How easy is easy?

One of the first things I have to do with almost every runner who comes to me for coaching is slow them down. This sounds paradoxical, because they all come for coaching hoping to race faster, but the truth is that the most common mistake almost all beginning runners make is to run too fast, too often.

Aldo Catania brought this exact question up when he wrote to me at the email below after last week's article.

When training for endurance, he wrote, what is the ideal pace of the weekly long run? He provided me with his recent time in the Zurrieq Half Marathon, perhaps thinking that this would allow me to calculate an ideal training pace for him.

I do not believe that there is an ideal pace for the long run. At least, not one that can be calculated as some percentage of a recent race performance.

For example, if I was to declare that long runs should be done at 80 per cent of half marathon pace (e.g. 7:30 minutes per mile for someone who can race a half marathon at 6:00 m/mile), then there might be days when that is the right pace for that runner, but there can also be days when that pace is just too hard.

Using a hard-and-fast rule like percentage of race pace makes no allowance for what training the runner might have done the day before.

So, using the example above, 7:30 m/m might come effortlessly one Sunday, but, following a hard track session the day before, might be just too hard the following Sunday.

A way to be surer of training at the correct effort for the long run (rather than the correct pace) is to use a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM).

By running at 65 to 75 per cent of your maximum heart rate (HRmax), you can be sure that the effort is right for you that day. If you have trained hard the day before, the residual tiredness from that session will be reflected in your heart rate and you will find that the pace at this HR is slower than on days when you feel fresher.

So, you will not have to think about pace, and just stay in the correct HR zone.

An obvious question now is, how can you learn your HRmax?

Although many people use the result of the equation: 220 minus their age, a better calculation is thought to be HRmax = 217 - (0.85 x Age) (i.e. HRmax would be 183 for someone 40 years of age).

Always remember that whatever equation you use, these are only calculations; at best guess based on research and not a guarantee of your HRmax. A more accurate way of finding your personal HRmax would be to wear your HRM in your next race of 5km and take the highest number you see on your HRM as you cross the finish line as your HRmax.

You can then use this number to calculate the best effort at which to train on easy and long runs.

So, using the example above, a 40-year-old runner with a calculated HRmax of 183, would keep their HR in the zone 119-137 on his/her long run (65-75 per cent of HRmax). Not higher.

Indeed, the more fit the runner, the lower the training HR might be, so a fit runner might only run between 65-70 per cent of HRmax.

Always be guided by the amount of effort you put in, and avoid the temptation to keep your HR at the upper end of the training zone.

If you are not comfortable enough to hold a long conversation while running, you are working too hard. Faster is not better, for this kind of training.

If you think it feels easy, just run a little further than you usually do. For a distance runner, more miles is usually a good thing.

Enjoy your running.

johnwalsh42195@yahoo.it