I am 200cm and 55 years old. On 1st November 2023 i was 131 kg / BMI 31. Today on 21st of April 2024 i am 104kg / BMI 26,3. I started walking in barefoot shoes from the very scratch. Yesterday and today i run 17km in 3 hours. I do low carb, no ultra processed foods and slow running each day. I can’t describe how i feel. 🎉 That is the key i was looking for for many years. I don’t want to win any race. I want to be slim, healthy, fit and good looking. Go for it. It’s amazing 🙏
Thanks for this video. I run at all different speeds , it really does vary from 6 to 8mph . Im 56 and just listen to my body , although sometimes a fast run just appears out of nowhere. Keep rolling 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
I do 1.5 miles at a 5mph pace. My lungs feel like they expand more when I am resting and just taking a deep breath. My legs feel stronger, and my overall mental health is better. Weight training is between my jog days works well. I recently hurt my right rotor cuff, so jogging helps me stay active. I have a fireman's agility test on 2 days. I am not sure how well I will do with my injury, but I am going to give it my all! Fail or succeed, I am better for all of the training I have done and long slow jogs have helped me so much.
Good video. I know one of the best women cross country skiers and also one of the best runners in Norway on 10 K (without training specific for running) used to do regular 3 hour easy runs or skiing, almost every day in periods, which was far far below her lactate treshold. I know she used to take friends who were far below her ability on som of these training runs. Some of this was probably also walking some hills.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yeah so many top runners are training day in day out at an easy pace well below threshold. That's another great point running with people slower can really help you find a groove at a slower pace. It's not all about killing yourself trying to hang on to the fast guys!
Haha! I don’t remember when I filmed this one but I usually have to record really early in the morning or late at night! I’ll make sure to give myself a good slap before the next one 😂
I agree long runs are amazing. But don't expect to get faster with them. Your Zone 2 pace (or whatever it is called this week) will gradually get faster, but you won't improve 5k or 10k PBs unless you're a complete beginner. But if I could choose to do only one kind of run 3x a week, it would be long/slow/base/Zone 2 runs.
Today I ran so slow it was like i was walking and then i started walking and then back running. Then again it was 75% humidity and i was drenched in Sweat..
75% is pretty high 😳 A walk/run is great! Remember the point of the long slow run is to make it feel as easy as you can, often the conditions will impact that! Great work, keep it up 💪
Two questions: 1. Why don't you get even more benefits in your body by running faster? 2. If 'the slower the better' then can you walk instead, to make that development even slower, longer, hence better?
Right both are great questions! So running faster is also great for you! It uses a different energy system and it’s important to train both! The point of this video is to highlight Slow running, not to take away from faster running! Another big reason for slow running is you can do a lot of it without becoming too fatigued and you are able to recover from it! If you ran everything as fast as possible your body would struggle to recover and you would be at a high risk of injury. As for 2. Walking is hugely beneficial! For some runners their slow run could be a walk as that would be an appropriate pace! Now there will be a point where you gain enough speed and endurance that walking will not be a sufficient stimulus to create the adaptations we want from the long slow run! This is where you would run at a slower pace (faster than walking)! This will bump up the intensity slightly, which is enough to stimulate the body to adapt! However, is not so fast that we can do a lot of it and still recover well. A good training plan will have a mix of faster and slower running and some walking! This video is not meant to diminish the role that faster running plays in training. It is only meant to highlight the benefits of slower running!
Walking doesn't get your HR up enough to be considered proper aerobic training. Walking is great. But to see the physiological adaptations to optimise health, slow running is needed.
