A Coach Explains Running By Pace Versus Effort
Do you know when you should run looking at your watch and when you should run by feel?
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NCAA runner turned high school coach Hillary Kigar has an answer for all things training!
What’s the difference between running by effort and running by pace?
Effort-based running means letting your perceived effort be your guide and not worrying about the time it takes to do any interval or segment of the run. Normally, you will use a scale of one to 10 with one being your slowest easy jog and 10 being the difficulty of a short, hard race. Usually your standard run will fall somewhere in the middle around a five. Workout days will be between seven and nine, depending on the type of workout. The actual speed will vary day to day based on how you feel and the terrain you’re running on.
Running by pace means going out on a run or starting a workout with a plan for what time you want to hit for each segment of the run. This training is most beneficial if you have a specific time goal for an upcoming race.
Have a question for Coach Kigar? Email editorial@womensrunning.com or tweet @womensrunning with the hashtag #AsktheCoach.
Read More:
Should You Be Doing Race Pace Long Runs?
Stop Looking At Your Watch And Learn To Run By Feel