Just yesterday I posted on our Strength and Flex forum a post about planning a new plan ( healthunlocked.com/strength... ), and as I am currently here having fun putting my plan together and reading into posts both on the web and from our rich forum archives, I thought I'd put down some thoughts.
I am specifically looking into aspects of expanding mileage for slow runners. I’ll post the plan here soon, just in case it might help those of us who really enjoy the delicious relaxing easy Niko Niko paced runs. But the researching into plans is actually not as straightforward as I thought as there are not many training plans out there that use paces and speeds at anywhere near my level, so it is really hard to feel a plan is meant for me.
But I came across this article, which really intrigued me, as it is one of those rare articles focussing just on the issues that I am facing. The issues can be summarised in my 5/10k times. My 5ks take me just below an hour, a 10k takes me 2 hours. So when NRC has a guided run for 60 minutes, I gladly take it, but it will be "just" a 5k run and it doesn’t ‘feel’ like a long run.
For long runs, I do not want to change my Niko Niko pace, as I enjoy these runs, and I know my body is not fit enough or strong enough to go faster. But I do want to see if I can up the mileage, to improve my knee strength and overall fitness. Ok, maybe get a tad faster, but speed is really the least important issue for me at the moment.
So from the article ( marathontrainingacademy.com... ) it suggests there are following challenges put forward by slower runners:
1. Desire to go faster
Ok, so most of their respondents put this as their top priority. Not mine, but it is interesting that they suggest that cadence is the biggest issue and that by using a metronome app, one can train oneself to up one's cadence.
Great, it will go into my bucket list of tools for my plan. And they actually helpfully said "If your initial cadence is 140-150 it will take some time to get to 180 so aim to increase your cadence by 10 steps per minute at first". That makes me feel happier, as my cadence is somewhere between 145 and 150. It is good to know that there are 145 cadence-runners out there. 👋👋🐢
2. Carrying extra weight
I'll be honest and say I am annoyed that this is so high up. I know I know I know, but in my case that knowledge doesn't translate into being suddenly able to lose weight when you have a condition which makes your metabolism work against you. Having started to run 18 months ago, I am actually losing weight for the first time since 15 years. Very slowly, but it is going in the right direction. So next point please. (My health journey discussing this issue is here on a different forum healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... )
3. Training takes more time
Yes, this is the biggest issue, and the reason why I cannot run more 10ks in the week is that they take so blimmendly long. So they are reserved for gorgeous slow weekend cruising runs.
But the article makes also the point that the longer you are on your feet during your run, the more risk for overuse of injuries. So cross training becomes really important. So that must be included in my plan. I already do daily Yoga, but have thought to add rowing more regularly (if only Zwift would add virtual rowing functionality!!!)
And in talking to hubby, I realise I need to also extend my range of my step. Niko Niko running means a limited range, and thus the need to train your knees to become stronger in their full range! I guess that means squats, lunges and steps.
So all of this goes into my bucket list: rowing, squats, lunging and steps. (But then I had the argument of wanting to buy a nice step, and hubby telling me off as our usual stairs would do..... but but but.... 😤
4. Fuelling needs may be different
Yup, in the summer I had to learn the hard way to need to take hydration with me for my 5k runs. So something that should have been a quick run isn't in hydration terms. And 5ks don't feel like a long run to me, but in the hot season, I definitely need hydration during that hour of running.
Although the article goes into the use of different gels, mentioning UCAN as a longer acting fuel, my situation is that I believe I have switched to running on fat rather than carbs.
I now do not eat breakfast in the morning before a run, and only drink a glass of iced lemon water. And on my run and afterwards, I do not get hungry anymore.
There was a phase where I had my protein smoothie (probably with some carbs) before I ran in the morning, and I experienced several runs where I seemed to run out of steam. The whole discussion of this is here ( healthunlocked.com/bridgeto... ) but in short: you can train your body to run on fat, and for the more bigger bodied runner I would think that that is good news, as you will seldom run out of fat.
5. Pacing Strategies
The article advocates for Jeff Galloway's method of run/walk/run -ing. My preference is actually to run slow but continuously, so once I had graduated from C25k and running 30 minutes continuously, for me there was no going back.
And I was glad that Ju-Ju's Magic Plan to 10k allowed that as well, as many 5 to 10k plans include jeffing to get to 10k.
So I will put this reluctantly on my bucket list for my plans. I might try it here and there, but it will not feature much.
