This running influencer chick/coach always pops up on my feed and says she does her easy days at like 10-12 minutes per mile but then does all her workouts and races sub 7 minutes per mile. My question is, does anyone actually train like this or is this just an influencer attention grabber? Like I understand keeping your easy days easy but 12 minute pace is like a few clicks above walking and I've always heard you don't want to run so slow that your running form breaks down.
no, because I also don't have time to run that slow and long every easy run. I follow one that does 10-12 miles for her easy days at 10 plus mile pace. She does race around 6:15 pace for a half which is impressive considering how slow she runs her easy runs. However her 10k/5k aren't that much different in pace. I personally just don't have the patience or time for that but can see how it works for some people. My body settles in to an easy rythm and it's usually around 7-7:40 pace. I don't pay much mind other than that I'm comfortable. my race results are significantly faster but I find it interesting how some can get away with this.
This running influencer chick/coach always pops up on my feed and says she does her easy days at like 10-12 minutes per mile but then does all her workouts and races sub 7 minutes per mile. My question is, does anyone actually train like this or is this just an influencer attention grabber? Like I understand keeping your easy days easy but 12 minute pace is like a few clicks above walking and I've always heard you don't want to run so slow that your running form breaks down.
Even if it somehow was getting an advantage I couldn't go that slow for that many miles. Hell, my easy runs are all at 8:30-8:45 pace and I have to often keep reminding myself to not speed up as my legs just naturally want to turn over faster.
And I run 5ks in the high 18s. I'm not fast by any means.
no, because I also don't have time to run that slow and long every easy run. I follow one that does 10-12 miles for her easy days at 10 plus mile pace. She does race around 6:15 pace for a half which is impressive considering how slow she runs her easy runs. However her 10k/5k aren't that much different in pace. I personally just don't have the patience or time for that but can see how it works for some people. My body settles in to an easy rythm and it's usually around 7-7:40 pace. I don't pay much mind other than that I'm comfortable. my race results are significantly faster but I find it interesting how some can get away with this.
This is my thinking and I'm definitely not taking training advice from a random influencer selling her coaching programs on IG reels but I did wonder if people actually train this slow. Like you said, I just don't have the time or desire to be on my feet for a long run that could take multiple hours. Also, for me personally I think my form would fall apart if I did 80% of my runs just shuffling or jog walking the whole time. Still got me curious about it and how other people would respond.
Even if it somehow was getting an advantage I couldn't go that slow for that many miles. Hell, my easy runs are all at 8:30-8:45 pace and I have to often keep reminding myself to not speed up as my legs just naturally want to turn over faster.
And I run 5ks in the high 18s. I'm not fast by any means.
I wouldn't worry too much about pace on easy days. More just on how the run feels or heart rate if you check that. My easy pace changes drastically depending on the time of year and the elevation change of the run. Late fall flat runs are way faster than mid-summer hilly runs.
Really? Try walking 12 min pace and get back to us.
I know it's not actually walking but still I think it's kind of a valid point. Like your form changes so much to run that slow that is it really worth the added time/effort to run that slow when you could still comfortably jog at like 9 min pace? 8:40-9 min is where my easy runs float around and I'll go slower if I need to but even when I do walk recoveries those usually end up being 17 min - 19 min pace. My big question in starting this thread wasn't SHOULD you train like this but more does anybody train like this? (besides the aforementioned influencer who I am very dubious about trusting on this info)
I know it's not actually walking but still I think it's kind of a valid point. Like your form changes so much to run that slow that is it really worth the added time/effort to run that slow when you could still comfortably jog at like 9 min pace? 8:40-9 min is where my easy runs float around and I'll go slower if I need to but even when I do walk recoveries those usually end up being 17 min - 19 min pace. My big question in starting this thread wasn't SHOULD you train like this but more does anybody train like this? (besides the aforementioned influencer who I am very dubious about trusting on this info)
I agree, and I think those posts are clickbait to get slower runners to buy their training plans.
No reason to be running 80% of your mileage above 10 minute pace, unless your race pace is 9 minute pace. Even then, your race pace is likely that slow because you are always running slow. Most of these followers are running 30-50 miles per week, so they are only running 6-10 miles per week faster than 10 minute miles?
I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum where I run 0 miles slower than 9 minute pace, and probably less than 10% slower than 8:15 pace. I also run less than 10% faster than 6:45 pace, but I also only top out around 40 mpw currently. My goal is to get up to 55-60mpw this fall, and maybe I'll spend more time in the 8:30 pace range (and in the sub 6 min pace range).
I think it depends. As long as you feel easy AND your form doesn't suffer, that's fine.
However, if it's aerobically easy, but your form changes so much it actually is harder on your legs, then I would rather run a bit faster and turn it into a moderate run until those moderate runs become easy to you.
People often cite elite runners jogging at 7 or 8-9 pace, but I do think there's a big difference mechanically between 8-9 and 11-12. Personally my lower legs actually aches if I run slower than 10, even when I'm out of shape. That said, I also know someone who has no trouble running 10-11 mins pace with a 15-16 mins 5k, so again it depends.
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For a couple of seasons I ran several of my daily runs each week at a "slow jogging" pace of usually 10:00-11:30. My half marathon pace was 7:00-7:15 at that time. I never felt like my form "broke down" at the slow pace, because that slower pace form was more the basis of my training, so it was the basis of my faster running too. Not saying this is the best way to train; not saying it'll make you faster. Just a comment that it can be satisfying when you naturally settle into that rhythm (satisfying for one, because you know you can be comfortable running slowly if you run with slower folks, and not miserable).