How slow can you go?

[tony_a]

Turns out I can go very slow. After doing my first 10K last Saturday this week has been a bit mixed. A relatively fast 5k mid week and then a medium pace 7k on Friday to explore a new route by the canal.

So today I thought I’d play around with the Garmin and see if I could keep my heart rate in a certain zone. Interesting experience. Pace was about 1 min 30 secs per km slower than my usual pace for a morning run. It took longer to do 8k than I’ve previously done 10K. But my heart rate recovered much more quickly when i finished the run and breathing felt really easy all the way through.

I feel I’m learning things, though not always sure what 😀. This time perhaps that I can enjoy a much slower run (and not chase new fastest times on Strava) and that it is possible to control and vary the effort you put in. I think that might have been a recovery run.

Anyway, the canal was great and I think another day offers a 10K to the next town and back down that route. Nice and quiet with just a few dog walkers and lots of herons and cows (the latter thankfully the other side of fences).

[Irish-John Graduate10]

Trying to run 5k as slow as I possibly could without breaking into any walking was fun - and very difficult

I did it last year out of frustration with trying to find my "quick" pace and one run I just decided to be contrary (I'm great at that 😂) and see how slow is "my" slow.

I learned a lot about relaxing and having fun and getting the practical limitations of my body into proportion regarding "speed" or lack of it ☺

I recommend every runner try doing it at least once ☺

[KKThomas]

I can go incredibly slowly! At a recent Parkrun there was a woman in front of me walking and pushing a pushchair and she was still faster than my 'run'. But I keep going for the full 5k and that's more than I ever thought I'd be able to do

[tony_a Graduate10 in reply to KKThomas]

Yes that’s the thing isn’t it. If you can keep going and get to the end then you’re going at the right speed, however fast or slow.