this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2024
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Interestingly the opposite reason is why I've ignored them until now - it would suggest runs at a pace that were below what I'd normally run at so, and I just didn't want to run that "slow". However, I think they may be for my benefit to perhaps slow down a bit and also follow the interval training. So I dunno if I'm just wasting my time with it or what!
You’re actually supposed to do more easy runs than “normal pace” runs. Helps build up your aerobic base and prevent injury. I’ve heard something like 80% of your training should be easier pace.
For me it took a while to find a groove and enjoy easy runs, but I had no choice due to a hamstring injury (from overtraining). Now I appreciate them just as much as tempo or harder runs. And I can actually go a little faster now at easy pace, where before I’d have to stop and walk to keep my heart rate down.
Yeah I recently read about the 80% thing too. It's difficult not to just go a bit faster just because you know you can! Although I do like that the watch "tells you off" for going too fast when using the workout which is nice.
When you say overtraining, how much were you doing? I see some people running every day and I have no idea how they're doing it, I try to stick to 3 runs a week, 4 at most, with a day off in between.
I don’t remember exactly, but it wasn’t a lot. My weekly mileage is definitely higher now than it was back then. My issue was that I was pushing my pace going as fast as I could every single run. Plus I didn’t do any sort of strength training back then.
Now I’m doing strength training on a regular basis and have plenty of easy/ zone 2 runs in the mix.
People who run everyday are almost certainly incorporating easy runs to allow for active recovery between harder runs.
Just don’t add too much mileage to quick and you’ll be fine. Don’t go from 3 days a week to 6 in one week, and pay attention to your weekly mileage. You don’t want to add more than ~10% per week.
fwiw, the 80/20 polarised training that @DBT@lemmy.world was talking about is really designed around professionals. People whose total hours are likely far greater than you or me, and who can make up for it with comparatively low-stress daily lives with much more rest and carefully tailored diets. If you're not doing 7+ hours per week of training it's less useful.
The reason polarised training works is that it lets you get the maximum amount of training in while also allowing sufficient recovery. When your total hours are less, that recovery from an easy run is less valuable because you got recovery by not exercising.
That said, in my training I tend to default to 1 easy run, 1 long run (at easy pace), and 1 hard session per week. When I was last training for a marathon I alternated between the long run being very long one week and it being slightly shorter but also having a run the day before the next week, because that's what the training plan I used recommended. In terms of total time running it probably does end up around 80/20 when I'm at my best (where the long run is no less than 15 km and the easy run is 10 km), but will be a higher ratio—and I'm likely to put more of that zone 3 middle pace—when I'm not seriously training for something (long run might only be 10–12 km, easy run might be 6–8).
I don't really use the Garmin recommendations, but a friend helped me get slightly better recommendations.
By default, Garmin creates HR zones based on % of max HR. Set this way, it was suggesting that I do most runs at a brisk walk.
In the User Settings of the device, you can define your HR zones by % of Heart Rate Reserve instead. I still don't really use garmins recommendations, but at least now the recommendations are a more reasonable pace.