Education for runners and endurance athletes. Learn to train smart, run fast, and be strong.
How fast should you run?
Train smarter. Run faster. Be stronger.
Training hard is not about running as fast as you can every time you train.
Training hard is about running smart and knowing how fast to run.
Knowing how fast to run is important for ensuring that you do not run too fast on easy days or too slow on harder days. Fortunately, there are two simple tools that you can use to help you learn exactly how fast to run during different types of sessions:
The first tool is the VDOT calculator, which uses a recent race time to generate a set of training paces for different types of sessions. The major limitation of the VDOT calculator is that the training paces it generates are only useful for running on flat terrain.
The second tool overcomes this limitation by using your Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), your Breathing rate, and the Talk test to determine what speed you should run at. The beauty of this approach is that it does not require any gadgets or devices; all it needs is your brain. Furthermore, this approach will help you learn how it feels to run at different speeds and, therefore, helps you get you more in tune with knowing your own body.
Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), Breathing rate, and the Talk test.
How can you monitor your running intensity and get yourself into the desired intensity "zone"?
Learn to be aware of your feelings, your breathing rate, and your ability to talk/sing, and set your training intensities according to your Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) out of 10, where RPE 1/10 is being sat down doing nothing and RPE 10/10 is maximal.
Study the diagram below to learn what level of exertion to give for the various training intensities.
Please feel free to use and share this image but give credit to Thomas Solomon PhD.
Use the following guidelines to maximise your long-term gains for endurance racing:
80% to 95% of your weekly running time should be spent in the "Easy" domain at RPE 2-4/10. Increase your weekly volume by gradually increasing the weekly number of Easy runs and gradually increasing their duration. This will help condition your body to move faster for longer during your harder runs.
Only 5% to 20% of your weekly running time should be spent doing "Hard" work, at or above RPE 6/10. These types of sessions are taxing, add a lot of strain to your body, and take longer to recover from. Sure, training hard every day will acutely increase your fitness, but it will also increase your risk of injury and accumulate excessive fatigue, making subsequent sessions feel harder and leaving you needing more time to recover. Don't aim to be mighty tomorrow; play the long game and be sensible. Train smart.
80% to 95% of your weekly running time should be spent in the "Easy" domain at RPE 2-4/10. Increase your weekly volume by gradually increasing the weekly number of Easy runs and gradually increasing their duration. This will help condition your body to move faster for longer during your harder runs.
Only 5% to 20% of your weekly running time should be spent doing "Hard" work, at or above RPE 6/10. These types of sessions are taxing, add a lot of strain to your body, and take longer to recover from. Sure, training hard every day will acutely increase your fitness, but it will also increase your risk of injury and accumulate excessive fatigue, making subsequent sessions feel harder and leaving you needing more time to recover. Don't aim to be mighty tomorrow; play the long game and be sensible. Train smart.
VDOT running pace tool.
How can you know what running speed will get you into the desired intensity "zone"?
The VDOT tool below was designed by Jack Daniels at runsmartproject.com to help athletes learn to run at the correct pace in relation to their current fitness level.
To use the tool, simply key in your most recent race distance and race time and click the "calculate" button. Then, scroll down to see your "race paces" and click on "training" to see estimates of your pace goals for the various training intensities (Easy, Threshold, etc.).
Each time you do a race, key your race time into the VDOT calculator to update your training paces. 
IMPORTANT: The estimated training paces generated by the VDOT calculator below are for running on flat terrain only. Do not try to mimic the paces when running uphill!
Use the following guidelines to maximise your long-term gains for endurance racing:
80% to 95% of your weekly running time should be spent running at your "Easy" pace. Increase your weekly volume by gradually increasing the weekly number of Easy-paced runs and gradually increasing their duration. This will help condition your body to move faster for longer during your harder runs.
Only 5% to 20% of your weekly running time should be spent doing "Hard" work that is faster than your Easy pace. These types of runs are taxing, add a lot of strain to your body, and take longer to recover from. Sure, training hard every day will acutely increase your fitness, but it will also increase your risk of injury and accumulate excessive fatigue, making subsequent sessions feel harder and leaving you needing more time to recover. Don't aim to be mighty tomorrow; play the long game and be sensible. Train smart.
80% to 95% of your weekly running time should be spent running at your "Easy" pace. Increase your weekly volume by gradually increasing the weekly number of Easy-paced runs and gradually increasing their duration. This will help condition your body to move faster for longer during your harder runs.
Only 5% to 20% of your weekly running time should be spent doing "Hard" work that is faster than your Easy pace. These types of runs are taxing, add a lot of strain to your body, and take longer to recover from. Sure, training hard every day will acutely increase your fitness, but it will also increase your risk of injury and accumulate excessive fatigue, making subsequent sessions feel harder and leaving you needing more time to recover. Don't aim to be mighty tomorrow; play the long game and be sensible. Train smart.
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