and some type of injury could occur. Anybody go this slow?
well, don't let your form get affected. focus and concentrate
Wejo does, I think... He's been witnessed doing recovery runs around 8mins/mile. I'm pretty sure he can run 4:30/mile for 5k.
Of course. But I think going this slow can do more harm than good. Perhaps 2 min and 30 seconds is closer to the maximum slow end. Most calculators don't show going at least this slow.
Think of the extra pounding at that pace- you're "on your feet longer" with each step.
Wouldn't that mean a smaller average force?
I race at sub six minute pace and my recovery pace yesterday according to my heartrate monitor was ten minute mile pace. Granted it was very hot but even under cooler conditions I doubt my pace would of dropped mucn below 8:30 pace for a recovery run.
Mottram runs 4:09 mile pace for a 5k. Some of his recovery runs are slower than the girls in the same camp. Now I am guessing these girls don't run much faster than 6:30 for their recovery pace. Percentage wise, lets say if the girls do 6:30 miles, and he is getting dropped lets put him at 7:00 pace. So that is 75% slower than race pace for him. Now lets say you race at 5:00 pace. That means more than a minute slower than Mottram in theory, so slower than 8:00 pace.
I used a bunch of math to show something that does not matter.
Good point about the HR. If I went by conventional method calculators based on my 5k pace, then I get about 2 min slower to 2 min and 20 secs slower for recovery.
If I go by HR, which I have tried before also in crazy hot climate, the pace is about 3 min and 30 seconds slower than 5k. This was the reason for the start of the thread initially.
I feel more comfortable to either not even look at the watch and just go slow whatever pace that may mean than to follow HR and that forcing me to go slower than necesary.
70% of 5k race pace should be slow enough for recovery. And (assuming you are well-trained) you should find that the HR is not far off 70% of HRmax. If the HR is (much) higher than this, and climbs during the "recovery" run, then you are not as fit as you think (i.e. you could be fitter) and this "recovery" run was not as easy as it should have been.
I really can not see much point in timing recovery runs.
Do them easy,easy that is all that matters.
The best way to use your HRM is to not stick to those stupid calculators but let it guide subjective effort. Take you HRM out for some runs when you aren't particularly tired or run down and just run what feels comfortably easy but not too dreadful and whatever you settle into with no pressure to go hard, just the pace that feels easy and relaxed, let that be your "recovery" HR and then use that on days you are tired or it is hot or whatever.
I used to think that I had to run 7 min pace even if I felt awfull because it would make me stronger. And im sure to an extent that it does. But since getting married and moving to a new place... I dont have anyone to run with, so my runs are usually around 8 min pace now. Amazingly I've dropped my 5k pr 15 seconds doing this. Its all about getting in the miles without making them junk. I dont feel like im running too fast or too slow on my recovery runs. I love it.
I run my recovery runs incredibly slow because that is what feels natural. At the moment I race 5K around 6 min pace and my morning runs are around 12 minute pace and my long runs and easy runs are around 10 minute pace. I am building up mileage at the moment and always feel exhausted. I run slow so I can run my hard runs hard.
I also don't think a HRM correctly reflects all sorts of fatigue, especially if youa re doing high mileage. There will be some days I feel great on an easy day with my HR in the 130's and other days am crawling and feel like hell with my HR in the low 110's. I don't think the HRM correctly reflects when your legs are too dead to drive your engine. Those onlin calculators just plain suck are suggesting paces. I most often do runs with my HR below 110 for at least half of it. My tempo pace (12k-15k) is 150-160. If I do a very high end tempo/time trial I'll be over 160 the second half. I rarely run in those middle zones except for during my long run sometimes ot if I haven't gone hard in a while. If I am rested, I feel better at a higher HR than when I am tired at a lower HR, so the HRM isn't something I would ditch subjective efforts for.
I race 5k at sub 5 minute pace and go 7:30-8:15 pace on easy runs.