Happy Friday! Let’s jump right into this week’s quick tip for Fartlek Friday. I wanted to share some ways to find your training paces.
How To Find Your Training Paces
There are a few calculators available that can help you determine your paces. The two I recommend are Jack Daniel’s VDOT Running Calculator and the McMillan Running Calculator. These take the guesswork out of finding your paces and give you an idea of how fast your should be running for each of your runs.
Run Your Easy Runs By Feel
When it comes to easy runs, don’t worry as much about following a prescribed pace. Try to listen to your body and make sure you can hold a conversation while you are running. It also helps to make sure you are maintaining steady breathing during these kinds of runs.
Work With a Running Coach
Of course you can also work with a coach if you need more specific guidance with your training and paces. A coach can look at your training to determine if adjustments need to be made, which a calculator can’t do. For example, if you are running all your speedwork faster than prescribed, but struggling on your long run, there are tweaks we could make to your training and paces to make sure your workouts are still challenging you but that you are not too tired for your long run.
You may also like:
Why You Should Follow Your Training Plan and Run Your Easy Runs Easy
Want to Run Faster? How to Adjust Your Training
How To Create Your Own Simple Training Plan
Do you aim to run certain paces or just run by feel?
How do you determine your training paces?
Ever used a running calculator before?
I’m linking up with My First 5K and More, Running With Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday!
For the past year, I’ve mostly been running by feel. With nothing to train for, it’s been nice to just go. I’d be lying if I don’t have paces in mind for my runs, tho. What’s been nice is that running trails has forced me to let go of pushing so hard. It’s been kind of freeing!
That is nice! When I run with the stroller I have to ignore my pace. But I do like having 1-2 workouts a week where I push a little harder.
I have used a running coach & a running calculator — the calculator often seems overly optimistic for me!
Since I’m not training and haven’t been for a long time, I don’t really worry too much about pace. Some day, maybe!
The calculators aren’t going to be 100%, especially because I think some of us are just better at either shorter or longer distances. I mostly use them as a guide.
I just run easy right now. I know that when I worked with a coach I was always like “you want me to run at WHAT tempo?!” and then I would actually try to hit those paces and be amazed at the results. I think especially when you work with a coach there is more motivation (for me anyway) to hit the targets.
Otherwise I would just run easy runs forever – ha!
Isn’t that the best feeling when you run paces you didn’t think you were capable of?!
I am more of a go by feel runner. When I have tried the calculators in the past, it is too aggressive for me. I know some people swear by them. At this point, I just want to run happy and not worry about pace
I find they help to give me a baseline, and sometimes I know certain paces will be too aggressive so I will adjust them. It’s definitely a nice feeling to just enjoy running and not worry about pace.
When I was training for races and working with my run coach he was a huge help in getting me to run my easy runs much slower. Nowadays, with nothing to train for I’ve just been running by feel and really only using my Garmin to track the mileage.
My first coach did the same for me! Before that my easy runs were not much slower than my hard runs.
by feel. My runs are all easy now. It’s funny than when I ran without a watch in a race, I was faster t han with,
Interesting! The numbers on a watch can definitely cause unnecessary stress.
I have not cared about pace for a very long time. When I did, I swore by the McMillan Pace Calculator. That thing does not lie. Other than running some of my long run miles at race pace occasionally, I run most of my long runs at an easy, conversational pace.
I’ve really learned to love easy runs. But I also get bored and like to change things up! I think its helpful to just be intentional about paces/workouts and not just run in that gray zone all the time.
Right now, I’m running by feel. I used to have a running coach, and then I had paces to try to hit, but now, I’m just happy to be out there. I will see what happens as more things start opening up.
I think one reason I struggle with training plans is that runs will be scheduled for “5k pace” or “marathon pace” and I never knew what that was!
What’s nice about McMillan’s calculator is if you put in a recent race time, it will tell you your current fitness level in other distances! You can also put in your goal time for a race and it will compare it to other distances.
The bulk of my runs are done by feel. I just resent being a slave to my watch (and it’s hard to read in the glare of sunlight). When Barb and I do our long runs, we’re usually around a 10-10:15 pace, which feels “easy” because we’re talking non-stop…but from what I’ve read, it should probably be slower than that (?). I have a really tough time making my body go slower (and, often times, faster) than what it wants to…
Being able to talk non-stop is a good sign of it being an easy pace! There are alot of factors that go into an easy pace. I’ve found that my easy pace gets slower when I’m running more mileage, doing harder workouts on other days, and when it gets really hot out.
I am working with a coach and he determines my paces. I do love my easy runs and have stopped caring that they’re very slow. There is a reason behind it and many times my body wants to run slow.
Yes, running slow and easy is so important! It allows you to run more and work harder on hard running days.
I have trouble running my easy runs easy. I feel like I run all my runs the same.
It can be tough! I just try to really focus on my breathing. I’ve found that I can push harder in my workouts when I keep my easy runs easy.