Fitness: To run fast, practice slow running

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Just about a decade ago, popular wisdom in the running world for anyone looking to get faster used to be “nobody gets faster by running slow" and “to run fast, train fast". That’s no longer the case now as running science, training and nutrition have evolved.

Running coaches and experienced runners across the world say that the secret to improving your pace and speed is to run slow while training. While you still have to do the tempo runs and the excruciating interval runs as part of your training, slow and easy runs ought to constitute the bulk of your running training. Slow running is much like the foundation of a building on which higher floors are built, says Vijayaraghavan Venugopal, CEO of Fast n Up and a running enthusiast who has completed nine full marathons, including five World Majors races, in under three hours.

“Think about slow running as the base. The slow runs condition and develop the aerobic side of your body, which you need amply for endurance running. This also keeps you free of injuries to a large extent," says Venugopal.

Gagan Arora, Delhi-based coach and founder of Kosmic Fitness, loves slow, easy-paced runs as they do a lot of good, including enhancing efficiency for longer runs. Without causing too much fatigue, slow running reduces the chances of impact injuries and also reduces the recovery time needed between training sessions. “Running slower at a conversational pace improves your oxygen uptake in muscles and improves aerobic metabolism, which is the key to running longer distances.