. . . EMBRACE THE “EASY PACE” often times, we can get discouraged or upset because of our perceived “bad pace”—comparing our pace to others or prior workouts. on a similar note, running easy may not feel like a ‘real workout’—if we’re not hitting our target HR zone or high up on the RPE scale, are we really deriving any performance benefits? no pain, no gain, amirite? however, “easy runs” are an integral part of our training—not just from a sustainability standpoint, but from a physiological and performance one as well. defined formally, easy runs are performed at 60-80% of our max HR or 59-74% of VO2 max (for a minimum of 30 minutes). easy runs strengthen our heart muscles and increase vascularization (increasing our capacity to carry more oxygen throughout the body). further, they can teach us good form and running mechanics, help us build up a base, improve resistance to injury, ease back into running after a training break, and help us quickly accumulate our weekly mileage goals. in short, easy runs paradoxically contribute to a faster pace (a concept that was hard for me to wrap my head around for a while). so rather than chastise ourselves for our supposed “bad pace”, we should learn to love, and embrace, that ‘easy pace’. 📸: @wa.tu.ra & @kalyanvijaya . . . . #easyruns #runeveryday #consecutiverunning #running #trailrun #trailrunning #outdoorrun #trailrunner #outdoorrunning #runninglife #running #morningrun #instarunning #instarunners #instarunner #runingmen #runningboy #runnersofinstagram #runhappy #runnerscommunity #runningtips #elephanTalk #gajahilosophy (at Andara Village) https://www.instagram.com/p/CP1-3IaAEdM/?utm_medium=tumblr
