Running Help (Pace)

MaryLynnHawk

Can anyone share some strategies to change my basic running pace? I did exclusively distance for a while, and now I find myself falling into a slow pace I could keep up for hours every time I quit actively concentrating on pace.

Current cadence tends to stay 165ish, so I know that could stand to come up some.

Any tips?

Lietchi

Do you listen to music? Music can push you into a different pace depending on the BPM. I'm sure you can find articles if you do a Google search, this is one I found: https://www.verywellfit.com/running-songs-at-180-bpm-2911509

I haven't tried this myself, but I have noticed that music can really mess up my rhythm when it's not the right BPM. So if it can influence for the worse, I'm sure it can influence for the better if you chose the right BPM.

spiriteagle99

You need to do an occasional speed workout to get used to running faster. Not every run, but once or twice a week (assuming you run 4-5 days a week). After a 1-2 mile warmup, do some faster running. It can be short intervals (1-5 minutes) at a hard pace, or longer intervals (10-30 minutes) at a moderately hard pace or hill repeats. Short intervals help improve leg turnover and basic speed, longer ones improve your body's ability to hold a faster pace longer. Hills help with wind and leg strength. Very short sprints in the middle of a longer run can also help build speed.

MaryLynnHawk

Lietchi wrote: »

Do you listen to music? Music can push you into a different pace depending on the BPM. I'm sure you can find articles if you do a Google search, this is one I found: https://www.verywellfit.com/running-songs-at-180-bpm-2911509

I haven't tried this myself, but I have noticed that music can really mess up my rhythm when it's not the right BPM. So if it can influence for the worse, I'm sure it can influence for the better if you chose the right BPM.

Thanks I will try that! I have definitely noticed some songs making me slow down but it always seems to be the ones I don't care for.

MaryLynnHawk

spiriteagle99 wrote: »

You need to do an occasional speed workout to get used to running faster. Not every run, but once or twice a week (assuming you run 4-5 days a week). After a 1-2 mile warmup, do some faster running. It can be short intervals (1-5 minutes) at a hard pace, or longer intervals (10-30 minutes) at a moderately hard pace or hill repeats. Short intervals help improve leg turnover and basic speed, longer ones improve your body's ability to hold a faster pace longer. Hills help with wind and leg strength. Very short sprints in the middle of a longer run can also help build speed.

I run on trails in a hilly area, so plenty of hill repeats whether I want them or not. 😅

I will try to get more sprints in though. I do some pace workouts at mile pace, 5k pace, 10k pace, and long run pace but if I am being honest with myself I don't even know the last time I all out sprinted. Thanks!!

yirara

You could go by breathing and how many steps you make per inhale and exhale. Increase your speed until you need to breathe more often. Or go with speaking. If you can still speak a whole sentence coherently then run faster until your sentences get shorter. This might be something to go by: https://marathonhandbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/RATE-OF-PERCEIVED-EXERTION-2.jpg

MaryLynnHawk

yirara wrote: »

You could go by breathing and how many steps you make per inhale and exhale. Increase your speed until you need to breathe more often. Or go with speaking. If you can still speak a whole sentence coherently then run faster until your sentences get shorter. This might be something to go by: https://marathonhandbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/RATE-OF-PERCEIVED-EXERTION-2.jpg

Thank you, I may try the breathing idea! That seems like something I could actively focus in to keep myself engaged

TamiVsTheTrail

I find searching running play lists in Spotify and picking one for the pacing I want to keep really helps, all the songs are the genre and tempo that keep me steady.

scavonedan

I use my Garmin to show my pace I have set for a run.