I'm getting slower. Any idea why?
ZenInTexas
Posts: 781 Member
Up until about the last 2 or 3 weeks I have been running at an average pace of 9 and half minute mile for long runs and between 9 and 9 and a half for shorter runs. Without too much effort. On my 10 mile run I even managed a couple miles at 9 minutes and under. However my last long run, 11 miles, I struggled to keep my pace under a 10 minute mile and even on my shorter 5 mile runs my pace is bouncing between 9:45 and 10. And it feels like work to keep it there. The only factor that has changed is the weather has been somewhat warmer on some of the days. Any ideas why this might be happening? I'm running a half in about 2 and half weeks and I was really hoping for and 9 and half minute or under pace for the race but I don't know now if that's possible. I feel like at this point in the training I should be getting faster not slower!
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Unless it is getting really hot the weather probably isn't the problem.
Likely you are just tired. Get a good taper for the next couple of weeks and you will be fine.
Don't make the mistake of trying to increase mileage or run harder to fix this. That will only backfire and make it worse.0 -
You're probably right, I am starting to feel burnt out. I will be glad when the race is over! Thanks for the feedback!0
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I run into this problem when I have a couple things going on: 1) I just haven't eaten enough. My body is just fatigued and 2) I have been eating like junk. My nutrition has really had a huge impact on my running and sometimes I just forget how much. Hope you can figure it out quickly0
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Generally speaking our long training runs should typically be slower than our short runs and speed work runs.
For instance, my overall comfortable pace (conversation pace is around a 9:45) however on my short runs/warmups before speed work I am usually around 9-9:30.
Depending on the speed workout I am anywhere from 7:30-8:50.
But on my long runs I aim to stay at that comfortable pace or slower, which is 9:45-10.
There will be sometimes when on a longer run I shoot for a faster pace but my coach usually tells me that he wants me to stay within 30-60 seconds slower on those long runs.
Remember that on race day you will be dealing with adrenaline! That always seems to get my pace up a little.
Good luck, be patient, and have a totally rockin' half!!0 -
Taper, reduce miles two weeks before the race.
Even at the height of training your long runs should be at least 20-30 seconds a mile slower than the pace you plan to run at the race. Shorter runs should be at tempo, slightly faster than your current pace at which you can sustain distance, or what some call VO2 max. The pace of a shorter run and a long run should be quite different.
Oh, and don't train hard more than 3 days a week. Crosstrain or run easy and relaxed the other days. Don't skip the other days, do something, but you need to recover. Take one day a week of total rest.0 -
I'd add one small thing to the above post. On race day, when you've rested more than you normally would in a given week my (limited) experience is that your pace is surprisingly high.0
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Generally speaking our long training runs should typically be slower than our short runs and speed work runs.
For instance, my overall comfortable pace (conversation pace is around a 9:45) however on my short runs/warmups before speed work I am usually around 9-9:30.
Depending on the speed workout I am anywhere from 7:30-8:50.
But on my long runs I aim to stay at that comfortable pace or slower, which is 9:45-10.
There will be sometimes when on a longer run I shoot for a faster pace but my coach usually tells me that he wants me to stay within 30-60 seconds slower on those long runs.
Remember that on race day you will be dealing with adrenaline! That always seems to get my pace up a little.
Good luck, be patient, and have a totally rockin' half!!
^^Ditto. This is how I train as well. Each workout is specific and requires different effort, whether you're going by pace or heart rate.
If your goal race pace is around 9:30, and you've run your 10 miler at about a 9 minute pace, you're essentially racing your training runs. There's rhyme, reason, and science behind each specific workout. Training runs don't mean that you have to run each distance as fast as you can all the time. That leaves you open to burnout, or worse yet, injury
If you've been increasing your distance, that's probably why you've felt sluggish. If you try to increase distance and speed both at the same time, one of them is going to give.
The long slow run is meant to get you accustomed to the distance. The shorter speed workouts are meant for just that - speed.
I also agree with keeping 2-3 hard workouts per week and either cross training or keeping your other runs easy. That way you don't burn out but you're still keeping your fitness level up and ready for your race.
Taper is so important as well! Good luck.0 -
Even at the height of training your long runs should be at least 20-30 seconds a mile slower than the pace you plan to run at the race. Shorter runs should be at tempo, slightly faster than your current pace at which you can sustain distance, or what some call VO2 max. The pace of a shorter run and a long run should be quite different.
I don't completely agree with this. Yes, sometimes our shorter runs will be at a higher intensity, but not all of them. There are plenty of shorter runs that will also be at easy run pace. It depends on the purpose of the workout. A short 6 miler the day after 9 miles with 3 miles at LT pace shouldn't be run at that LT (or even AT) pace as well. If anything, it should be run slower than conversational pace to allow for recovery to take place. Again, this is entirely dependent on how your training is structured. I know that you advocate less running and more cross training, so in that paradigm this might be a true statement. However, if you are like me and advocate more running, then saying that all short runs should be tempo effort is a dangerous generalization to make.
ETA: And I see that you kind of recanted yourself in the second paragraph to echo what I said. Different book, same page.0 -
Just to clarify I have been doing a variance of runs. Long and slow, short and slow, tempo and intervals. I was just noticing a general overall trend over the last few months. But perhaps I have not been doing the LSD slow enough. Also the 10 miler was not all done at a 9 min pace, only the last couple miles were, I tend to negative split and like to bust it out at the end if I've got something left. I really appreciate all the feedback. I'm learning so much!!0
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I purposely do longer runs at a slower pace to get myself ready for the longer time out on the road. I think everyone goes through periods of sluggishness. When race day comes, you will be ready. Good luck!0