Without getting too technical on energy systems, mitochondrial stimulation, lactic acid build up, type of muscle fiber engagement and benefits of each of the various heart rate training zones. I'll overly simplify it. Our bodies slowly adapt to new loads and stresses. As such there is really only 1 way to improve as a runner which by adding extra load/new stress stimulus to the body. That stress can be achieved in any one of 5 ways. 1) run longer 2) run faster 3) decrease rest time during intervals 4) train more often with constancy 5) add hills or weights Zone 2 allows 2 to 3 of these criteria to be met with a lower chance of injury. First, it allows you to run much longer and continually build on it. Second it allows for a quick recovery to be able to do more workouts more often. Doing a regimen of only running fast but running less can also work, work quickly, but ultimately plateau quickly. The idea being, if someone can increase their top speed and maintain it for longer while somehow not getting injured, then when they run at their slower race pace it will be much easier. Thus they can sustain that slower pace which is now quicker for much longer. The problem is recovery is much slower leading to less actual training days. Tiredness creeps up quickly so speed tends to drop throughout the week. Top speed plateaus rather quickly, so building up extra speed after some time becomes minimal. And running longer at that fast paces risks injury. Also not every run will be intervals. The best approach is a combination of both. Run hard days hard, easy days long and easy, and an occasional zone 3 day to build fast twitch endurance and lactate threshold. I personally don't believe in recovery runs. I'll cross train with something low impact, go lift, or simply rest because I need it.
I have the Endurance to run a 5k easily - I have the speed to run fast sprints - what I don't have is the Stamina to run 5k at x mins per K. I can only run that 5K at a max of y mins per K.
Im training primarily for the 2 mile and 3 mile(5km). My longest run of the week is 18kms. About 11.5 miles, or so. Is that enough to build very high endurance for the 2mile and 3 mile?? (Ill obviously be doing speed specific workouts).
Yeah that sounds like a good amount! The high volume will improve your running economy! Try stay disciplined and keep it at an easy pace then you’ll be well recovered to smash your speed sessions hard 👊
All good advice.. u seem to be in a hilly area, like the Peak District, which means u have hills all round, as I do. I find it difficult to avoid a hill, usually at the end of the run... is there any problem in running that hill at a slow pace, but inevitably at higher heart rate.. in other words, running most of a long run at a very comfortable pace, but a small percentage at a higher heart rate. Say 10%..?
If you are tall ( I am 2 meters ) and you try to run slow ( over 5: 30 min/ km pace) It will destroy you knees. When I run at 4: 30 over even under 4 min/ km, my kneews don't bother me at all, but if I try to go any slower it is hell.
This is a very sweeping statement that I don’t agree with! I’m sorry to hear you have pain with your knees at slower speeds. I think the most likely cause for this would be when you run fast your form is better. Running slow doesn’t mean you should run differently however, it is easier to fall into a very different stride when running slow. I have friends who are a similar height to you and have no problem running at much slower speeds than that. Also you’re almost implying that if someone is tall and unable to run quicker than 5:30/km then they’re unable to run without knee pain, which is untrue. I am not a tall person so I cannot comment on personal experience however, as mentioned above I have many tall friends who perform fine at slower paces without pain. I hope you can find a pace that works for you which doesn’t cause knee pain and allows for an easier recovery/slow long run
@@BobThomasUltra I can run even with 3: 20 Pace / min and I am 44 years old. 2 meters tall, 95 kilos . No pain whatsoever when I run fast or sprint. But If I tried to run slower than 5: 30 ( cose the watch said so :)) for more than 10 K, the knees start to hurt . Running slower than you feel yourself well it is not natural and it is bad bio mechanics, at least for me. PS: All my accidents hapent at slow paces.
@@BobThomasUltra Now at trainingg, I won't go any slower than 4: 40 min / km, no matter the HR. I did tens of years of road cycling in my life, profesional swimming etc.. my heart is that last thing to worry about :))
@@BobThomasUltra I agree with you 100% . When I run faster the form is way better, not only that but more muscles are recuited and I land why more better. I know it sounds counter intuitive but sprinting / running faster for me is the safest way to run.
Thanks for the video. I would like to know how slow a run should be (I am 69yr old)? I ran veeery slow for 12 to15K each run at a pace of 7:20min/Km. Is that slow or too slow ?
