Forums >Running 101>Easy Pace
Easy pace for me is pretty constant. Types of speedwork is more likely to change by type of race verse my easy day speed.
I go by effort level too, but until someone knows what effort level is really easy, sometimes they go too fast all the time.
Not that I don't believe my friend who hasn't broken two hours in the half saying that 9:30 is as slow as she can possibly go.
My training pace does not slow down as I go into longer runs usually. Easy is easy.... actually longer ones can be a little faster because my first few miles tend to be the slowest always going by effort, so the further I get past that the more counteracts that.
I like Daniels
http://www.runbayou.com/jackd.htm
It just has an easy pace (countered with effort of course) -- not an easy pace depending on distance.
Do you run your workouts (tempos, intervals, ect) sans-garmin?
Yes, no garmin. My battery died and I never replaced it.
For the most part, I can tell you what my pace is. I don't do much track work but I do have my trusty Timex Ironman for that. Oh and access to a nerby track.
For Tempo runs I still run those by feel and I don't know what my pace was until I get home and review the laps button. I have landmarks on most of my routes that are of a known distance...from time to time I'll hit the lap button just to see if my inner pace o meter is still calibrated.
I log my runs to the nearest tenth of a mile...I'm becoming less anal with age.
Bjørnmannen
So I'm a newbie and just plugged in most recent race info into a VDOT calculator... it says that that my easy pace is about 1:30 longer than what I've been doing my long runs at. I am an extremely slow runner at this point... is there any chance that these calculators are not accurate on the outer edges of the bell curve?
I could pretty much walk at the pace the calculator gave me and I've felt pretty comfortable at the pace I've been going. Any thoughts?
... is there any chance that these calculators are not accurate on the outer edges of the bell curve?
Yes, definitely. It's also likely that that if you are brand new to running, your races don't accurately reflect VDOT yet.
Runners run
A Saucy Wench
+1
I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets
"When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7
Easy pace is exactly 8:03. No faster; no slower.
be curious; not judgmental
I don't set out to hit a specific pace during easy runs. But, my "maybe too fast to really be easy pace" is 9:00/mile, which is about 1:30/mile slower than what I think is my marathon pace. If I find myself running faster than that, I usually slow myself down for a while.
My blog is JT Running DC. It's awesome. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. Guide to the New York City Marathon. Guide to the Boston Marathon. Guide to Running Gear. Guide to Running Clothes.
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.
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.
Agree completely.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Yes because I don't own a Garmin.
Seriously though, I use a Timex Ironman and while I record my splits, I run them by effort. Just like my easy runs can vary a good bit from day to day, my quality work can vary as well. Mind you, if I'm off by a lot from what I expect my paces to be, then I have to make the call about whether it's worth it to continue the workout. I have quit more than one workout early on when the effort to get anywhere near my targeted paces seemed difficult only to come back the next day and have a great workout. Then again, I broke my Ironman recently and ran without it for a couple of weeks and just did all of my speed work by perceived effort.