Running getting easier???

[Bazza1234]

For most of this year, I have been either doing run/walk training for a HM - or running faster non-stop parkruns. After completing the HM and a subsequent 10K - both in PB times using a form of run/walk ( more lke long distance fartlekking) - a feeling came to me that I was losing the ability to run slowly non-stop and had been spending too much effort in chasing race times/paces - so decided to do a couple of months of ONLY slow easy non-stop running , 4 times per week and building up to a total of 3&1/2 hours per week volume. BUT - I found that my feet and legs were hurting when doing this HR controlled Zone 2 pace . I have done 7 of these runs now - and lo and behold, it seems that the physical leg "pain" is going away. My reasoning is that I have been using muscles which I have neglected over the past 6 months - I am actually starting to enjoy these slow easy runs now

[Zev1963]

I think that the getting easier thing is very deceptive. I am certain that if I did exactly the same thing every week then, yes, it would undoubtably get easier. I've noticed that in the past with cycling when I took exactly the same forest route near to where I lived to the north of Paris every week. There was a long steep hill near the beggining, and the first time I did it I was absolutely exhausted. After a few weeks I was finding it relatively easy. The difference with my running is that I rarely do exactly the same thing every week. I'm always tempted to push that little bit more. So, for instance, I might decide to keep my long Sunday run to it's current distance (24km currently), and not be tempted to run that little bit further. But then I'll find that on my short weekday runs I'm able to go a bit faster, and so I find that I've done a faster longer weekday run. Also, eventually, the temptation becomes too great on the long run, I'll be feeling good at the turn around point, and I won't be able to resist adding just another km. So, in a way, it doesnt really feel any easier, because I can't resist doing a bit more if I am able to do so. On the other hand, in October 10km felt like a big thing on the long run, and a 30 minute 5km felt like a great time. So if I went back to doing only that then I guess it would feel really easy

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Hmm an intetesting read Bazza..