@TYTan Not too slow at all! Slow running is so beneficial! I wouldn’t worry about your pace, the main thing is how you feel and if that pace feels comfortable for you then that is the perfect pace! Keep it up and enjoy it 🙌
My understanding from exercise physiology is that the main benefit from going slower is that it most increases heart size and stroke volume. With higher intensity the heart chambers have less time to fill as completely with blood and stretch the chambers to hold more blood. This is what most lowers the heart rate because the heart can pump much more blood with each beat as the heart chambers grow larger. Why don't you even mention how important slow running is for heart size and stroke volume?
So by slow running I mean a run at a pace that feels comfortable for you, that you could hold for a long time. Ideally longer than your goal race/event. It’s loosely zone 2 however, I often find that working from heart rate can be tricky so I like to work off feel (or RPE). For me this is the most accurate way to achieve an easy run as I can feel very different depending on the day. What’s very important to note is I’m not saying everyone should only do slow running. Slow running should make up a bulk of your training however, you should still be including speedwork to get faster. Intervals and tempo sessions make you faster. Then long slow runs and recovery runs allow your body to rebuild and adapt to the hard work you’ve put in on your hard days. I hope this helps 😀
When I first started running about a year ago, I ran a lot slower for longer. I did 10K 53 minutes 21k in 2hrs 23 minutes. This year I’m focussing on hitting 20 minute 5K. So all I’ve been running, is 5K really fast. Should I go back to my long runs? Even though my fast runs are difficult, but very achievable. And I never get injured. Please give me your advice on this one. my current fastest 5K is 22 minutes and 38 seconds
Right the idea of long slow runs doesn't mean you also shouldn't be doing speed work. What I would do if I was you is look at how many times I'm training a week and split up those runs so that some are focussed on all out speed and the others are focussed on long slow recovery. When you run at the moment are you literally running 5k every time as fast as you can? This is good but not the most efficient way to build speed. I would add some Interval sessions in and only go for a flat out 5k once a week or even once every other week. This is because by running Intervals you can stimulate your body at the pace you want to achieve. Here is an example interval sessions. to achieve a 20 minute 5k you need to run 6:26 per mile or 4:00 per Kilometer. With an interval session you can specifically target this pace. Session below Warm up 1 mile or 1 km nice and easy (depending on whether you work in miles or km) 4 x 5 mins at goal pace (6:26/Mi or 4:00/Km 2 Minutes rest/recovery (Easy jog or walk) Cool down 1 mile or 1 km I would do this session a minimum of once per week. Twice if you can. To progress this session I would look to reduce the rest by 10 seconds every other time you complete it. So let's say you run 4 times per week Week 1; Intervals Easy long run (5 - 10 miles / 8 - 16 kilometers) rest day Intervals rest day Easy long run (same distance) rest day Week 2; Intervals rest day Easy long run rest day 5k for time! Easy long run rest day This would give you body a good amount of time to recover from the hard sessions whilst still getting in some quality miles. Also the days where you have an easy run directly after an interval day will be on tired legs so this won't strain them too much however, will give you the added benefit of pushing the distance when feeling fatigued. This is useful towards the end of that 5K! If you feel you can push the intervals slightly faster then do! However, stick to the paces for the first two reps as the key to a good interval session is to be consistent throughout and work hard on every rep! NOT to go all out and rep one and not be able to hit the pace on the remaining reps. I hope this helps! Remember if you want to run faster you need to to train faster but you must recover between as the closer you are to 100% on interval day the better your body will respond and adapt to the training stimulus! If you run more or less than 4 times a week please let me know and I can write a more specific week by week plan if that would be helpful! Work hard and that 20 min 5k will be yours! Good luck, go smash it!!!
Long runs are done to build your VO2. Once you've got that to a decent level, taper the long runs to once a week and then mix in the tempos, easy runs and intervals. Running regular fast 5ks won't get your times down, because your putting your body into lactate territory too often and not getting the volume needed.
