Is there any downside to doing a spontanious moderate run ?

It really depends on where you are in your training, what event you are training for, what pace, etc....

But as long as you don't overdo it/get injured you're probably ok. Some days you just have to go a little faster/longer than the plan requires, but the inverse is also true, and probably more important to emphasize. A huge part of training is being able to alter the day to day based on how you're feeling

Don’t overthink it
Just run
Learn to listen to your body

ALL I did once I got to a certain level (32 minute 10K basically) was moderate runs. I had a ceiling, but it was so fun to run sort of fast all the time!

Don't do that.

Although I am nowhere near that level or my potential I do find it fun to run semi fast, cruosing down the street feelin badass overtaking everyone and everything at minimal effort. I just find it tedious to stick to a set training plan 24/7.. I feel like I need one fun day a week to keep me focused on my training but I am also at an age where it’s make or break so I have to take training seriously /:

That was me yesterday. It was an easy run day but my legs just wanted to keep turning over. It wasn’t hard enough to be a tempo but it was much faster then my typically easy run. I just went with it because it felt good.

If you run moderate often, like 4 or 5 times a week, you'll you will get fit but not reach your full potential. If you want to maximize your speed you should definitely run the 2-3 harder days with the 4 easy days between them. That middle-ground pace is too fast to recover, and not fast enough to really make you race faster.

I'm thinking of someone that races around 5 minute miles for a 5k, but does easy runs around 7 minute miles.

Doing a bunch of runs at 5:45 pace will make you get stuck at your current fitness because you're not pushing down your race speed and you're not really recovering on any particular day. The only acception I think is during the long run, you can do this 'medium' pace during a long run and I think it feels beneficial.

Spontaneous moderate runs are some of my favorite days. I call it "Catching a fly-er". The key is to listen to your body in regards to your subsequent training days. You'll be more fatigued than if you had done a recovery day, so you might want to tone down your next workout or bump it back a day (neither of which is the end of the world - in fact, the benefit of that moderate run and the benefit of a toned-down workout can compare well with just doing the original workout).

If you feel like doing a spontaneous moderate run will mess up your training schedule, there's a good chance your training is too dense in the first place. There should be room in your schedule for some days that are neither specific workouts nor recovery days. The recovery days should in fact remain easy, but having the chance to run at a moderate pace 1-2 times per week can be great for your aerobic development.

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Complicated wrote:

If you run moderate often, like 4 or 5 times a week, you'll you will get fit but not reach your full potential. If you want to maximize your speed you should definitely run the 2-3 harder days with the 4 easy days between them. That middle-ground pace is too fast to recover, and not fast enough to really make you race faster.

I'm thinking of someone that races around 5 minute miles for a 5k, but does easy runs around 7 minute miles.

Doing a bunch of runs at 5:45 pace will make you get stuck at your current fitness because you're not pushing down your race speed and you're not really recovering on any particular day. The only acception I think is during the long run, you can do this 'medium' pace during a long run and I think it feels beneficial.

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1: Not every ‘workout’ leaves you totally exhausted.
2. Unless you’re doubling every day, you are recovering for 24 hours before your run anyways.
3. In a typical “moderate” run you usually start fairly easy and naturally pick it up. But very little, if any, of the run is faster than threshold. It’s not like you’re actually pushing hard. *Note, if you are a beginner/amateur runner chances are you actually are running faster than your threshold, so slow down lol.
4. There’s more to running than just energy systems. Running economy is a pretty big factor. Running closer to race pace allows you to run at a pace biomechanically closer to how you run at race pace, which can improve running economy.
5. Some People actually make improvements by running their non-workout days a little faster due to some higher-end aerobic work. (What, no way, I don’t believe it... no running book says that. If you run too fast on easy days you will instantaneously be overtrained and never PR again... in fact you’ll burn out and quit running) Lol, in reality, I’ve seen many people increase the pace of their non-workout days and improve. But not every day was moderate, some days were still slow, the key was the effort was about the same. The focus should be the workouts and you should always run easy enough that you feel ready to hammer on workout day. But if you feel fine running a little faster on ‘non-workout days’ you may actually get more fit- just don’t push to run harder... it has to come naturally and the effort should stay fairly low.
6. People recover at different rates. Some people NEED an easy run after every workout and their body feels it. Some people bounce back super quick. That’s just how it is. So you really can’t give concrete answers that apply equally to everybody.
7. Running can’t be a mentally numbing and monotonous sport. Only a select few can be crazy rigid with their paces every day. Give yourself some freedom to just run and forget what everybody (even science) says from time to time. Don’t make a habit of training stupidly... but not every day has to be textbook perfect.

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FFF wrote:

ALL I did once I got to a certain level (32 minute 10K basically) was moderate runs. I had a ceiling, but it was so fun to run sort of fast all the time!

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If you run your hard days hard and your easy days easy, you are ahead of 95% of your competition.
If you throw in the occasional "moderately hard" day because you happen to feel good, that's fine.
Remember:
Training plans are written on paper.
You are a human being.
Listen to your body.
And since the odds are that you're *not* going to compete in the Olympics, who cares at the end of the day what you do? Have fun!

Just call it a tinman tempo..These are fun to do on roads/paths

5K pace + 60 seconds 30-40 minutes + 3 hills/200s

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Black caviar wrote:

Just call it a tinman tempo..These are fun to do on roads/paths

5K pace + 60 seconds 30-40 minutes + 3 hills/200s

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If you care about getting faster run with a purpose. Always.

Random runs with random paces is just being lazy.

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no coach, all the problems wrote:

If you care about getting faster run with a purpose. Always.

Random runs with random paces is just being lazy.

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malmo wrote:

Unstructured? Runs hard when he feels like running hard? Easy when he feels it? Runs a lot of hills? Sounds like smart training to me.

Fredo, a piece of paper isn't a program. Running isn't rocket science.

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Moderate effort runs are very good for you. There are huge benefits to this kind of training.

That’s how we used to train,

And when you felt fresh, hammer something out.

My feeling is always stick to the general programme but don't chase the pace.

If you feel good, run a bit quicker - your body is telling you it's ready to be stretched a bit.

If you feel shite then ease back - you're a bit tired and there's nothing to be gained from pushing through it.

The only exception for me is when you're tapering when you should keep a lid on it if you're feeling good.