Why you should put easy runs into your plan

They can be a bit boring, those slow miles on an early morning or late in the evening, but they’re also an important part of your training programme.

Non-key workouts

I’ll get it out there early, these runs won’t drastically improve your cardiovascular fitness or massage your running confidence, but they’re important nevertheless.

If you need to miss a workout on a given week, this is the one to ditch in favour of keeping your 2-3 key workouts (longer runs, interval training or a strength training session) however, they still serve a purpose.

What’s the point of easy runs?

When you first start running it’s more about keeping the habit going with easier runs between what are big efforts of maybe 5-10k. Later on though easy runs become a way to keep your fitness levels ticking over between 2 harder training sessions.

It’s not just fitness that comes from these easier runs though.

Technique

Runs where you back off the pace a bit and take things steadily are the perfect opportunity to work on form during the run, or by taking small breaks throughout. I like to use these “drill runs” by stopping each mile and focusing on some arm drive or heel lift drills for 1 minute before continuing. It keeps me focused on the quality of running rather than the quantity.

Posture and breathing

Often overlooked, how you hold yourself when you run, and the pattern you breathe in can also be worked on during these runs. If you’re someone who leans forwards, try thinking of a helium balloon attached to your head being pulled upwards. Run with your bum sticking out? Try activating your glutes to push your hips forward. For those erratic or loud breathers, work on a consistent breathing pattern. There are several you can work on with some people arguing the traditional 2:2, 3:3 or 4:4 patterns overloading one side of the body, but I’ll save that for another article.

Whichever thing you choose to focus on, you can hopefully now see the benefits of these slow runs. It’s about sharpening the axe before we cut down the tree of our next PB, so make the most of your slow runs but don’t stress about it if sometimes they have to be missed.

Written by Kyle Brooks, Running Coach based in Norwich, Norfolk