Yes, I know, you want that Strava segment PR, but is it really worth it? If you’re doing a speed workout, sure. But otherwise? Not so much. In fact, it’s probably doing more harm than good. 

Studies on training intensity distribution show that many runners who spend a lot of time running in the “moderate” zone, which is a weird gray area, see less fitness gains than runners who spend less time there. Why? Because it’s not truly easy, but it’s also not truly hard, which means moderate running doesn’t offer meaningful fitness gains, it usually just makes you tired. So why do it? Honestly, I wouldn’t.

A 2015 study comparing the different ways endurance athletes structure their training, found that endurance athletes who spend more time training at low intensities (like really easy runs) combined with a small portion at high intensity (like interval training), experienced greater improvements in performance than those who did more volume of faster training overall. 

And this pattern shows up in the way elite endurance athletes train. They spend 80 percent of their time training at an easy pace and only 20 percent of their time at moderate to high intensity. So, perhaps, the skill to truly run easy is part of what helps someone become an elite athlete in the first place. … Think about that. 

I’m here to tell you that running easy—I mean truly easy—is one of the hardest and most important skills in training. It will make you faster. And it will help you run even more because once you start running your easy days really easy, you start giving your body the time it needs to recover and repair on a regular basis. 

So, how do you actually run easy? 

First, talk. If you’re running with a friend, this is easy. If you’re alone, talk to yourself (out-loud obviously), or use your easy runs as time to catch up with your mom or best friend on the phone. Can you speak calmly in full sentences without getting out of breath? Or are you struggling with single-word answers? If it’s the latter, slow down. You should be able to talk normally when running easy and you should be able to be easily understood. 

Not sure how to slow down? Try one of two approaches. You could intentionally tune into your pace and make a conscious decision to run one to two minutes slower per mile than you usually do on your “easy” days. If you find yourself regularly running 9-minute pace on a recovery day, turn that dial back to 10- or 11-minutes per mile. If seeing the slower pace messes with your brain, though, ignore your pace altogether and leave your watch at home. Run by feel and aim to move slow enough that you can easily and comfortably breathe through your nose most of the time. 

You can also use heart rate as a guide. But don’t overcomplicate it. Easy running should stay at 60- to 75-percent of your max heart rate. That’s it. 

One more thing. If you think you’ve landed on the right easy pace, check in with yourself mid-run. Do you feel relaxed? How are your shoulders? Is your breathing easy and light? Is your rhythm smooth and effortless? If yes to all of these things, you’ve likely found the sweet spot. 

Oh, and start slower than you think you need to. This is an easy, but big one to overlook. 

Signs You’re Still Running Too Fast

Even if you feel relaxed and smooth while running, you could still be running faster than you need to run for recovery. So how do you know? It’s pretty simple really:

1. You find yourself wanting a day off after almost every run. 
2. You notice that your “easy” pace is regularly getting faster and faster. 
3. You can’t hit paces on your workouts because you’re too tired. 

If all of this sounds familiar, then chances are high you’re still not running your easy runs easy enough. 

But Wait, Why Does Easy Running Actually Make You Faster?

First, it helps you recover, which is crucial to being able to fit in the quality workouts you need to get faster. Second, it helps add volume to your training and increase your aerobic base. Finally, replacing moderate runs with easy runs helps to decrease your risk of injury so you can maintain a consistent running load week after week. 

Studies like this one consistently show that runners experience an increased rate of injury when training intensity spikes too fast. And slowing the pace down dramatically between hard efforts is a smart tool to effectively (and healthfully) build up training volume.

While it’s counterintuitive, slowing down is actually a crucial part of getting faster. It’s a skill and it takes practice. The bottom line? If it feels too easy you’re probably doing it right. … finally. And, trust me, once you figure out your easy runs, your workouts and race times will improve.