When to do recovery pace runs?
ZenInTexas
Posts: 781 Member
In the past I have only done the really slow recovery pace runs after races, when my legs are super sore. I don't get that sore or tired in regular training. I just do the majority of my running at easy pace. Now that I'm heading into marathon training though I am wondering if I should do one run a week at that pace? My training plan doesn't specify recovery runs. When do you do them?
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In mine, I did:
Sunday: race
Monday: rest
Tuesday: recovery run
Wednesday: recovery run
Thursday: kinda regular run
Friday: rest
Saturday: training run
Sunday: training run
I went based on how my legs felt. The first two runs felt like effing boat anchors, and I had no choice but to do a 12 min/mi recovery pace. Third was much better, and the rest day really helped give me a good weekend of my usual (I'm not doing any speedwork until November).
From my plan:
"In the four-week training program below, the first week should be entirely for recovery (and don't overlook what I said above about the benefits of massage). The fourth week is your taper week. The two weeks between provide time to do some training."
http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51153/Marathon-Multiple-Marathons-Training-Program0 -
EXAMPLE:
Mon-Work out -
Tuesday- recover
Wednesday- Recover
Thursday- Workout
Friday- Recover
Saturday- Long run
Sunday- off/recover
You "should be" doing a recovery run after every long run, tempo, or hard workout.
That being said, you would need to be incorportating workouts into your training.
If everyday looks like
Monday- 6 @ 9:40 pace
Tuesday- 5 @ 9:30 pace
Wednesday- 8 @ 10 pace
Thursday- 5 @ 9:15
Friday- 5 @ 9:15
Saturday- rest
Sunday- 7 @ 9:30
This is what I see a lot of people doing. Running at the pace they know best/are comfortable with on a DAILY BASIS. I'm assuming the paces you "run" at daily is more closer to an aerobic threshold pace than a "recovery" pace.
If you throw in the workouts, you will see an increase in speed undoubtably.
My personal "recovery pace" is 2-5 min slower than my 10k pace.0 -
The day after a hard workout, which includes long runs or when you legs tell you too. No need to schedule them or get complicated about it.
When I start out on a run, I start at the pace that my legs want to go. I let them dictate the pace for me. Today, the day after a hard fast finish long run of 20 miles, all they wanted to do was 11:00 miles, so I let them. Just listen to your body and don't try to force a pace upon yourself on an easy run day. Easy run days can turn into recovery run days just because and that's perfectly okay.0 -
It really depends on your workout plan what exactly "recovery pace" is. The system I use (Daniels) specifies 5 different paces, but there is no distinction between "recovery pace" and "easy pace." I have two "serious" training days a week and all the other days are easy recovery days, with the exception of a couple strides thrown in here and there.
On those serious days I might be running repetition pace, interval pace, tempo pace, or marathon pace, or any combination thereof.
The main principle to understand is that you improve strength and endurance by stressing the system (running hard) and then recovering (doing easy runs). Actual muscle growth only occurs during the recovery phase, not the hard workout phase. The hard workouts tell your body it needs to build strength and endurance, but this can only occur during relatively inactive phases.0 -
The day after a hard workout, which includes long runs or when you legs tell you too. No need to schedule them or get complicated about it.
When I start out on a run, I start at the pace that my legs want to go. I let them dictate the pace for me. Today, the day after a hard fast finish long run of 20 miles, all they wanted to do was 11:00 miles, so I let them. Just listen to your body and don't try to force a pace upon yourself on an easy run day. Easy run days can turn into recovery run days just because and that's perfectly okay.
that's spot on, imho...I find myself doing them very much at a whim, almost always on Mondays after long runs on Sunday and I would like to sprinkle in a couple more during the week. There is a 35 - 40 min loop in my neighborhood that works out perfectly. The pace is comfortably slow and I just focus on shaking things out and staying loose. I am really sold on doing these.0
