Coach Tip Tuesday: Are You Slow Enough?

Posted On:
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Updated On:
Saturday, April 6, 2024
Stream On:
Apple PodcastsSpotifyBuzzsproutiHeart RadioiHeart RadioPocketCasts
A black tortoise that is standing facing the camera.

This week I want to ask you all this one, simple, itty-bitty, little question: Are you slow enough?

“But Coach Laura!  Going slower isn’t my goal; going faster is!”

Yes, that may be true, but in order to go fast, you must learn to go slow.  There are two things that I’ve found are great limiters to goal achievement and progress, and the widespread inability of athletes to go slow or easy when it’s called for is absolutely one of these two.

To Go Fast, You Must Go Slow

There are a lot of words that I hear from athletes regarding what they want to be: “fast,” “tough,” “first,” “better,” “strong”...and more.  And then, conversely, there are a lot of words that I hear from athletes regarding what they don’t want to be: “slow,” “last,” “weak,” “worse”...and more.

“Fast” and “slow,” of course, are relative terms, and what those terms mean for each athlete depends on where that athlete is in their fitness/endurance sports journey.  However, ALL athletes need to go slow-for-them if they are truly going to make progress in going faster-for-them.  

Let’s take a look at one of my favorite professional athletes, Eluid Kipchoge, who (as of the time of this writing) is literally the fastest marathoner in the entire history of the human race.  This man can (currently) maintain a 4:38 per mile pace in a marathon on his own and 4:34 per mile in a marathon with pacers pacing him the entire way.  When Eluid has an easy run on his schedule, do you know what pace he runs at?  9:40 per mile.  9:40 per mile.  Let that sink in.  That is 112% percent slower than his marathon goal pace.  ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE PERCENT SLOWER.

Raise your hand if you run even 50% slower than your racing goal pace on your “easy” runs.  

Bueller?  Bueller?

Going Easy Allows You to Actually Go Hard

As I often talk about, we can learn a lot from the pros about what we should be doing in our own training.  In this case, the lesson to be learned here is this: easy needs to be easy (translated: slow needs to be s-l-o-w).  Why?  Because going truly easy allows the body to recover and make the adaptations that are intended from the hard days.  If you go too hard all the time, the body will eventually rebel against you.  It may manifest as an injury, it may manifest as a missed time goal at a race.  It may take a bit, but eventually, the body will let you know that it needs a break.  In other words, it needs to go EASY.  Do you think that Mr. Kipchoge is doing this because it doesn’t work?  (Spoiler: He’s doing it because it does work.)

A lot of coaches talk about the “gray zone,” which is a term used to describe the zone in which work is being done, but not in a productive way that will elicit gains.  This is the zone that many, many athletes exist in: They are getting out there and logging the miles or time, but they are not doing so with enough true variability in their effort or pacing to cause the body to adapt as much as it could.  In some cases, the body will not adapt at all if most or all training is done at paces or efforts that are too similar.

Varied Stimuli is the Key to Progress

The body likes change.  It craves varied stimuli.  That is what keeps it building back stronger.  If it’s always training around the same paces, in the same zones, etc., it will not adapt and change.  Easy needs to be significantly slower than hard in order to cause this variability in the stimulus being imposed on the body.

One single great workout doesn’t make a great athlete.  A series of quality workouts executed well that progressively build toward the larger goal is what makes a great athlete.  I talk with athletes all the time about how it’s really important to keep their heads in the game and execute workouts wisely.  Many of the athletes who I work with can tell you that I’ve drawn their attention to things when their data doesn’t support easy paces or easy RPEs.  I don’t do this to shame them or make them feel bad, but to try and help them become more self-aware and to encourage them to do the things that will help them continuously make progress toward their goals.

Some guidelines (there are some limited exceptions to these, and hint: most of you are NOT the exceptions): 

  • Easy effort in running should typically translate to at least 3:00 per mile slower than your 5K pace.  
  • In cycling, it is 50% or less of your current FTP.  
  • In swimming, it should be at least 0:30 per 100 slower.  

The Bottom Line

Don’t care about what your average pace is on your workout on Strava.  Don’t care about what other people’s average pacing is on their workouts.  Look inside yourself.  Be honest with yourself.  (I’m talking very honest.)  Measure yourself against yourself.  Really try to decipher if you went easy when your plan called for it - either in complete workouts or in the recovery intervals of workouts that contained those.  If you feel tired, lethargic, heavy in your workouts, could it be because you are not taking going easy or slow seriously over the course of your entire training plan?

So now, I’ll ask you again: Are YOU slow enough?

