There’s a physiological reason to go slower: it conditions the aerobic system, which is where the overwhelming majority of your energy originates in every distance above the 5K (and even the 5K is pretty aerobic IIRC). See 80-20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald.
And yes--running coach here, almost all recreational runners do their easy runs too fast. Social media has made this worse IMO, because people are always posting their Garmin screens. Nobody Cares.
I often get discouraged because my pace is so slow that I call it snail pace. After reading your post today I see that it’s not 🐌 pace but sexy pace. Terrell, thank you for writing and thank you making me feel sexy again :)
I won’t venture into the topic of slow sex but slow running can be an amazing experience if you can unplug, and use all your five senses to observe and take it all in....My most memorable runs have been my slowest, on trails, & amongst the trees. And yes, I still hug a few❗️❗️❗️
Finished third in my 5K age group at Run to Stay Warm (74-76) on 11/19/23 It amazed me. I just walked and enjoyed the scenery. Made fairly good time, would have been better but the markings were difficult to follow. I'm still walking up and down the hills here in Oregon. In spite of the rain, I've had a hard time staying out of working in the garden and am out in it everyday.
Read Dickens for years. . . almost all of his writings. We had autographed copies when we lived close by the Southern Utah University. . . same with Mark Twain and Kipling.
I don't know if running slow is sexy. I've been a slow runner ever since I started! I think I was just cut out that way! :) :)
At 73 my best times are in the past. I used to look at my watch to make sure I was hitting my splits, no more. How many of you have gone out on a run, "Just for the hell of it?" or you hand nothing better to do? How many have looked down when you ran and picked up a coin on the street or something else that caught your eye. I have a jar filled with coins, a few dollar bills and everthing from washers, to bolts and other shinny things. I run now just for the joy of it. Returning to the sport after a long hiatis I find I enjoy it more when I don't set my watch and run until my body tells me to stop. I still have a 5 or 10K in me and maybe a half or two when I'm in better shape again, but the days of a full marthon are in my past and rightfully so. I still LOVE to run, but the days of setting a new PR are in my past but noticing what's around me sets my heart to racing. I hope that never changes.
As usual, you nailed with this! I just finished reading “A Christmas Carol” over the weekend AND watched “The Man Who Invented Christmas.” I love reading that book every December and that movie is one of my favs. They get me in the mood for Christmas! I hope to slow down this holiday season and really enjoy it. 🥰 I’m also an advocate of slow running! Thanks for this! 🥳 You rock!
After Achilles tendinitis last year, not only I had to go slow, but I had to stop for 6 weeks and do lots of physiotherapy. That wasn’t sexy for me, but then I grabbed the books by Matt Fitzgerald and learned to embrace the slow run. It’s hard in the beginning, but I began to grow fond of it. I feel zero pain for the first time in 17 years and running IS my meditation. I usually listen to a book during slow runs. And “sexy pace” makes my 47-year old me feel even better.
No one writes an essay like you....I finally had the time to read this this morning...and it made me reframe my almost embarrassing December running goal: All I want to be able to do is to run 2 miles by the end of the month at a "sexy pace." It's a start--and it no longer sounds embarrassing after reading this essay...Thx for the movie recommendation...
Flannery O’Connor, Dickens, and slow running-this post was written specifically for me! What a treat to walk with you around O’Connor’s property and then along the streets of 19th century London. What a treat. Thanks, Terrell 🙏❤️
I tend to run too fast on slow runs too. I know this and try to relax and enjoy the run more. I've mentioned before that I've gotten a few people to start running. At first the days I would run with them felt like "wasted run days", but now I embrace it, enjoy it, and stop and smell the roses (or pick up coins Steve). I love running and the slow days reinforce that feeling. Race pace can wait until the next run.
If slow equals sexy, then I’m a sex symbol.😁
There’s a physiological reason to go slower: it conditions the aerobic system, which is where the overwhelming majority of your energy originates in every distance above the 5K (and even the 5K is pretty aerobic IIRC). See 80-20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald.
And yes--running coach here, almost all recreational runners do their easy runs too fast. Social media has made this worse IMO, because people are always posting their Garmin screens. Nobody Cares.
I often get discouraged because my pace is so slow that I call it snail pace. After reading your post today I see that it’s not 🐌 pace but sexy pace. Terrell, thank you for writing and thank you making me feel sexy again :)
I won’t venture into the topic of slow sex but slow running can be an amazing experience if you can unplug, and use all your five senses to observe and take it all in....My most memorable runs have been my slowest, on trails, & amongst the trees. And yes, I still hug a few❗️❗️❗️
Finished third in my 5K age group at Run to Stay Warm (74-76) on 11/19/23 It amazed me. I just walked and enjoyed the scenery. Made fairly good time, would have been better but the markings were difficult to follow. I'm still walking up and down the hills here in Oregon. In spite of the rain, I've had a hard time staying out of working in the garden and am out in it everyday.
Read Dickens for years. . . almost all of his writings. We had autographed copies when we lived close by the Southern Utah University. . . same with Mark Twain and Kipling.
I don't know if running slow is sexy. I've been a slow runner ever since I started! I think I was just cut out that way! :) :)
Sexy pace is nice. 😂 Do you only look on your pace or also on heart rate?
At 73 my best times are in the past. I used to look at my watch to make sure I was hitting my splits, no more. How many of you have gone out on a run, "Just for the hell of it?" or you hand nothing better to do? How many have looked down when you ran and picked up a coin on the street or something else that caught your eye. I have a jar filled with coins, a few dollar bills and everthing from washers, to bolts and other shinny things. I run now just for the joy of it. Returning to the sport after a long hiatis I find I enjoy it more when I don't set my watch and run until my body tells me to stop. I still have a 5 or 10K in me and maybe a half or two when I'm in better shape again, but the days of a full marthon are in my past and rightfully so. I still LOVE to run, but the days of setting a new PR are in my past but noticing what's around me sets my heart to racing. I hope that never changes.
As usual, you nailed with this! I just finished reading “A Christmas Carol” over the weekend AND watched “The Man Who Invented Christmas.” I love reading that book every December and that movie is one of my favs. They get me in the mood for Christmas! I hope to slow down this holiday season and really enjoy it. 🥰 I’m also an advocate of slow running! Thanks for this! 🥳 You rock!
After Achilles tendinitis last year, not only I had to go slow, but I had to stop for 6 weeks and do lots of physiotherapy. That wasn’t sexy for me, but then I grabbed the books by Matt Fitzgerald and learned to embrace the slow run. It’s hard in the beginning, but I began to grow fond of it. I feel zero pain for the first time in 17 years and running IS my meditation. I usually listen to a book during slow runs. And “sexy pace” makes my 47-year old me feel even better.
No one writes an essay like you....I finally had the time to read this this morning...and it made me reframe my almost embarrassing December running goal: All I want to be able to do is to run 2 miles by the end of the month at a "sexy pace." It's a start--and it no longer sounds embarrassing after reading this essay...Thx for the movie recommendation...
Flannery O’Connor, Dickens, and slow running-this post was written specifically for me! What a treat to walk with you around O’Connor’s property and then along the streets of 19th century London. What a treat. Thanks, Terrell 🙏❤️
I tend to run too fast on slow runs too. I know this and try to relax and enjoy the run more. I've mentioned before that I've gotten a few people to start running. At first the days I would run with them felt like "wasted run days", but now I embrace it, enjoy it, and stop and smell the roses (or pick up coins Steve). I love running and the slow days reinforce that feeling. Race pace can wait until the next run.