It’s all relative! If that feels slow to you then it’s great for long run pace if it feels fast then maybe bring it down a little! It’s all about how your body feels
Yeah they are! It’s really good for your aerobic system! I would also add in some fartlek training which is random spurts of faster running as this will be similar to playing football and be a good way to train for the flow of the game
I've been watching these run slow videos for a while and have over the last few weeks been trying to do this..... it's difficult to keep to this slower pace😊 however I have a question... l'm 63 had a vo2max of 58 which has now dropped to 54......is this to be expected???👍
It is very difficult. So I would only expect your V02Max to go down if you transitioned to all slow runs. I think something I should have made much clearer in my videos is that I am not telling you to run slow 100% of the time I'm trying to emphasise that slow running is important and extremely useful. To keep your V02Max up you will need to include some faster runs into your training. I would do these faster runs on a separate day to the slow running. As a huge oversimplification the harder you push the more you'll effect your V02Max so a short sharp interval will do more than a longer slower (better paced let's say) interval. I hope that makes sense. I need to do some more videos which branch out and show how different aspects of running combine to help make this clearer.
@@BobThomasUltra Thanks for the clarification yes l have been doing mostly slow runs and l have felt the benefit but have done very few faster runs) intervals....so l shall mix it up going forward. 😁👍🇬🇧🏴
It's all about finding the balance! I love a fast interval session. However, I know if I want to keep up my mileage and implement fast sessions. I need to make the majority of my running slow so I can really reach my best on interval day.
That’s just some footage of someone measuring their heart rate. That particular number isn’t something to aim for. Just me trying to keep the video engaging!
20 miles “easy” is 3-4 hrs long. No thanks. I’d rather do. 5-6 mile easy. 5-6 miles @ goal pace. 5-6 miles easy. It’ll save you time and has a greater stimulus.
So what you’re describing is essentially a tempo run with a very long warm up and cool down! Tempo runs are great and very useful in your training however they do not offer the same stimulus as a long slow run. They offer their own great stimulus but not the same stimulus. This also may not save you time as if you do 6 miles for each of the sections you described that’s 18 miles total and you may blow up on your goal pace section and then be so slow on the cool down that a long steady 20 miles is less time overall. It’s very easy to dismiss long slow running as it does have a high time requirement but there is a reason the best runners in the world use them often in their training.
I do slow run every morning 5 days a week for an hr… I feel so fabulous n healthy… I will never stop running…,, I do 5 miles every morning
That’s awesome!! Keep it up 🙌
5 mph is a nice easy pace!
I am 200cm and 55 years old. On 1st November 2023 i was 131 kg / BMI 31. Today on 21st of April 2024 i am 104kg / BMI 26,3. I started walking in barefoot shoes from the very scratch. Yesterday and today i run 17km in 3 hours. I do low carb, no ultra processed foods and slow running each day. I can’t describe how i feel. 🎉 That is the key i was looking for for many years. I don’t want to win any race. I want to be slim, healthy, fit and good looking. Go for it. It’s amazing 🙏
That’s awesome! Amazing to hear such a great story! Keep it up 💪
Thanks for this video. I run at all different speeds , it really does vary from 6 to 8mph . Im 56 and just listen to my body , although sometimes a fast run just appears out of nowhere. Keep rolling 🏃♂️🏃♂️🏃♂️
That’s wicked! Yeah the fast ones do creep up you sometimes and it’s great fun when they do! Keep up the great work 💪
In many ways the long steady run is training your mind as much as your legs. Great video great advice
Very true! Thanks for the nice words!
@@BobThomasUltra It’s great to see fellow trail runners different perspectives Bob. I too have a channel
How so? I enjoy the long runs but do get bored after about 45 minutes of it.
@@goodyeoman4534 Free your mind and absorb what’s around you. Leave daily pressures and enjoy the challenge of the terrain
I'm doing 6km in 1 hour and loving every steps of it.