6. Elitist Attitudes
The article suggests "Unfortunately, there are always some people who promote the idea that you’re only a real runner if you’re fast.". I have not encountered that, rather the opposite with so many supportive voices that allow me to feel safe in my wilful ignorance of speed.
However, what I do notice is that many of the printed pace tables for calculating your easy or speed or long runs do not even go down to my kind of slow. (💁♀️Tut tut, they are missing out). But there are online pace calculators out there which simply do not care about numbers, and they allow you to indulge in your slowness.
7. Time comparisons
Avoiding the "compare and despair" mentality seems difficult. I have been there, but have managed to leave it behind, almost. I still have some related anxieties, as outlined in my Parkrun post ( healthunlocked.com/bridgeto... ). My anxieties are not about what others think of my pace, but what the experience of running in public at the back of the pack would do to my enjoyment of running slow. Anything jeopardising that and I am out.
The article suggests that it might help to run tech free. I have to admit for me, that is a no no! I love my Iphone tech, from music to zombies to Runkeeper to NRC. It tracks my virtual and real runs, gives me those lovely badges. It has my metronome app, and my photo app, and all of this contributes to the joy of running. It is a digital/physical mashup of a running experience.
8. Discouragement of getting slower as you go older
The article covers those aged runners who still hunt for their target PBs. But I guess for me, I have the big advantage of having started late in life and at a very unfit level.
I am amazed still at the slow improvements month on month, but the good thing about starting out so low is that now matter what, health conditions, menopause, age, work-stress…. it can only get better. And it does.
9. Lack of a running partner
Yes, many running clubs are geared towards the faster runner, or possibly the normal runner. There is no way I would join a club, knowing the difference between my speed and the average speed.
But as many of you know, I have found my own way of having a running partner, with lovely husband accompanying me on run-walks. He walks I run and our speeds match perfectly. Well, actually I am a bit slow for him, but then we only run-walk together on those explorations of long new routes, and that slows me down. Really! Yes, really!... There are also those hills that he doesn’t want to class as such, they’re ‘undulations’…..😤😡
10. Stress over cut off time in races
"Not being able to finish during the cut off time is a real fear for slower runners."
Yes, I can see this would be a worry, but as during lockdown the choices of virtual races have increased so substantially, it actually has helped slower runners like me to participate in official virtual races. Somehow virtual races are more accessible for the slow runners of this world, with no worry to keep the support teams waiting, or being at the back of the pack.
I have to admit I embraced the virtual world of running with open arms (and slow running legs), having never experienced public races. From virtual End-to-End Challenges, World Records, Virtual experiences of running routes somewhere in the world, Ultra-Distance Relays, Virtual Races, and of course Zombies, Run! Virtual experiences, I simply love it. I just wish something like that would emerge for rowing. Come on, Zwift, add running to your offer. (I probably have said this before…)
11. Fear of being last
Yup. "The potential of being last can be a scary thing". Completely agree, especially when articles like these use examples of 63 year old runners with a pace of 14.40, where is my pace is somewhere around 19.
But it also suggests that "The person who finishes last often has to overcome many more obstacles than those who finish near the front." Not sure that is such a posit thing, but there we are.
12. Sparse aid stations & 13. Finish line getting shut down early
The last two points relate only to physical races, and I can commiserate. But as a lockdown runner, I have not yet experienced these issues, and for now I am pretty happy staying in my solitary runner and virtual running world.
But aid stations running out of supplies and finishing line shutting down early must be such a let down.
For me the choice of not running public races resolved this issue. My running is more important than being able to run in public. And I feel I have my priorities right.
But the article ends on the nice note that all races should cater for all sorts of runners, even the queens and kings of slow.
So on my Bucket list planning my new plan, likely to be titled: 10k Revisit, Expand & Strengthen Plan for Slow Runners are:
- Metronome runs
- Long runs
- Interval runs
- Even slower runs (yup)
- Only a few jeffing runs
- Hill runs
- Step exercises
- Knee focussed workouts
- Squats
- (lunges will be included in Yoga)
- Rowing (Come on Zwift, please add Virtual Rowing!)
- Nutrition: jelly for my joints and protein drinks for late morning breakfast. Iced lemon water in the morning. The usual mix of selenium, iron, etc for my thyroid.
- And continuing with Yoga, virtual running challenges and after run stretches.
What else might I need? Let me know.
Happy slow running everyone.
👍🏻
Slow recovery but planning for February/March 
Slow Start to the Magic Plan
Advice/tips to slow pace
That was strange but I do like a plan
