Types of Training - Easy Days

Over the next few days, I will try to describe some of the different kinds of training that appear on our training plans. Today, I will address Easy Days.

Easy Days are plentiful during the summer, especially before camp starts. Not every Easy Day should be run at the same pace; you should mix things up. The general rule of thumb is for Varsity Boys to run up to 2 minutes per mile slower than 5K race pace, JV Boys and top Girls up to 2:15 slower and most Girls, plus the Rookie and Beginner Boys up to 2:30 per mile slower than 5K race pace. Some of you could not estimate a current 5K time. If that's the case, then move on to the next factor:

The next consideration is to listen to your body. If you are so beat up that you can't run within a couple of minutes of race pace, then perhaps it is time for cross-training, or even a day off, if necessary. If you have a couple of easy days in a row scheduled, and you are feeling good, there is no reason not to have one of the days be a little quicker.

In any case, as I mentioned earlier, mix things up. Easy Days are a nice time to do some change of pace (fartlek! - a topic for another day), for fun. You can actually incorporate your strides into your run, rather than doing them at the end.

The important thing to remember is that Easy Days are serving two purposes: they are giving your body a chance to recover between harder efforts, and they are making sure your body is getting used to a larger volume of work as we progress toward the start of the season.