Previous post

There is no previous post
Back to all posts

Next post

There is no next post
Back to all posts

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run

Required "current" page

What Does Nothing New on Race Day Actually Mean? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Nevada Day Classic

Required "current" page

Confidence Comes From Surviving Doing The Scary Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: World Triathlon Age-Group Championships Málaga, Brooktondale Easy as Pie 5K, & Topsfield Fall Foliage Classic Road Race 

Required "current" page

Is Exercise as Good as Medicine? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Army Ten-Miler & XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon

Required "current" page

Why Switching Up Goals Can be a Positive Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

What to Ask Instead of “Can I Accomplish This Goal?” - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Waterman’s Triathlon & The Bear Chase

Required "current" page

How Do Long Runs & Long Rides Work & Benefit Endurance Athletes? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Masters Endurance Athletes Show Us How We Can All Thrive in Endurance Sports and in Life - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel & IRONMAN 70.3 Washington Tri-Cities

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: USA Triathlon Olympic Distance National Championship

Required "current" page

Being Hard on Yourself?  Try This Instead. - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Littlefoot Triathlon & Erie Marathon

Required "current" page

How Doing Something New Can Help You Achieve Your Endurance Sports Goals - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why It’s Important to Look for Lessons Even When Race Day Goes Well - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Disappointment on Race Day Leads to Greater Success - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coeur Outdoor Divas Sprint Triathlon & Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Max Performance Sharon Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Half Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K

Required "current" page

Athelte Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Maine & Donner Lake Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Tri Boulder, IRONMAN Lake Placid, & IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio

Required "current" page

Are You on Track to Reach Your Goals?  The Value of a Mid-Season Athletic Performance Review

Required "current" page

Why You Shouldn't Wear a Wetsuit in Triathlons and Open Water Swimming

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Way to Avoid Injury

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Freedom 4th Eagle Firecracker Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: A Longer Goal Isn't a Better Goal

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Relay for Life of Southeastern Connecticut, Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon, & Cohasset Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Why Race Execution Matters

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Thing for Beginner Endurance Athletes to Do

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Western Massachusetts & IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Train and Perform Well in the Heat

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Bass Lake Yosemite Triathlon, Silver Serpent Multisport Festival, & Rock Hall Triathlons

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Three Best Things Endurance Athletes Can Do for Training and Performance

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Using All of Your Senses in Workouts

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Are Morning or Evening Workouts Better?‍

Required "current" page

How to Train for a Sprint Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: You Don’t Always Need to Do The Hardest or The Most

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Greenland Trail Race & Upstate Orthopedics Mountain Goat Run‍

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Handle The Transition From Indoor to Outdoor Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: XTERRA New Jersey

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What if You Fly?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Carson Canyons Super-K Trail Runs & Delaware Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Case for Walking

Required "current" page

How to Handle Training When You Get Sick

Required "current" page

The Dangers of Social Media for Endurance Athletes

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coastal Delaware Running Festival 9K & Zoo Run Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Seek Out Awe & Enchantment

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Smithfield Sprint Triathlon & Run as One 4M

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Negative Splits are Positive Things

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Multisport Transitions Explained

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Alpha Win Ocala

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don't Pull Up on Your Bicycle Pedals

Required "current" page

Pace & Effort are NOT the Same Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Demystifying Foam Rolling

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Stretching Actually Is

Required "current" page

Cycling Cadence Matters

Required "current" page

How to Properly Conduct a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) Test - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lake Effect Quarter Marathon

Required "current" page

Face the Discomfort Dragon - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Love Can Be Cold

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Live to Climb Another Day

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Is AI Coaching & Sports Training Software Actually Intelligent?

Required "current" page

Strength Training as a Backbone - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Town of Celebration Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Resolute Runner 5K

Required "current" page

My Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How Do You Answer “What’s Next?”

Required "current" page

My Top 8 Fiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Next Big Thing

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What is Preventing You from Reaching Your Goals?

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Does It Mean to Set a Goal?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: It’s A Wonderful Run & Run with Rudolph

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 2023 Thanksgiving Day Races

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: EOD Warrior Dash

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Exercise is Not a Punishment for What You Ate

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Include Buffers in Your Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lights on the Lake 5K

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Pause Before Assessing

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run & The Burn Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Set Authentic Goals

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Can Be Measured Isn’t What is Most Important

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don’t Complain About the Wind.  Embrace It.

Required "current" page

Avoid Doubling Up to Make Up

Required "current" page

What to Consider When Purchasing a New Bicycle - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Foxy’s Fall Century, Spooktacular Stroll 5K, & Eastwood 5-Mile Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Plan a Season

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lake Placid Classic & Army Ten-Miler

Required "current" page

What Are Training Phases? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Last Call Triathlon, Waterman’s Triathlon, & Wineglass Marathon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Bear Chase 10K & IRONMAN Chattanooga

Required "current" page

About

Coach Laura Henry

Laura Henry is a Syracuse, NY-based coach who is a USA Triathlon Level II Long Course and Level II Paratriathlon Certified Coach, USA Cycling Level 2 Certified Coach, VFS Certified Bike Fitter, and has successfully completed NASM's Certified Personal Trainer course. Coach Laura is passionate about helping athletes of all ability levels reach their goals and has coached many athletes to success.

She can be reached at laura@fullcircleendurance.com.

Read Biography

Check out our other
recent Blog Posts

Start Your

Coaching Today

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Start Your

Coaching Today

Have a question or ready to get your TRAINING started?

Fill out our Contact Form to the right and we will get back to you shortly!

Check - Elements Webflow Library - BRIX Templates

Thank you

Thanks for reaching out. We will get back to you soon.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.