improving easy run pace

Like Really Bro wrote:

I don't let my athletes run slower than 9:00 / mile, even my slower freshman girls with times much slower than yours.

You are an terrible, terrible coach.

H.Shafiu wrote:

have been running for 3 years and my 5k time is not improving due to unconsistency in runnning. My easy run pace is about 9:45-9:15/mile. I want to leave workouts and faster running in order to start a base building period. What would be my easy pace after 20 weeks of easy running with one tempo session every week? my 5k PR is 21:00 and how much improvement will come to my 5k time after this period of easy running?

2 questions:

1. my easy running pace after the base building

2. my 5k time improvement.

Please help, thanks

I'd probably suggest doing more of what you're already doing. You cite inconsistency so, simply, be more consistent.

The vast majority of runners will improve by just doing more running. Yeah, there comes a point when you flat-line and you need to be a bit more creative and specific but, until then, its low hanging fruit. Just do more running, more often and the pace will take care of itself.

Also, I'd personally never advocate a long period of base building only? Whats the point? I'd suggest at something like one run a week where you deliberately go a bit harder in some way (not super fast by any means - something fairly relaxed at e.g. half marathon pace initially so you don't need massive recovery or 20mins of mixed relaxed fartlek) and after a couple of runs a week do a few relaxed faster efforts (e.g. 6 x 20secs) concentrating on running smoothly and efficiently, enjoying the sensation of running fast without too much effort.

2-3 months of this should be long enough to see improvements.

Once you've done the simple stuff then you can worry about the exact pace of this run or that run - at the moment there isn't any benefit to such a regimented approach.

My 5k time is about the same as yours and let me just say that improving your easy pace isn’t how you get better, there is absolutely no shame in doing runs at 10:30 pace, my previous long run was around that pace, other times I run them at 8:30 pace but I like to vary my paces, building diversity and being able to relax at all different kinds of paces is what works best for me. I find I do not improve as much when I brute force it and don’t run relaxed, if you are tense and constantly pushing the pace and not running in a relaxed state then your efficiency will not improve. The same goes for tempos and workouts, you get the most benefit from being relaxed and engaging your muscles in a way where you can just kind of float but if you’re not being honest with yourself and running paces designed for a 21 flat runner while you’re still at 21 high you are going to be putting in all this effort but you aren’t going to improve like somebody putting in the effort.

Forget about paces, document them at needs be at the end of the run but don’t keep checking your watch at every corner to see if you’re hitting 9:30 pace. Easy runs are not about hitting paces. If you want to hit some faster paces while out on an easy run you can always do strides after, I think of strides as a mini-fartlek that doesn’t stress the body anywhere near as much as an actual fartlek but you still get a similar benefit.

Easy Run my feel. Over time it’ll get quicker. Just keep the effort the same! It’s the one time a HR monitor is really useful. Xxxx

You’re welcome.

Reindeer milk wrote:

Lasse Viren jogged his easy days at 8 minute pace or slower.

Extreme recovery run example. Largely not true.

H.Shafiu wrote:

have been running for 3 years and my 5k time is not improving due to unconsistency in runnning. My easy run pace is about 9:45-9:15/mile. I want to leave workouts and faster running in order to start a base building period. What would be my easy pace after 20 weeks of easy running with one tempo session every week? my 5k PR is 21:00 and how much improvement will come to my 5k time after this period of easy running?

2 questions:

1. my easy running pace after the base building

2. my 5k time improvement.

Please help, thanks

At 21:50 you're overthinking this. Forget about base periods, tempos, gels, fanny packs, hydration, all that crap, just run.

Run 5 to 6 days a week, through rain, sleet, or snow, and get your mileage consistently up over 35 miles week. Most importantly - run how you feel. Don't run if you're sick or injured. If you feel good, press the pace, if you feel lousy, slog through your run (often the most important run of the week is the one where you feel like caca). Race as much or as little as you want. When you get under 20 minutes for 5k then come back asking for specificity.

Coopersville wrote:

Two posts ago you said you went from 21:00 to 16:50 running 8:00/mile easy pace. Why didn’t you run 10:00 as Tinman suggested? Honestly think you would you have improved to 16:50?

Because Tinman calculator suggests very slow easy paces? There are other approaches you know.

H.Shafiu wrote:

have been running for 3 years and my 5k time is not improving due to unconsistency in runnning. My easy run pace is about 9:45-9:15/mile. I want to leave workouts and faster running in order to start a base building period. What would be my easy pace after 20 weeks of easy running with one tempo session every week? my 5k PR is 21:00 and how much improvement will come to my 5k time after this period of easy running?

2 questions:

1. my easy running pace after the base building

2. my 5k time improvement.

Please help, thanks

I don't know how helpful you will find this, but....

I've been running since I was 16 years old, and have done all manner of interval/tempo sessions, doubles, circuits, etc etc in the last six or seven years. I have recently had something of a breakthrough from abandoning frequent fast/intense running and simply doing lots of easy runs 60 - 75 mins in duration. I am now gearing up for a marathon so I'm doing a little more in the way of sessions but I saw huge benefits from going the super simple route. I would recommend bumping your daily run up to 1hr or more, and doing a 90min - 2hr long run each weekend. Pace can be slow. I have run 33 mins for 10k and most of my easy days are around 8min/mile (very rarely faster than 7.30 pace). I have run 9 min miles at the start of easy runs on many, many occasions. As you get fitter the pace of most of your runs will drop for the same effort - but you can't force it. If I tried to run 6.30 pace on easy days like the guys I used to train with, I would be inured within a fortnight.

For me, getting back to basics has been an absolute revelation. I appreciate that for 5k racing some pace work is important, but it is an aerobic event and you need to be aerobically strong. The best way to develop that? Go out and run some easy miles. For a bit of variety throw in a structured or unstructured fartlek in the middle of a 60 - 90 min run, or a tempo run and strides. Maybe some hills. But the biggest thing - be consistent in getting that volume up, and run as many days of the week as you can. Your 5k time will plummet after a few months of this.

I hope you are able to find some of this helpful. Good luck!

I’ve been running competively for about 4-5 years and my easy run pace has dropped significantly. I used to struggle dropping sub 8 minutes pace in longer runs in high school. As my mileage increased , done plenty workouts, cross training, I’m currently at sub 7 minute pace. My LR is between 6:35-6:30 & I’m a middle distance runner. As you get faster your easy run pace will increase as well. Good luck

H.Shafiu wrote:

have been running for 3 years and my 5k time is not improving due to unconsistency in runnning. My easy run pace is about 9:45-9:15/mile. I want to leave workouts and faster running in order to start a base building period. What would be my easy pace after 20 weeks of easy running with one tempo session every week? my 5k PR is 21:00 and how much improvement will come to my 5k time after this period of easy running?

2 questions:

1. my easy running pace after the base building

2. my 5k time improvement.

Please help, thanks

Disregard what others are saying about pace. There is nothing wrong with running your easy days that slow. Go as slow as you need to while maintaining proper form. For example, I can go about 9:00/mi as my slowest before my form gets wonky and then that leads to injuries etc (surprisingly, running faster sometimes leads to less injury and obviously more aerobic benefit).

Easy runs are suppose to be EASY. That is why they are called EASY days instead of "pushing the envelope" days. Easy days need to be easy so hard days can be hard.

I dont get why people get so worked up about how fast they should run easy runs. It is a FEELING not a pace. Some days it might be 9:14/mi, other days maybe 8:29/mi . Easy pace changes according to how you feel.

How did you improve your 5k time so quickly? I would love to bring mine down that dramatically.

Bump