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Feb 2019
3:17pm, 23 Feb 2019
4 posts
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slowby
Hi everyone. Sorry for technical question but confused! Training for a half marathon now and according to online calculators and books easy pace should be about 11.15 mins/mile. When I go out for an easy run I usually go at 9.30-10 mins/mile but apparently that should be my threshold pace. I can do 5 miles at that pace and I feel OK the next day. So does that mean that I should run more slowly, or does it mean that my threshold pace is faster than 9.30? Or should I start doing long and easy at 11.15? That feels quite slow. What would be the benefit of slowing down? I want to go faster not slower! (I usually do parkrun in about 28 mins and 10k 57) Thanks for any tips!
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Feb 2019
4:07pm, 23 Feb 2019
1,043 posts
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oumaumau
A reasonable guide for easy running is your breathing, rather than any set pace. Could you hold a conversation at 9:30-10 m/m? If not you should slow down until you can. If you race 10k in 57 mins, then your 10k pace is the same as your easy run pace.
You are developing your aerobic capacity during easy runs, and at the start of training gains can come quickly, if you let them 
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Feb 2019
4:12pm, 23 Feb 2019
13,340 posts
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Autumnleaves
Effectively, with those times you are training too much at the same speed. The virtue of slowing down your longest runs in particular is that you train your aerobic system, your stamina and your ability to burn the fat you have stored. As your long runs get longer, if you set off too fast, you will run out of steam. Your easy pace should be conversational - you shouldn't be out of breath. As your fitness improves, your paces will adjust - and your threshold pace will come down, but you will get there quicker if you take it easy on about 80% of your runs. I know it seems counter-intuitive.
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Feb 2019
6:45pm, 23 Feb 2019
5 posts
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slowby
Great thanks for that. Just interested - if a person only ever ran at threshold pace what would happen? That might be my training problem! Autumnleaves - my pattern on long runs is I set out at 10min pace and end up going slower, so yes exactly! But sometimes I can hold that for 10 miles. Oumaumau - all my races are at that same pace- half marathon 2 hrs 10, 10K 57 etc!
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Feb 2019
7:06pm, 23 Feb 2019
1,044 posts
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oumaumau
If you are doing everything at the same pace, then you would probably find you got slowly 'better' (faster or further) at running then hit a plateau, as you are no longer stimulating any adaptation (your body doesn't find it challenging).
The main reason to run easy is to encourage your aerobic system to become more efficient (you'll be less breathless/lower heart rate for the same effort/pace), but also to reduce the stress you are putting your body under so that it can adapt to the stimulus more rapidly. There are also psychological advantages to running easy - if your body doesn't think you might die every time you go running, it tends to be more enjoyable and you are less likely to cause an injury, again due to the decrease stress.
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Feb 2019
7:44pm, 23 Feb 2019
6,782 posts
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larkim
Assuming you're reasonably new to running, your experience isn't that unusual. Broadly whatever running you do in the earlier stages will make you fitter and faster, so it may not really matter (much) if you do all your training at that same pace.
I was the same.
Mixing up paces brings massive benefits as AL has described above.
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Feb 2019
8:13pm, 23 Feb 2019
17,254 posts
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Dvorak
Most runners have I think a natural pace where you can comfortably knock out a few miles and it feels alright and there's a bit of effort but not too much. That will be your ten minute miles but not, in training plan terms, easy pace, which will be considerably slower. And will often feel, until you are dialed into it, draggingly frustrating.
I think your tens are a bit slower than your threshold pace. Especially if you can do ten miles of them
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Feb 2019
9:51pm, 23 Feb 2019
6 posts
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slowby
Actually I've been running for about 10 years but never been interested in going very fast. But also havent made very much progress and this might be why. Thanks all I've learnt something new!
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Feb 2019
11:16am, 24 Feb 2019
6,783 posts
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larkim
I once heard something along the lines of run your fast miles faster, and your slow miles slower for maximum benefit.
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Feb 2019
11:14pm, 24 Feb 2019
17,260 posts
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Dvorak
Many people reckon for serious training about 80% slow and 20% fast is the correct ratio. With a big split inbetween. So off a 9 min/ mile parkrun, intervals at around 7 m/m (fast bits only not overall!), 8 minutes for a brisk mile and easy runs around 11 m/m could be a guideline.
That might seem a bit prescriptive though, and on the easy runs dull tbh. We're trying to enjoy it after all (aren't we ). But mixing up the paces and doing at least some of your running proper slow is likely to bring benefits.
PS warm up well before the faster stuff. Don't pull anything!
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