Tips on how to figure out your running pace and how to improve it

Excerpt from the article ‘How to figure out your running pace for every type of goal‘ on Men’s Health Australia.

Each pace has a purpose, and if you only run fast or only run slow (or more likely, somewhere in the middle) is going to leave gaps in your training. Mixing up your pace helps target different energy systems in your body, which is essential for developing well-rounded fitness. And there’s more than just the physical benefits to consider. Changing up your pace and the types of workouts you take on will help to keep your runs interesting. You’ll teach yourself how to tune into your body’s effort, and allow yourself to rely less on external tools like watches. Ultimately, figuring out your pace builds resilience and speed—which will help you in the long run, no matter your goals.

You can use heart rate as a metric. First, estimate your maximum heart rate (MHR) by subtracting your age from 220. Your heart rate on easy runs should be between 60 percent and 70 percent of your max. From there, the percentages increase: 70 to 75 percent of your max for marathon pace, 75 to 80 percent for half marathon pace, 80 to 85 percent for 10K pace, and 85 to 90 percent for 5K pace.

South Africa’s Record Breaking Running ‘Grand Dame’ >

Running at the same pace day in and day out might feel comfortable—but eventually, you’re going to hit a performance plateau or just get sick of the same old workout. Choosing specific paces for specific runs helps runners target race goals, improve fitness, and avoid injury.

Mixing up your pace helps target different energy systems in your body too, which is essential for developing well-rounded fitness. Easy runs build your aerobic system and endurance. This kind of low-intensity, steady state running also uses fat for fuel improving fat metabolism alongside cardiovascular gains and boosting your muscles’ ability to use oxygen. 

When you speed up, you’ll switch to different fuel sources. Higher intensity running requires that your body tap into glucose as fuel, which produces lactate. That burning feeling in your muscles when you’re working at an RPE of 7 or higher? That’s lactate build-up. Training at this intensity teaches your body to effectively buffer that lactate so you can run at the higher intensities for longer periods of time.

Remember, whether you’re going fast or slow, there are different benefits for your body. Happy running🏃🏻🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♀️

Featured photo by Tembela Bohle >