Hi folks, it’s Kelvin here, We Run Coach for Leeds and the surrounding areas, as well as online coaching.
In this little video, I’d like to talk to you about easy running. Easy running isn’t just one pace.
The Three Types of Easy Running
When I’m prescribing easy runs, I tend to split easy into three different runs.
One of those runs is a recovery run, which means super, super, super easy. It’s the lower end. If we’re talking about zones, it’s probably in the middle of zone one.
The second is an easy run, which is in the middle of zone two, so just go out and run easy.
The third is LT1, or lactate threshold one, which is the top end of zone two in a five-zone model.
All of these runs serve slightly different purposes, but they’re all easy. You could still have a full conversation with a fellow runner.
Matching Your Easy Run to Your Training Phase
An example of where we might use these runs in slightly different ways is during a base-building phase.
Most of your easy runs are easy, so the middle of zone two, where you’re trying to build up aerobic capacity and connective tissue capacity.
Then you might have a transition phase, and after that you might find yourself in a race-specific block, let’s say for a half marathon, where there are some pretty tough workouts.
Your easy runs will then become recovery runs because the priority has changed. The priority is to be prepared for the tougher workouts because the aerobic capacity is already built.
What Are You Trying to Achieve?
Similar to what I’ve said in other videos, when we see an easy run on the plan, it’s about looking at what we’re trying to achieve with that run.
Are we trying to drive a little bit more fitness, or are we trying to recover from either work that we’ve just done or prepare ourselves for work to come?
How I Use Easy Runs
For myself, my easy run with strides on a Tuesday depends on how I’m feeling.
Sometimes it ends up more at the recovery end of easy. Sometimes it ends up as more of a standard easy run. If I’m feeling great and I don’t have a huge workout the next day, sometimes it might be more around that LT1.
Whereas my easy run on a Friday, to set me up before the weekend, which usually involves the long run and then a mid-length run, is a recovery run.
Friday’s runs are almost always super, super, super easy to make sure that I’ve absorbed the previous load and set myself up for the things to come.
Use Easy Running Effectively
Don’t always think of easy as just zone one or two, and that it doesn’t really matter.
Use easy running effectively.
I hope that makes some sort of sense, and if you’ve got any questions, please pop them in the comments below.
For now, happy running.
