How to run slowly

Formosa

Now don't get me wrong, the only way I can run is slowly, when I'm fast I'm slow.

But if my race pace is say 8 min miles, I find it very hard in training runs to go slower than what feels "natural". I might start out at a nice easy pace , maybe 8.45 or 9s but lose concentration and always pick it up.

I guess this is why I'm often knackered and injury prone.

Any pointers greatly appreciated.

RoyMcC

You're right, it's not an easy thing to do once you get into a rhythm. However it's necessary, especially when trying to push out your distances. Suggestions
1. Try to lose the mindset that fast = good necessarily, on training runs.
2. Keep checking the watch. I'm assuming you've got a Garmin or suchlike - check your pace each mile and try to adjust accordingly.
3. Maybe stop for a break for a minute or so. That breaks the rhythm and you can start up again a bit steadier and slower.

All goes against the competitive grain a bit but it's worth working at this.

MisterDrak

Formosa wrote: »

Now don't get me wrong, the only way I can run is slowly, when I'm fast I'm slow.

But if my race pace is say 8 min miles, I find it very hard in training runs to go slower than what feels "natural". I might start out at a nice easy pace , maybe 8.45 or 9s but lose concentration and always pick it up.

I guess this is why I'm often knackered and injury prone.

Any pointers greatly appreciated.

Very similar to myself Formosa. My DCM race pace is going to be 7:40, which feels like my natural pace. Most of my LSR's so far (measured on my garmin) are around 7:40 pmp for 12 - 14 miles so far.

Again I Cant easily slow below that pace... Also begining to get sore knees as the sunday runs get longer.

Really not willing to settle for slower that 7:40 (3:21) for DMC this year.

griffin100

I found a HRM useful for this. Pick a low HR and try and stick to it when running. Its a pain the first few times as you keep glaning at your HRM but it gets much easier after a while.

Peckham

Often at the beginning of training when the long runs aren't that long (i.e. up to 15 or 16 miles) it's quite easy to trot around at something close to PMP. However, as the mileage goes up (both in terms of weekly mileage and long run mileage), you will invariably find the pace slowing down a bit as the legs are a little less fresh and you're staying on your feet for longer.

A good way to learn how to slow down the pace is to truly understand the functions of each pace and the risks of running them too quickly. Running long runs too quickly can defeat the purpose of teaching your body to use its fat stores and instead it works your aerobic capacity (which isn't enough to sustain you for 26.2 miles). Running recovery runs too quickly hinders your recovery process. Running tempo runs too quickly means you're working unneeded fast twitch fibres and means you're less refreshed for the next run.

Having all these things in the back of your mind starts to force you to slow down.

That said, it's something we all struggle with.

menoscemo

griffin100 wrote: »

I found a HRM useful for this. Pick a low HR and try and stick to it when running. Its a pain the first few times as you keep glaning at your HRM but it gets much easier after a while.

+1 I keep myself slow by concentrating keeping my HR down below certain levels. If i am getting faster at the same HR that means my speed is improving and i can revise my target pace downwards.

pgmcpq

This has been a problem for me until recently. Even time I would slow down my mechanics would get sloppy, and as soon as my mind wandered I'd be back to my "usual" pace.

What worked for me was to focus on a pushing off very softly on the standing foot on each stride. So keeping your mechanics and stride the same but relax the push off. Doing this I was able to slow while keeping my form - in fact it helped because I was focusing consciously on each stride.

I'm no expert so there may be drawbacks to this ... but so far it is working for me.

heffsarmy

What race are you targetting? Why do you want to run slow? Run on how you feel.

tunguska

heffsarmy wrote: »

What race are you targetting? Why do you want to run slow? Run on how you feel.

Im with Heff on this. I'll never understand this thing of forcing yourself to run slower than whats natural. Just run at your natural pace i.e. a pace that you do if you were just running for the shear enjoyment of it(run for fun pace). The whole point of running at your natural pace is to recover. But recovery is psychological aswell as physical so if youre counsciously trying to slow yourself down your're gonna strees yourself out and therefore defeat the purpose of a recovery run.

olaola

Try running (or jogging) with someone who runs at a slower pace than you? I'm not the fastest, so a friend of mine does a slow jog with me once every so often. I can't keep up to his fast pace, so he has to slow down to mine. Which he actually wants to do once a week anyway!

Stark

From the sounds of it, your race pace might be too slow? I certainly would be running a lot faster than what I consider "comfortable" or "natural" in a race. Unless I was doing a marathon. (But that's just me being lazy and not getting enough tempo runs done before the marathon, better runners than me would push themselves out of their comfort zones in a marathon as well).

plodder

Peckham wrote: »

Often at the beginning of training when the long runs aren't that long (i.e. up to 15 or 16 miles) it's quite easy to trot around at something close to PMP. However, as the mileage goes up (both in terms of weekly mileage and long run mileage), you will invariably find the pace slowing down a bit as the legs are a little less fresh and you're staying on your feet for longer.

That's very true (for me at least).

ger664

Stride Length, shorten it but keep your cadence up, feel like you are jogging on the spot.

robinph

olaola wrote: »

Try running (or jogging) with someone who runs at a slower pace than you? I'm not the fastest, so a friend of mine does a slow jog with me once every so often. I can't keep up to his fast pace, so he has to slow down to mine. Which he actually wants to do once a week anyway!

Have done that before myself, you have to be careful how you bring up the topic with the other person though if they are the slower.

opus

I've been following a training program from Runners World that I've loaded onto a Garmin Forerunner & it has me doing the LSR's slower that I did before (mind you it has me doing some shorter runs faster as well). Found it a bit strange at first but am used to it now but I do find myself sticking to the pace which is just above the one where it's continually nagging me to slow down.

I've only ever run one marathon so am really interested to see if this will improve/dis-improve/make no change to my time for the next one in Berlin.

mitresize5

griffin100 wrote: »

I found a HRM useful for this. Pick a low HR and try and stick to it when running. Its a pain the first few times as you keep glaning at your HRM but it gets much easier after a while.

What % MHR would you be looking to maintain so that you know your pace is right?

cheers