Forums >Running 101>Easy Pace
#dowork
General running question here. Do you have a general easy pace or different paces depending on distance you're training for keeping it 45-90sec slower than your goal race pace? Just interested in what other runners do. i generally have one easy pace, but thinking maybe running on faster side of my easy pace since not running a marathon at moment.
PR's - 5K - 20:15 (2013) | 10K - 45:14 (2011) | 13.1 - 1:34:40 (2013) | 26.2 - 3:40:40 (2014)
Up Next:
???
Easy is an effort level, not a pace.
MTA: a less douchy clarification...I don't set out on an easy run saying "I am going to run 7:37 miles today", I just go out and run easy, and whatever the pace is, it is.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
This. I use PRE/heart rate to set my paces. I started off using HR alone because, as a newbie, it was hard for me to gauge effort. These days, I don't typically look at pace or HR until the run is over and find HR is pretty close to what I'd guess.
I don't think easy varies by the distance you're training for. I think, in fact, that if you can run "easy" at 5 miles at a given pace, but that pace would be too hard for 10 miles, the odds are that it isn't truly easy.
I like to make sure my easy is honest. I have my watch set to show only time (and sometimes distance, but often not) to force this. If I find myself being angst-y about pace, I set the watch to show something totally meaningless, like percent grade.
"When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem." Emil Zatopek
Options,Account, Forums
A lot of the time (but not all), I don't care what pace my easy runs are at.
It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.
I go by effort. Per mile pace on my easy days varies quite a bit depending on lots of factors including what I did for a workout the day before, weather, sleep, life stress, etc.
Today, easy pace was 8:15 per mile. I found that out when I entered my time into my running log.
Runners run
I go by effort. Per mile pace on my easy days varies quite a bit depending on lots of factors including what I did for a workout the day before, weather, sleep, life stress, etc. Today, easy pace was 8:15 per mile. I found that out when I entered my time into my running log.
Yeah what he said.
2014 Goals: (Yeah I suck)
No Talent Drips
Others have covered this pretty well. Only thing I can add is that my easy pace is impacted mostly by the number of guns i'm carrying on any given run. If it is just my Compact semi-automatic Smith & Wesson .45 ACP Chief's Special — then I try and make sure I am within 45sec of my goal pace. If I am looking to maintain my ability to mow down lots (and lots) of people and I am carrying my Micro-Tavor, with a Kimber Mepro reflex sight...well, then, I might be happy with 90 seconds.
Dei Gratia
some call me Tim
In line what with others have said, I've found the concept of easy pace being 'conversational', a pace where you could easily talk to another person without feeling out of breath, to be a helpful indicator. I also notice that when I'm truly running easy I tend to look around and appreciate the scenery a lot more. If my focus starts to turn inward, it's generally a sign I've gone past it, but that's just me. And as to a slightly faster pace, I've recently come to appreciate Daniels' M(marathon) pace as a good occasional alternative - a bit more purposeful, but a pace that can be sustained for a long time... like a minute faster than easy.
ME WEBLARG
Today, easy pace was 8:15 8:45 per mile. I found that out when I entered my time into my running log.
And sometimes I don't know. About 2 or 3 times a week I just run easy with no timing device. I know how far I ran (close enough) but that's about it.
About 2 or 3 times a week I just run easy with no timing device. I know how far I ran (close enough) but that's about it.
I would totally do that except I am weird about collecting the time spent running (per week, per month, etc.) so almost always time them but almost never look at my watch during easy runs.
not bad for mile 25
I time my runs, but the timer stays at home.
Took me a while but getting rid of the garmin was the first step. Then running with a 2:20 marathoner and sub 9 hr Ironman who rarely carried a timing or measuring device showed me that it can be done.
I just wish he'd stick to yes or no questions when I run with him.
Yeah I mean I could just estimate or look at the kitchen clock for the purposes of keeping track of hours spend running, but I've never had a problem not looking at the watch so it's not a problem I'm looking to solve.
Took me a while but getting rid of the garmin was the first step.
Do you run your workouts (tempos, intervals, ect) sans-garmin?
And we run because we like itThrough the broad bright land
I also notice that when I'm truly running easy I tend to look around and appreciate the scenery a lot more. If my focus starts to turn inward, it's generally a sign I've gone past it, but that's just me.
Me too. If I'm running truly easy, I occasionally will marvel at the fact that I'm running, and my body doesn't really care. I can look around, think about other stuff, etc. If I'm spending too much time thinking about breathing, watching my Garmin, etc, it probably means I'm not running easy.
My wildly inconsistent PRs:
5k: 24:36 (10/20/12)
10k: 52:01 (4/28/12)
HM: 1:50:09 (10/27/12)
Marathon: 4:19:11 (10/2/2011)