What Runners Get Wrong about Race-Day Fueling and How to Change It
With a little practice, you can make positive changes to your race-day fueling strategy so that you can more consistently perform to your potential.
It’s common advice but worth repeating: to get the most out of your tough workouts, you need to make sure you run your easy runs at a truly easy pace. This allows your body to recover instead of enduring unnecessary fatigue. However, many runners struggle with this concept for various reasons:
The first two issues come down to discipline and trusting the overall training process. But determining easy run pace can be confusing, especially with so much conflicting advice and technology to track intensity.
As a coach, I tell runners that no matter what metrics you use, your breathing should be the ultimate gauge of effort on easy runs. Here’s a simple check:
The reason I prioritize breathing over pace or heart rate is that external factors affect your perceived effort—things like life stress, weather, fatigue, etc. So an “easy” pace one day could feel much tougher the next, even at the same speed. Judging effort by breathing keeps you honest, since it reflects your body’s real-time condition.
Some runners prefer using heart rate instead, which can work well too. But ultimately, your cardiovascular fitness isn’t the limiter; it’s the musculoskeletal system that actually gets injured. You could have a low heart rate while running relatively fast, but that doesn’t mean your legs and joints are ready for the impact.
With breathing, you get an “integrated” gauge of overall stress and fatigue without needing multiple sensors. It balances pace while allowing flexibility from day to day.
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A few additional pointers to ingrain that easy-run mentality:
Over time, an intuitive sense of ease will develop. You’ll feel what your body can handle day-in and day-out to promote recovery versus overstress.
Your breath is the best indicator. If you can’t hold a conversation or speak in full sentences without gasping, you’re likely pushing too hard. Easy runs should feel comfortable and allow for smooth, relaxed breathing throughout. Remember, it’s okay to slow down or even take walking breaks to maintain that effortless effort.
Understanding running zones by way of a concept I call the “talk test” will tell you if you’re running easy enough on your easy days. You should be able to carry on full conversations during your easy running sessions, aka, running in the Endurance Zone. If you can’t, it’s likely that you’re running too hard and need to slow down.
» Endurance Zone – Can carry on a full conversation while running.
» Stamina Zone – Limited to speaking in 1-2 sentences while running.
» Speed Zone – Can speak only 1-2 words, but no coherent conversations.
» Sprint Zone – Can only make grunts, moans, and other sounds amid the challenges of running hard.
No, definitely not. In fact, keeping your straightforward runs truly easy is crucial for maximizing the benefits of your harder workouts. By allowing for proper recovery, you’re setting yourself up for better performance when it really counts. Trust in the training process, and remember that fitness gains come from a balance of stress and rest, not from pushing hard every single day.
While heart rate and pace can be useful tools, I recommend prioritizing your breathing as the primary indicator of effort. Your perceived exertion can vary from day to day due to stress, weather, and fatigue. By focusing on maintaining conversational breathing, you’ll naturally adjust your pace to match your body’s current state, ensuring a minimal effort.
Keeping easy days truly easy is challenging but pays huge dividends. Learn what light, refreshing running means for your body specifically. Get creative, be patient, and double down on discipline; your fitness will rapidly improve once you master this essential concept.
Called one of the best and smartest distance running coaches in America by Runner’s World, Greg McMillan is renowned for his ability to combine the science of endurance performance with the art of real-world coaching. While getting his graduate degree in Exercise Science he created the ever-popular McMillan Running Calculator – called “The Best Running Calculator” by Outside Magazine. A National Champion runner himself, Greg coaches runners from beginners to Boston Qualifiers (15,000+ and counting!) to Olympians.