That’s not a run! More like a brisk walk actually 😊
@@choudhary9092😭 that’s about my easy/zone 2 run pace men
@@choudhary9092adding a smiley face doesn’t automatically make a mean thing nice. it just makes you seem like a dick
I can't even walk that slow :))
I’d find it hard to run 10k in hour it’s so slow 😂
I do 1.5 miles at a 5mph pace. My lungs feel like they expand more when I am resting and just taking a deep breath. My legs feel stronger, and my overall mental health is better. Weight training is between my jog days works well. I recently hurt my right rotor cuff, so jogging helps me stay active. I have a fireman's agility test on 2 days. I am not sure how well I will do with my injury, but I am going to give it my all! Fail or succeed, I am better for all of the training I have done and long slow jogs have helped me so much.
Good video. I know one of the best women cross country skiers and also one of the best runners in Norway on 10 K (without training specific for running) used to do regular 3 hour easy runs or skiing, almost every day in periods, which was far far below her lactate treshold. I know she used to take friends who were far below her ability on som of these training runs. Some of this was probably also walking some hills.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yeah so many top runners are training day in day out at an easy pace well below threshold. That's another great point running with people slower can really help you find a groove at a slower pace. It's not all about killing yourself trying to hang on to the fast guys!
Very true even for weight loss you can still burn going slow as fast
100% any movement helps burn calories!
Using running to lose fat is one of the worst, and most common, fat loss strategies you can do.
@@KX5Kat why?
as soon as i heard 20 miles i knew i was in the wrong place
Why’s that? 20 miles is mentioned as an example not as a recommendation for distance.
@@BobThomasUltra Just joking man. I hope to get to 20 some day
You’re definitely not in the wrong place! You’ll get there no problem 🙌 Keep it up mate 💪
I agree but man you look so sleepy...
Haha! I don’t remember when I filmed this one but I usually have to record really early in the morning or late at night! I’ll make sure to give myself a good slap before the next one 😂
Stoned
@@marius3347life’s good buzz jogging.
I agree long runs are amazing. But don't expect to get faster with them. Your Zone 2 pace (or whatever it is called this week) will gradually get faster, but you won't improve 5k or 10k PBs unless you're a complete beginner. But if I could choose to do only one kind of run 3x a week, it would be long/slow/base/Zone 2 runs.
Yeah I agree, they’re great runs to create a solid foundation to build upon with your speed workouts
Thanks for the video. Great tips. I do 4.5 Km per hour and it gives me great benefits.
That’s awesome! So many benefits to get out of running! Keep it up
I did i coopertest with my club and got 3 km on 10 min.
Thank you. This is very helpful. Much love and appreciation from South Africa
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Today I ran so slow it was like i was walking and then i started walking and then back running. Then again it was 75% humidity and i was drenched in Sweat..
75% is pretty high 😳 A walk/run is great! Remember the point of the long slow run is to make it feel as easy as you can, often the conditions will impact that! Great work, keep it up 💪
@BobThomasUltra Thank you Sir 👍🏻👍🏻
thanks for your great contents 🎉 from korea
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed it
Loved this video!! Thank you 🙏🏼
Love this comment! Thank you for watching!
And also burn more calories hell more than short fast run 🙂
Yeah, so many great benefits!
Wait I thought fast runs burn more calories
@@solomonterrance2676 nah bruh you will burn more calories long distance running vs sort fast,iv tried them both try n you will see for yourself
Good Video. Thanks for making it
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it 🙌
Two questions: 1. Why don't you get even more benefits in your body by running faster? 2. If 'the slower the better' then can you walk instead, to make that development even slower, longer, hence better?
Right both are great questions! So running faster is also great for you! It uses a different energy system and it’s important to train both! The point of this video is to highlight Slow running, not to take away from faster running! Another big reason for slow running is you can do a lot of it without becoming too fatigued and you are able to recover from it! If you ran everything as fast as possible your body would struggle to recover and you would be at a high risk of injury.
As for 2. Walking is hugely beneficial! For some runners their slow run could be a walk as that would be an appropriate pace! Now there will be a point where you gain enough speed and endurance that walking will not be a sufficient stimulus to create the adaptations we want from the long slow run! This is where you would run at a slower pace (faster than walking)! This will bump up the intensity slightly, which is enough to stimulate the body to adapt! However, is not so fast that we can do a lot of it and still recover well.
