One of the biggest challenges in coaching endurance athletes
is convincing them to go EASY enough on the easy days. Typically they (we) are motivated to
improve and it makes sense that pushing the pace all the time will improve our
performance. False.
Yes… we gradually ratchet up our pace through a long-term
gradual progression. That is how we get
faster. But in the short-term training
cycle (weekly, monthly), the EASY days are necessary and serve a specific
purpose. They allow our bodies to
recover and rebuild.
The pace of the easy days is as important to progress as the
pace of the hard days. I think it takes
more discipline to nail the easy days than it does the hard days. Convincing athletes to run hard and fast is
easy. Endurance athletes are
motivated. Convincing them to slow down
on the easy days seems counter-productive.
The theory of “faster easy days lead to faster race times” is as flawed
as the “banking time in the early miles of a marathon” theory. It doesn’t work that way.
Why so important? I
need you rested, recovered and strong when the next key workout comes
along. Your next tempo run or pace run is vital to
the progression towards our goal. If you
are tired and have dead legs because you went too hard the day before… we cannot
get optimal performance out of the key workout. Eventually, the effectiveness of all
workouts, and races, gets watered down.
If we cannot successfully complete the key workouts we cannot reach peak
performance.
How easy is easy?
Speed is relative. For a
marathoner… run 1:00+ slower than marathon race pace. Like I said… easy. For example:
A runner with a goal of running a marathon in 3:45:00 (goal pace of 8:36 per mile)...
should be running the easy days no faster than 9:00 per
mile. 10:00 miles would not be too
slow.
If you are always sore (or hurt), your legs feel dead and you
can’t hit your targets on your tempo runs… try easing off on your easy days so
you have enough pop in your legs to complete your more intense workouts on
pace. You will be faster on the hard days which will lead to better overall performance.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Run Smart. Train Hard. Race Fast.
Listen to Coach Kevin each week as he co-hosts Pure Fit Radio. Listen online at www.PureFitRadio.com and subscribe for free at iTunes! He also writes the "MEMPHIS FIT" blog for the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce.
You know how I feel about this. I am a huge believer in easy time being easy, and I think I do a good job practicing what I preach. Nailing the hard workouts only comes from balancing the volume with your easy workouts.
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteThank you again for your educational advice; it's always solid, easy to understand, & practical in execution.
Personally, I don't need to slow down, as I don't run at a very fast pace anyway. If anything, I should speed it up! But then again, I'm a beginner level runner.
It makes sense that the easy days in training should be easy. As this will allow time for our bodies to recover & rebuild, which in turn will lead to a stronger & better overall performance on race day.
Thanks again, for your common sense advice.
Great advice. unfortunately as I get older I also get slower. I find though that in a race I always have better times than when i run on my own. The competition and adrenalin really help.
ReplyDeleteThe younger me wouldn't have agreed with you, but the older me does. Pushing too hard on the easy days will only negatively affect your ability to push hard on the workouts, when you need it. Sadly, it took me a while to grasp this simply concept. Your body is a machine. Push it too hard, too often and it WILL break! Feelings of overtraining, injury, and dreading running are no fun!
ReplyDeletei was a good runner and i had maintain my stamina upto 4 to 5 miles running in an hour. but due to injury i had to stop running. now working on maintaining stamina agaainnnn :(
ReplyDelete