Runs4Sanity
I am still trying figure out if this is a good thing.
For the past 6 months or so my easy/recovery runs would range from 10-11:30 min/mile pace, my tempos would begin around 10:30, 9:30-10:00 mid run and then be well below 9 min/mile, sometimes close to 8. I was noticing about 2-3 weeks ago that my easy runs would begin around 9:40-10 min/mile and my body would not let me slow down. At first even my legs would start fatiguing near the end but I could still keep the pace and my splits even (strangely, I've always been more of a negative split person). Now as of tonight's 5 miler, my legs had no problem beginning at 9:41 pace and ending at 8:33 pace though my head and stomach didn't quite agree and I did get a side stitch near 3.5 but it went away. Basically my run went like this:
Mile 1 - 9:41
Mile 2 - 9:31
Mile 3 - 9:34
Mile 4 - 9:30
Mile 5 - 8:33
And then a half mile cool down walk.
I personally think awesome, I am hoping that my body is getting stronger and faster, but now I am a bit concerned with my tempos and if they will be effected. Either the warm weather or new pace does have me a bit fatigued in the head, but I wonder if right now I should focus on getting comfortable with this pace before worrying about my weekly tempos. I can't really seem to slow down dang it, my body/legs don't want to
*Do It For Yourself, Do It Because They Said It Was Impossible, Do It Because They Said You Were Incapable*
PRs
5k - 24:15 (7:49 min/mile pace)
10k - 51:47 (8:16 min/mile pace)
15k -1:18:09 (8:24 min/mile pace)
13.1 - 1:53:12 (8:39 min/mile pace)
26:2 - 4:14:55 (9:44 min/mile)
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
It sounds like you are getting faster and stronger. Sometimes, at least for me, you have to consciously think about going slower. I just run comfortably, tempo runs are comfortably hard, and don't be a slave to the Garmin. Your mile splits are very consistent and it sounds like you did it with no trouble. Remember, easy runs are called easy for a reason.
Skirt Runner
Recently I posted a similar post, that my easy pace was dropping but I wasn't sure if I should go with it or try to slow down, and the overwhelming response seemed to be that if the effort truly was still easy, then go with it. I've tried to use the Garmin more for data after the fact during easy runs....I put pace and distance on different screens and keep it on distance while running. I think this really helps keep me honest about my effort. When I look at my pace splits after, it seems some days easy effort corresponds to a faster pace and sometimes slower, but overall faster than I was a few months ago. Maybe for at least a few easy runs try not looking at the pace at all on the Garmin, keep the effort easy and even, and then look at it when you are done. May give you some good info on what your easy pace really is when you are not constantly looking at the numbers.
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to
Sounds good to me
I will echo the same thing that I'm pretty sure I posted on Kristin's post of a similar nature.
You are very young, you have been running more miles and more consistently. You in particular,
have just completed a half marathon training plan which should have elevated your fitness level.
With everything being even, good health, good conditions etc I would be surprised if your easy paces
were not getting faster.
Go out and do some runs purely by perceived easy effort. Be totally honest with yourself about what
"easy" is. Wear the Garmin but don't look at it until after the run. If it truly does feel easy keeping those
paces after a week or so then I wouldn't have any problem readjusting my other paces in line with
that and see what happens.
delicate flower
If your effort is truly easy, the pace is what it is. That pace will increase as your fitness does. Don't let your Garmin determine what your pace should be on those easy runs...just run easy and don't force the pace. You're also coming off a HM training cycle, so your fitness level is probably very high right now.
<3
I know I could have held a conversation the whole time, no problem except for I am still trying to get used to this warm weather which can sometimes give me a killer headache. And it was definitely, definitely a lot easier to keep that pace from the beginning to end than in the past. Those paces used to be me kicking it, now my legs just felt like "eh, no biggie we got this". I'll go with it, and enjoy it for another week or two before testing out a tempo.
flashlight and sidewalk
I'd say very good. Especially since you are realizing it and using the info to make good choices about your training. I'd keep the tempo runs in the schedule, just be vigilant about monitoring how you are feeling day to day. If you are feeling beaten up, ease off the next week and work it back in. Don't sweat it...you're getting faster.
**Ask me about streaking**
I'm pretty excited, ever closer to my goal of a sub 9 min 5k this year and quite possibly faster than that.
Pace will improve with fitness gains. Do you have a recent race? If so, you can plug those results into McMillan. Beyond that, the 8:33 pace seems a bit off from the rest. I was running 5K's around 19:20 when my easy pace was 8:30.
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).
My most recent last race was the color run 5k this past Saturday, sadly things got confusing and I ended up with a couple fast girls that had absolutely no idea where they were going, we ended up at the finish line at 2.3 miles............ so I estimated at the rate I was going I probably would have finished 3.1 around 27:00 minutes but I wasn't really racing it.
May 11 is going to be different though, it is at the airport (not the main stretch that the planes use) so it will be pretty flat, I will be racing that to see how I've improved on 5ks.
My most recent last race was the color run 5k this past Saturday, sadly things got confusing and I ended up with a couple fast girls that had absolutely no idea where they were going, we ended up at the finish line at 2.3 miles............ so I estimated at the rate I was going I probably would have finished 3.1 around 27:00 minutes but I wasn't really racing it. May 11 is going to be different though, it is at the airport (not the main stretch that the planes use) so it will be pretty flat, I will be racing that to see how I've improved on 5ks.
Good. McMillan isn't the end all and be all but it is a pretty good guide. If you're running a good bit faster than McMillan suggests, then you either didn't race all out or you really are running your easy runs too fast. Another good guide is found here. It's based off Daniels and it doesn't give a range of paces; it gives one pace. It tends to have faster paces for faster work but a slower easy pace.
I will check it out, is it better to have even splits?
Drink up moho's!!
If you are running faster at the same effort then your fitness and running efficiency is improving. :FIST BUMP:
Awesome, I am hoping that is the case Venomized.