Learning the nuances of pacing takes time and experience (and runners often think that harder is better). But all runners can learn how to pace appropriately with advice from coach Elisabeth Scott.
Whether you’re a new or experienced runner, figuring out how to pace the many different types of runs in your training plan can be a challenge:
- When should I run easy?
- How do I know if I’m running easy enough?
- And how hard should I push myself, how often?
- When it comes to 26.2 miles, how do I figure out marathon pacing?
Pacing can be especially difficult for beginners, as every run may feel a little uncomfortable when you are first starting out.
Getting your pacing right is important, since running too hard, too frequently can lead to burnout or injury. Learning when to push and when to recover seem like basic concepts, but pacing mistakes are common among runners.
Whether you’re running by heart rate or perceived effort, zone 2 (roughly 60-70% of maximum heart rate) is where runners should spend most of their time. This is a zone that feels like a light effort where you could continue running for an extended duration. While it may be easy to calculate, runners often struggle to find the appropriate effort to stay in this training zone.
Fortunately, there are ways for runners of all levels to learn better pacing skills. Tuning into your body, your breathing, and your effort are all key, and for some a heart rate monitor can help provide objective feedback to reinforce how you’re feeling.
Elisabeth Scott on easy running, pacing, coaching, and more
This week’s guest is Elisabeth Scott, host of the incredibly popular podcast, Running Explained. She is the founder and head coach at Running Explained and holds certifications from RRCA, USATF, and UESCA. As a coach and podcaster, her goal is helping runners of all abilities learn more about the sport, and become stronger, faster runners.
Elisabeth and I discuss a number of questions taken from my Instagram page, so this is an episode that you helped to develop! Our focus is on a variety of pacing strategies, ideas, and perspectives so you can learn how to pace your training runs more effectively.
Pacing can be tricky, but our conversation should help make the subject a little less complicated. Our in-depth discussion includes the following topics:
- Understanding the ratio of hard to easy mileage for your day-to-day runs
- How to determine training paces, and the pitfalls of pace calculators
- Why easy is an effort, not a pace
- How fitness helps you add “gears to the bike,” and give you a bigger range of training zones
- Why recovery is an essential part of your training, and you lose fitness much less quickly than you think
- How to decide if and when you need a coach
Elisabeth Scott is all about sharing useful, insightful knowledge to make you a better runner. I hope you enjoy my conversation with a fellow coach and podcaster as much as I did!
Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or Google Play.
Links & Resources from the Show:
- Visit Elisabeth Scott’s website
- Check out the Running Explained Podcast
- Follow Elisabeth on Instagram and Facebook
- Follow Jason on Instagram
- Learn more race pacing strategies
- Can I help with your training?
Thank You InsideTracker!
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