The Pace of Your Training Runs

One factor that very often gets left out of the picture when coaches talk to their athletes about training is the pace that the runs should be done at.  Many coaches just say, "Go out and run easy on the mileage days".  This is OK, to a point, but if easy is the only pace you ever run, then you will not be getting the most out of your summer running.

There are many different books and internet calculators that can tell you what kind of pace you should run on your training jaunts.  You can google Daniels's VDOT tables or McMillan's pace calculator, OR, you could do this:  2-3 times per week on your runs, gradually pick up the pace to the point where you feel if you were going any faster, it would start to get uncomfortable.  For the more experienced runners out there, you may hold this pace for 5-6 miles.  For you beginners, you may hold this pace for one mile or so.  You will know that the pace is getting too fast, if you start to feel any discomfort.  If the run starts feeling like a tempo run, or a race, you are going too hard.  You are looking for a pace that you could go out and do day after day, for miles and miles.

There are many names for this pace.  I will use the term Steady State with you guys.  You may also see the terms "Highest Steady State", "Sub LT", "Zone".  The term steady state refers to the fastest pace you can run before your blood and muscles start to accumulate lactic acid.  This is perhaps the most important physiological variable in training runners.  Think about it this way.  When you race, you will be going very fast and you will be accumulating lactic acid.  However, if I am racing you, and I can only run at 6:30 per mile without accumulating lactic acid, while you can run at 6:00 per mile without accumulating lactic acid, and we are running at 5:30 pace; Who is going to get tired first?

During the summer, in your base mileage period, the more you can touch on this steady state training pace, the better you will race in the fall.

One word of caution.  Be vary careful not to exceed this pace more than two or 3 times per week.  When you are running at steady state pace, it is very easy to let the speed continue to pick up and progress into the tempo zone or even faster.  Running faster than steady state on a regular basis is one way to insure that you will be tired and injured during the fall racing season.

Remember, run fast but stay comfortable, if discomfort is starting to set in, back the pace down just a hair.