Slow Pace or No Pace

 

I got lazy tonight and decided not to run.

I’ve been working hard and I know…yada yada yada…everyone works hard but sometimes I just want to sit. My regular schedule looks like this for now: Monday, run 3 to 4 miles with mild hills. Thursday, run 3 to 4 miles with hills unless at the gym. Saturday, early group run according to distance set by leader. Right now it’s between 6 and 7 but jumping up to 8 quickly. Cool mornings in August are refreshing rarity, like napping in the shade after a picnic. I consider myself blessed that last week was one such event, mid to high sixties with a little breeze. But summer giveth and summer taketh away; Saturday looks like another sweaty, torturous jaunt through the city. 

I probably complain and also praise the weather more than just about anything else. It’s the single most important external event to any running day. Yes, sometimes my foot gets tight and takes a few laps to loosen up, or my calves won’t stretch out, or my energy is low. Mostly it’s the heat and humidity. Part of my laziness this evening is firmly rooted in that sinking feeling that comes over me when I think about having to lace up the New Balances and hoof it around the park. It’s hot dammit! I have to train after work right now. I’m going in early so morning runs are out of the question.

I suppose I could get up at 5:30 a.m. but It’s not likely it would last beyond a few days.

That leaves afternoons in the heat which is at least a short affair. I barely get 3 miles in before stopping, overheated. But there has to be some benefit to putting in work in the afternoon sun right? Fine, no more complaining. 

I read something interesting about slow pace running that I didn’t know before. It’s actually good for you in a variety of ways. First it improves your endurance and strengthens the muscles to adapt to the rigors of long distance. I noticed how much stronger I was once I passed up older distance milestones. In order to hit the longer runs I had to seriously slow up. Slow running improves the efficiency of your cardiovascular system and improves glycogen stores. I’m not sure what glycogen is but it sounds important. There was a helpful table in a women’s running magazine I found online. Does it still apply to men?

“Slow” is defined as conversational pace or the pace at which you could comfortably carry on a conversation. Keep that pace up whenever doing a middle distance run (90 minutes roughly) and feel the gains!!! I was surprised to read that because I assumed faster was better. Marathon runners are constantly comparing notes on times, improvements, personal records (PRs). Why not run hard every time? The answer seems to be a combination of avoiding injury and burning out. That’s why proper training is so important. Nothing is worse than getting overwhelmed. This is true in other sports too. You build up to game level events through steady, consistent improvements.  

Take it slow and build up a reserve so when the test comes, the body is ready. The races are the test. They’re the event where all the tough slogs in the heat get to matter. You just can’t skip too many out of laziness.