Anyone got any advice on how to pace yourself on a run? When I go out I tend to fall into my natural pace which is far too fast for an easy endurance / zone 2 HR pace.
When out running yesterday and just blew up at 3km and then struggled all the way back for the remaining 2.5 km.
Been analysing my Strava runs and my endurance pace is around 7:15/km with my heart rate range to be below 155. Whereas I ran at a pace of 6:29/km which is my tempo pace based on my current performance.
It is really hard to run at a slower than natural pace, and takes a bit of practise. I find it especially hard in the cold. Do you have a running watch ? My Garmin Forerunner 10 has an option to set the pace - it then beeps when you run too fast/slow. Once you have got your pace down on a few runs it becomes more natural/easier to gauge. I now find that I can go out and as long as I'm in the frame of mind that I'm going as slow as possible ( like today actually ) I run at least 1 min a mile slower than usual.
The best way is with a heart rate monitor / running watch so you can keep an eye on your target zones.
Another way is to see what Strava says your running cadence is and use either a Metronome app or music with a lower BPM to slow you down a bit.
You could also try and shorten your stride a bit which should have the same effect.
Difficult without a running watch, although Sadamski's suggestion of a metronome app or bpm-appropriate music is good.
It's a bit old school, but you can also measure distances (on google maps e.g.) so you know exactly where the 1 km mark is, and the 2 km, and so on. Then use just a normal watch to measure the time it gets to the mark, and then slow down / speed up as necessary.
I am not sure how you are monitoring your runs - by Strava on a smartphone??? The App RUNKEEPER has audio cues whereby it will aurally call out to you your pace as you run - I find average pace to be the best way to go or even lap pace. Instantaneous pace or current pace is not very accurate because of inherent short term inaccuracies in the GPS calculations.
However, even if you know what your average pace is during the course of a run, it can still be difficult to slow down sometimes. You should be able to notice a significant difference in your breathing patterns between what should be your slow easy conversational pace and your tempo pace. I have noticed that many people say that a certain pace is "easy" for them - but they are really running at their tempo pace which is often described as "should be "comfortably hard". "Comfortably hard" and "easy" are two different things!! 
Perhaps you could try to force yourself to breath in only through your nose when you truly want to run long, slow and easy ??? This will definitely slow you down!!
Yes was tracking my runs through Strava on my smartphone atm but will have a running watch by Christmas! I should have been aware I was going too fast at the start but my natural gait / pace is roughly at tempo pace which isn't going to help me to increase my endurance and distance at a comfortable pace. Music is a good idea and I'll give that a go and the route that I run is familiar to me that I can check way points to gauge my pace from a stopwatch.
I guess its a case of plenty of practice and in time my fitness will improve.
You could run by my side.... I'd slow you down!!!
I still find this hard but what works for me is to make sure I can have a conversation with myself (out loud) while running without sounding at all breathless! If I can't then I know I need to slow down and then my pace compares nicely with what my Garmin says! You do have to be mindful of where you do this otherwise you'll get very strange looks but I've got to the stage where I really don't care what I look like to others.
Royalty can do as they wish IP!
😄
I run too fast!?
Anything to watch out for?
Tips for improving pace, please 😮
Distance, time and speed.
A little cooler 5K 