A good training plan will have a mix of faster and slower running and some walking!
This video is not meant to diminish the role that faster running plays in training. It is only meant to highlight the benefits of slower running!
@@BobThomasUltra Good insights and it makes sense to me, thanks!
Walking doesn't get your HR up enough to be considered proper aerobic training. Walking is great. But to see the physiological adaptations to optimise health, slow running is needed.
Without getting too technical on energy systems, mitochondrial stimulation, lactic acid build up, type of muscle fiber engagement and benefits of each of the various heart rate training zones. I'll overly simplify it.
Our bodies slowly adapt to new loads and stresses. As such there is really only 1 way to improve as a runner which by adding extra load/new stress stimulus to the body. That stress can be achieved in any one of 5 ways.
1) run longer
2) run faster
3) decrease rest time during intervals
4) train more often with constancy
5) add hills or weights
Zone 2 allows 2 to 3 of these criteria to be met with a lower chance of injury. First, it allows you to run much longer and continually build on it. Second it allows for a quick recovery to be able to do more workouts more often.
Doing a regimen of only running fast but running less can also work, work quickly, but ultimately plateau quickly. The idea being, if someone can increase their top speed and maintain it for longer while somehow not getting injured, then when they run at their slower race pace it will be much easier. Thus they can sustain that slower pace which is now quicker for much longer.
The problem is recovery is much slower leading to less actual training days. Tiredness creeps up quickly so speed tends to drop throughout the week. Top speed plateaus rather quickly, so building up extra speed after some time becomes minimal. And running longer at that fast paces risks injury. Also not every run will be intervals.
The best approach is a combination of both. Run hard days hard, easy days long and easy, and an occasional zone 3 day to build fast twitch endurance and lactate threshold. I personally don't believe in recovery runs. I'll cross train with something low impact, go lift, or simply rest because I need it.
I have the Endurance to run a 5k easily - I have the speed to run fast sprints - what I don't have is the Stamina to run 5k at x mins per K. I can only run that 5K at a max of y mins per K.
Good advice.
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching
Im training primarily for the 2 mile and 3 mile(5km). My longest run of the week is 18kms. About 11.5 miles, or so. Is that enough to build very high endurance for the 2mile and 3 mile?? (Ill obviously be doing speed specific workouts).
Yeah that sounds like a good amount! The high volume will improve your running economy! Try stay disciplined and keep it at an easy pace then you’ll be well recovered to smash your speed sessions hard 👊
ThNkxxx it's working
Great News! Glad it's working Tobias! 💪
All good advice.. u seem to be in a hilly area, like the Peak District, which means u have hills all round, as I do. I find it difficult to avoid a hill, usually at the end of the run... is there any problem in running that hill at a slow pace, but inevitably at higher heart rate.. in other words, running most of a long run at a very comfortable pace, but a small percentage at a higher heart rate. Say 10%..?
If you are tall ( I am 2 meters ) and you try to run slow ( over 5: 30 min/ km pace) It will destroy you knees. When I run at 4: 30 over even under 4 min/ km, my kneews don't bother me at all, but if I try to go any slower it is hell.
This is a very sweeping statement that I don’t agree with! I’m sorry to hear you have pain with your knees at slower speeds. I think the most likely cause for this would be when you run fast your form is better. Running slow doesn’t mean you should run differently however, it is easier to fall into a very different stride when running slow. I have friends who are a similar height to you and have no problem running at much slower speeds than that. Also you’re almost implying that if someone is tall and unable to run quicker than 5:30/km then they’re unable to run without knee pain, which is untrue. I am not a tall person so I cannot comment on personal experience however, as mentioned above I have many tall friends who perform fine at slower paces without pain. I hope you can find a pace that works for you which doesn’t cause knee pain and allows for an easier recovery/slow long run
@@BobThomasUltra I can run even with 3: 20 Pace / min and I am 44 years old. 2 meters tall, 95 kilos . No pain whatsoever when I run fast or sprint. But If I tried to run slower than 5: 30 ( cose the watch said so :)) for more than 10 K, the knees start to hurt . Running slower than you feel yourself well it is not natural and it is bad bio mechanics, at least for me. PS: All my accidents hapent at slow paces.
