If you’re looking to improve your running times, you may have already come across the mantra, “Run Slow to Run Fast.” We don’t blame you if you think that might be counterintuitive. Running fast should make you faster, right? But as many runners have discovered, running slowly is the way to go.
To break this notion down and teach you how to find your own slow pace, I chatted with: Caitlin Tocciultramarathon coach and editor-in-chief marathon handbookexplained how you can increase your speed by running slowly.
Benefits of running slowly
So how can running slower help? Tocci says that slowing down your running pace can improve your aerobic system.
The aerobic system is responsible for producing energy during low-intensity exercise. It uses oxygen to break down carbohydrates and fats and turn them into energy for your run. The more efficient your aerobic system is, the faster and longer you can run.
”[Running slow] It teaches your body to efficiently use oxygen to generate energy, improving your cardiovascular system, capillary density, mitochondrial function, and everything else important for endurance,” says Tocci.
Incorporating slow running into your training plan will help you cover more miles without risking injury.
“Running hard is really tiring, and interval running is taxing on the body,” says Tocci. Tocci recommends recovering with gentle jogs between hard runs, rather than doing sprint session after sprint session.
“This way you can maximize your effort and performance to go fast on hard days.”
How to find your slow pace
According to Tocci, there are some easy ways to tell when you’re slow.
“If you can run or chat with someone while you’re running slowly, it’s a great way to make sure you’re keeping up with your pace. [slow] It’s the pace of the conversation,” she says.
Another way to check is to see if you can breathe out through your nose. “This is a very good indicator if you can breathe through your nose and don’t have to exhale through your mouth.”
How many slow runs should you do each week?
Tocci recommends an 80:20 training ratio. This means that 80% of your runs should be easy and 20% fast. This doesn’t mean you have to allocate certain days to hard or easy runs. Rather, it’s about your overall effort throughout the week.
“Eighty percent of that includes warming up, cooling down, and recovering between intervals,” Tocci says.
For example, if you’re doing a tempo run, warm up for 20 to 30 minutes at an easy pace, then perform two 10-minute intervals at your tempo pace, recovering for 5 minutes between each. This is followed by a gentle 10-minute cooldown. While I logged 20 minutes of hard running, I also spent 35 minutes of easy running, which counts towards 80%.
Looking for tips to improve your running? Tocci said. fit & well Her top tips for making running easier, and I swear by these 4 knee stretches to keep runners injury-free.
