The Benefits Of Slow Running: A Guide For Runners

Strengthens muscles in legs, torso, and arms · Adapts tendons, ligaments, joints, and bones to stress of running · Promotes efficient running form ... Beginner Cross-Training Recovery Road Trail Photo:GettyImages Getaccesstoeverythingwepublishwhenyou signupforOutside+. Nomatterhowfastorslowyouthinkofyourself,it’stimetoownit.There’s speedyforyou, andthenthere’syourownversionofaleisurelyjog,andthat’sthegreatthingaboutrunning—youcangoatyourownpace. Runningcoacheswillnotemultiplereasonswhyrunnersshouldincorporatedifferentpacesintotheirtraining.Oneofthemostimportantreasonsisbecausesomanyrunnerssufferinjuriesfromnotrunningslowlyenough—orever. Thinkaboutit:Manyrunnerssimplyheadoutthedoorandgoashardastheycan.Theremightbealittlevariationdependingonthedayorterrain,butgenerallyspeaking,theyhaveonepaceandit’sgo.Alternatively,ifyou’realwaystakingitsupereasy,whereyouarerarelybreakingasweatornotbreathinghard,youshouldalsochallengeyourselfwithsomespeedyefforts.Varietyisthekey. Ifyoufollowanofficialtrainingplan,you’velikelyseeninstructionsforeasyrunsandfasterones.Butalotofbeginnerrunnersdon’treallyunderstandwhatthatmeans—orwhy. WhatDoesItMeantoRunSlow? Yourownversionof“slow”canbethoughtofasconversation-pacerunning.Ifyoucanprettyeasilyhavechatwithabuddy,thenthat’syourslowspeed. Togiveyouanideaofthedifferenceinfastandslowfortwodifferentrunners,here’sthekindofinformationinthepacechartsusedbyRoadRunnersClubofAmerica(RRCA)coaches: Sayyoucanruna5Kin30minutes,that’sapaceof9:40(fast);youreasylongrunshouldbe12-minutemiles(slow). Ifyoucanrunahalfmarathoninunder2hours(about9-minutemiles),aslowrunwouldbe10:22;youcouldexpecttoruna5Kin25:30,atan8:13pace. Ifyou’remoreapttotrackyourheartrateonruns,agentlepacewouldlikelyfindyourheartrateatapproximately110to140beatsperminute. Thesenumbersmaygiveyousomeideaofwhereyoushouldbeifyoukeeptrackofyourtime,pace,orheartrate.Ifnot,don’tworry.Thesedifferencesalsorelatetoyoureffortandbreathing—whichrelatesbacktotheideaofbeingabletoholdaconversation.Ifyouthinkyou’retheslowestrunneroutthere(lotsofpeoplethinkthis,butthere’snoreasontocompareyourselftoanyoneelse)andstillbreathinghardandfeelinglikeyou’regoingalloutmostofthetime,thenyouaren’tgoingslowlyenoughattimes. WhatAretheBenefitsOfRunningSlowly? Gettinginyourslowrunningtime,ataconversationalpace,hasmanybenefitsforyourbody(andafewforyourego): Strengthensmusclesinlegs,torso,andarms Adaptstendons,ligaments,joints,andbonestostressofrunning Promotesefficientrunningform Teachespatience,discipline,andhowtohandlephysicaldiscomfort Trainsthecardio,respiratory,andmuscularsystemstoworkmoreefficiently Increasesthequantityandsizeofmitochondria,improvingoxygenuseandglycogenstores Longerlifespancouldpotentiallybeaddedtothatlist,aswell.Ingeneral,runnershaveanestimated25to40percentreducedriskofprematuremortality.However,a2015studypublishedintheJournaloftheAmericanCollegeofCardiologyfoundthatconsistentslowandmoderate-pacedrunnershadanevenlowerriskofall-causemortalitythannon-runnersorstrenuousrunners. HowtoRunSlower Wheneveryoustartrunning,it’sbesttostartslowly.Runatconversationpaceforabout10–15minutestogiveyourbodyachancetowarmup.Conversely,it’sgreattoendyourworkoutwithatleastfiveminuteseasytocooldownuntilyourheartrateisbelow100beatsperminute.Thiscooldowntimeallowsthebloodthathastraveledtoyourextremitiesduringexercisetoreturntotheheartandthebrain. StandardadvicefromRRCAcoachesistoschedulenomorethantwotofour“efforts”perweek.Aneffortisconsideredaspeedsessionoralongrunaswellasdemandingcross-trainingsessions.Dependingonhowmanydaysperweekyourun,theotherdaysshouldbeslower,conversation-pacedrunning.Thismeans75–80percentofyourweeklymileageshouldbeslowerrunningatapaceyourcancomfortablytalk. Ifyouhaveahighweeklymileage,it’sbesttoincludeavarietyofdistances.Includingashort,easyrun(lessthan45minutes)forexample,isgoodforrecoveryandhelpsflushwastefromtiredmusclesandbuildsstrength. Runningamedium-distancerunataslowpace(45–90minutes),allowsyourbodytobuildstrengthwithouttoomuchstress,bothphysicallyandmentally.Thisalsoincreasesyourbody’sabilitytotransferanduseoxygen. Along,slowrun(90-plusminutes)teachesthebodytoimproveglycogenstorageaswellasincreasestheabilitytohandlediscomfort. Besidesallofthesevariedbenefits,youarealsoavoidingoneofthenumber-oneriskfactorsforinjury:Goingtoofastortoofartoosoon. 360YOU:5WaystoInvestInYourRunningFormToday KimberlyClark 360YOU:WhenYouShouldUsetheRunWalkMethod TheEditorsofWomen'sRunning WhatItMeansto“BaseBuild”andHowtoDoIt DavidRoche GoWiththeFlow:HowtoHelpYoungFemaleAthletesTrainSmarterThroughPuberty MelodyFairchildwithElizabethCarey WeeklyNewsletter Learnhowtorackupthosemilesandbeyourhealthiestself. FemaleRunnersShouldBeAwareofFerritinLevels HowtoMoveYourBodyWhenYou’reFeelingLow LizandEilishMcColganBothWon10,000mTitles30YearsApart