@@BobThomasUltra Now at trainingg, I won't go any slower than 4: 40 min / km, no matter the HR. I did tens of years of road cycling in my life, profesional swimming etc.. my heart is that last thing to worry about :))
@@BobThomasUltra I agree with you 100% . When I run faster the form is way better, not only that but more muscles are recuited and I land why more better. I know it sounds counter intuitive but sprinting / running faster for me is the safest way to run.
How many fast runs should you do per week or month?
Thanks for the video. I would like to know how slow a run should be (I am 69yr old)? I ran veeery slow for 12 to15K each run at a pace of 7:20min/Km. Is that slow or too slow ?
Don't worry on speed! Just remain consistent! Check out Slow Jogging by Hiroaki Tanaka
@TYTan Not too slow at all! Slow running is so beneficial! I wouldn’t worry about your pace, the main thing is how you feel and if that pace feels comfortable for you then that is the perfect pace! Keep it up and enjoy it 🙌
@clarity211 Love the support! Thanks for recommending! I’m 100% gonna check that out 🤙
Thanks, but I'll stick to sprinting and get the best of everything.
Sprinting is also great! It’s a different energy system so will give different benefits to a long slow run! Both are extremely useful
My understanding from exercise physiology is that the main benefit from going slower is that it most increases heart size and stroke volume. With higher intensity the heart chambers have less time to fill as completely with blood and stretch the chambers to hold more blood. This is what most lowers the heart rate because the heart can pump much more blood with each beat as the heart chambers grow larger.
Why don't you even mention how important slow running is for heart size and stroke volume?
What do you mean by slow run? By following zones/mad or just run easy not checking HR? Been doing maf since 8 months but no improvement
So by slow running I mean a run at a pace that feels comfortable for you, that you could hold for a long time. Ideally longer than your goal race/event. It’s loosely zone 2 however, I often find that working from heart rate can be tricky so I like to work off feel (or RPE). For me this is the most accurate way to achieve an easy run as I can feel very different depending on the day.
What’s very important to note is I’m not saying everyone should only do slow running. Slow running should make up a bulk of your training however, you should still be including speedwork to get faster. Intervals and tempo sessions make you faster. Then long slow runs and recovery runs allow your body to rebuild and adapt to the hard work you’ve put in on your hard days.
I hope this helps 😀
When I first started running about a year ago, I ran a lot slower for longer. I did 10K 53 minutes 21k in 2hrs 23 minutes. This year I’m focussing on hitting 20 minute 5K. So all I’ve been running, is 5K really fast. Should I go back to my long runs? Even though my fast runs are difficult, but very achievable. And I never get injured. Please give me your advice on this one. my current fastest 5K is 22 minutes and 38 seconds
Right the idea of long slow runs doesn't mean you also shouldn't be doing speed work. What I would do if I was you is look at how many times I'm training a week and split up those runs so that some are focussed on all out speed and the others are focussed on long slow recovery.
When you run at the moment are you literally running 5k every time as fast as you can?
This is good but not the most efficient way to build speed. I would add some Interval sessions in and only go for a flat out 5k once a week or even once every other week. This is because by running Intervals you can stimulate your body at the pace you want to achieve.
Here is an example interval sessions.
to achieve a 20 minute 5k you need to run 6:26 per mile or 4:00 per Kilometer.
With an interval session you can specifically target this pace.
Session below
Warm up 1 mile or 1 km nice and easy (depending on whether you work in miles or km)
4 x 5 mins at goal pace (6:26/Mi or 4:00/Km
2 Minutes rest/recovery (Easy jog or walk)
Cool down 1 mile or 1 km
I would do this session a minimum of once per week. Twice if you can.
To progress this session I would look to reduce the rest by 10 seconds every other time you complete it.
