Show Notes
What if the fastest way to become a better runner was to slow down? Most recreational runners make the same mistake: they run every session at a moderately hard pace. Too hard to recover from properly. Too easy to create the benefits of a true speed session. The result? They feel tired, frustrated and confused about why their pace is no longer improving. In Episode 4 of the SLAY Stronger Runner Series, Olympian, coach and SLAY founder Louise Hazel explains why easy running is one of the most powerful tools in your half-marathon training program. This episode breaks down Zone 2 training, conversational pace, the 80/20 approach and the difference between training hard and training intelligently.
In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why running faster every day does not necessarily make you faster • What Zone 2 training actually means • How to use the conversation test during an easy run • Whether you should train by heart rate, pace or perceived effort • How slower running builds your aerobic engine • Why so many recreational runners become trapped in the “grey zone” • Why Olympic athletes do not train at maximum intensity every day • How to use the SLAY Traffic Light System to structure your training • Why becoming dependent on your running watch can disconnect you from your body • Why holding yourself back sometimes requires more discipline than pushing harder
The SLAY Traffic Light System 🟢 Green sessions: Easy runs, recovery and conversational effort 🟠 Amber sessions: Strength training and controlled steady work 🔴 Red sessions: Intervals, race pace and high-intensity training Your week should contain far more green than red.
This Week’s Challenge Complete one easy run without looking at your watch. Do not chase a pace. Do not obsess over distance. Run at a conversational effort, pay attention to your breathing and finish feeling as though you could have continued. Then ask yourself: Did I enjoy the run more? Did I recover faster? Did I finish feeling better than usual?
Coming Next Week: Fuel Like an Athlete We’ll cover what to eat before and after running, protein, carbohydrates, hydration, electrolytes and whether trying to lose weight during half-marathon training could compromise your performance.
Subscribe and train with us every week as we build towards race day. What do you find harder: running fast or allowing yourself to slow down? Tell us in the comments. #Zone2Training #HalfMarathonTraining #EasyRunning #RunningTips #BeginnerRunner #WomenWhoRun #RunningCoach #NikeAfterDark #SLAYPodcast #LouiseHazel
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