pace vs. comfort

 I started this season being able to do a 5k with 8::30 or so miles.  I have only gotten slower as the season has worn on -- I'm hoping come marathon season and doing a lot more running only will fix this.
Here's what I seem to have read: Long runs should be done slowly, pretty much can't be too slow.  They're for getting in the distance and getting your body moving for long time and distance.  
As the the distance increased you'll find your speed work and your tempo runs will get a) easier and probably b) faster
I'm seeing my run times start to drastically drop now that I've added back in long runs and I'm back to enjoying my 5 mile loop without too much strain.

 

By doing MANY long runs at slower paces, you will see your times dramatically increase after your base is built up. You cannot run faster for any decent length of time without having a solid base at longer distances built up. A fast 5k means nothing in comparison to a 1/2 marathon or marathon. There is a guy at church who wins every local 5k.. usually between 17-18 minutes, but I invited him out for an 8 mile training run some time ago and could not finish with me at an 8:15 pace.... He walked home, I ended up doing 12 instead. Remember the story of the tortoise and the Hare??? There is wise insight in that story

My body seems to want to run at a faster pace, it just seems to be the natural stride/temp, but I can't seem to get any good distance in when I run that speed.  However running at the slower speed where I can get some distance, isn't comfortable and I find myself going faster & faster.

Scott

Scott,

What you are talking about is is called interval and fartlek training.  A shorter distance kinda thing is called high intensity interval training (HIIT).  These each are variations of trainng your mind and body to do what it isn't use to,... for periods of time it isn't use to.

The simplest variation for what you are experiencing, in my amateur opinion,  is to do your natural pace thing but know it is OK to walk or slow down to a slower pace to recover your breathing some and then go at it again,... farther.  Train your body thatyou are nor finished, do different distances at different paces on different days. 

Another variation is to force yourself go go slower to start out; warm up like Cassie referred to, for maybe 8-10 mins, then walk for a min or two, then do your natural pace but after 8-10 minutes slow down or walk for 1-3 minutes then repeat; hence intervals. 

I have been doing my oersonal variantion of this for the last two weeks and as of last week, my 4.2 mi route has gotten 5 min faster the last 3 times I jogged it.  I am not at 10 min miles again yet, but the improvement in that direction is definitely happening. 

What Cassie posted is Interval training and is excellent for improving your self control, pace, endurance , breathing, and recovery.  I am not at a level of capability to do what she has outlined but am working that way.  What I have done and routine I using to rebuild and get better is HIITS at 100 yd sprints.  I go to a track and jog a lap to warm up.  Then I sprint the back straight (run much faster than a jog; sprint for an old fart), walk the curve, jog the front straight, walk the curve and repeat for a minimum of 4 laps, max of 16 laps.  With time and improvement, those 100 yd sprints can become half laps, then whole laps, then two laps, etc. etc.

It didn't make much sense to me how thisHIIT sprinting stuff would help my distance running but the results are amazing.  Besides my body wanting to jog faster on my jogging days, it is like my body is training to recover faster from exuration too. 

So I do HIITs once a week, interval walk/jog/runs, slower long jogs, and now biking.  I am not where I want to be but I am getting back to my 10 min mi 10K form when I was trainng for my first half marathon before hip injury last year.  It is definitley helping me get it back faster than it took to develop just doing distance work the first time around.

It requires some focus and effort but thats why they call it training...  You da Man, You in Control.  You can do this stuff!  Now go kick some,,....asphalt!

I learned that we should run at the same cadence no matter what our speed and adjust our stride to slow down or speed up. If you get used to running around 8595 cadence (which is similar to what you are doing on the bike, right?), then it will always be comfortable no matter what your pace is.