So let's say you run 4 times per week
Week 1;
Intervals
Easy long run (5 - 10 miles / 8 - 16 kilometers)
rest day
Intervals
rest day
Easy long run (same distance)
rest day
Week 2;
Intervals
rest day
Easy long run
rest day
5k for time!
Easy long run
rest day
This would give you body a good amount of time to recover from the hard sessions whilst still getting in some quality miles. Also the days where you have an easy run directly after an interval day will be on tired legs so this won't strain them too much however, will give you the added benefit of pushing the distance when feeling fatigued. This is useful towards the end of that 5K!
If you feel you can push the intervals slightly faster then do! However, stick to the paces for the first two reps as the key to a good interval session is to be consistent throughout and work hard on every rep! NOT to go all out and rep one and not be able to hit the pace on the remaining reps.
I hope this helps! Remember if you want to run faster you need to to train faster but you must recover between as the closer you are to 100% on interval day the better your body will respond and adapt to the training stimulus!
If you run more or less than 4 times a week please let me know and I can write a more specific week by week plan if that would be helpful!
Work hard and that 20 min 5k will be yours!
Good luck, go smash it!!!
Long runs are done to build your VO2. Once you've got that to a decent level, taper the long runs to once a week and then mix in the tempos, easy runs and intervals. Running regular fast 5ks won't get your times down, because your putting your body into lactate territory too often and not getting the volume needed.
yes
Yea indeed 🙌
Look i am running 2.5km daily at a speed of 4 m/s or 14.5 kmph is it slow it fast
It’s all relative! If that feels slow to you then it’s great for long run pace if it feels fast then maybe bring it down a little! It’s all about how your body feels
Slow
Are long slow runs good for Football (soccer)?
Yeah they are! It’s really good for your aerobic system! I would also add in some fartlek training which is random spurts of faster running as this will be similar to playing football and be a good way to train for the flow of the game
I've been watching these run slow videos for a while and have over the last few weeks been trying to do this..... it's difficult to keep to this slower pace😊 however I have a question... l'm 63 had a vo2max of 58 which has now dropped to 54......is this to be expected???👍
It is very difficult. So I would only expect your V02Max to go down if you transitioned to all slow runs. I think something I should have made much clearer in my videos is that I am not telling you to run slow 100% of the time I'm trying to emphasise that slow running is important and extremely useful. To keep your V02Max up you will need to include some faster runs into your training. I would do these faster runs on a separate day to the slow running. As a huge oversimplification the harder you push the more you'll effect your V02Max so a short sharp interval will do more than a longer slower (better paced let's say) interval. I hope that makes sense. I need to do some more videos which branch out and show how different aspects of running combine to help make this clearer.
@@BobThomasUltra Thanks for the clarification yes l have been doing mostly slow runs and l have felt the benefit but have done very few faster runs) intervals....so l shall mix it up going forward. 😁👍🇬🇧🏴
It's all about finding the balance! I love a fast interval session. However, I know if I want to keep up my mileage and implement fast sessions. I need to make the majority of my running slow so I can really reach my best on interval day.
0:17 74 in heartrate?
That’s just some footage of someone measuring their heart rate. That particular number isn’t something to aim for. Just me trying to keep the video engaging!
@@BobThomasUltra Ok cool! I was thinking for me (M53) 130 could be good
You are looking tired, Bob. Slow down a bit.
I looked more than tired when I last saw you 🤣
20 miles “easy” is 3-4 hrs long. No thanks. I’d rather do. 5-6 mile easy. 5-6 miles @ goal pace. 5-6 miles easy. It’ll save you time and has a greater stimulus.
So what you’re describing is essentially a tempo run with a very long warm up and cool down! Tempo runs are great and very useful in your training however they do not offer the same stimulus as a long slow run. They offer their own great stimulus but not the same stimulus. This also may not save you time as if you do 6 miles for each of the sections you described that’s 18 miles total and you may blow up on your goal pace section and then be so slow on the cool down that a long steady 20 miles is less time overall. It’s very easy to dismiss long slow running as it does have a high time requirement but there is a reason the best runners in the world use them often in their training.