The Running Thread --2025

[Naomeri]

ATTQOTD: I don’t know whether speed work helps on race day, but it certainly helps break up the monotony of training. If you’re doing all your training runs at the same pace, it gets boring.

 

[pluto377]

ATTQOTD: Absolutely I think speed work is necessary, as long as you have already done a base building phase to your training. I'm slower than a sloth and do run/walk, but I still do a day of formal speed work. It feels good to go a bit fast and as Naomeri said, it breaks up the training. Personally, I like to alternate weeks between intervals and longer tempo runs.

 

[Stitch&Co.]

ATTQOTD: If nothing else, some speed work does give you the knowledge and experience that you CAN go faster. If you only train at easy pace, then when you're in a race and actually need to go faster how will you know if you can? Speed work gives you experience going faster and lets you know how your body reacts to the faster paces. It's no good to try going faster in a race if I have to slow down more to recover from it.

 

[WillRunForPizza]

ATTQOTD: I probably wouldn't recommend someone start speedwork in their first few months of running. You're less likely to get injured if you give your body a chance to adapt to running slowly before you start running fast. Plus, when you start out, you're probably running too fast in general, so you're sort of doing speedwork all the time. If you add actual speedwork on top of that, that's more injury/overtraining risk.

But after you've been running consistently for a while and you're comfortable with it? Sure. Speedwork is great. It will help you get faster - and you're allowed to want to get faster regardless of whether you're at the front or back of the pack.

 

[Herding_Cats]

ATTQOTD: I probably wouldn't recommend someone start speedwork in their first few months of running. You're less likely to get injured if you give your body a chance to adapt to running slowly before you start running fast. Plus, when you start out, you're probably running too fast in general, so you're sort of doing speedwork all the time. If you add actual speedwork on top of that, that's more injury/overtraining risk.

But after you've been running consistently for a while and you're comfortable with it? Sure. Speedwork is great. It will help you get faster - and you're allowed to want to get faster regardless of whether you're at the front or back of the pack.

These are my thoughts as well.

 

[PrincessV]

ATTQOTD: is speed work necessary to complete a half? No. Can it increase fitness, improve one’s race time, and promote better cardiovascular health? Probably. Is it a fun way to shake up your routine? For some of us, yes. I think there are lots of good reasons to do speed work - but would never dictate it as a “must” in a training plan.

 

[mmm_texas]

ATTQOTD: I think having some designated speed work makes it easier to rationalize taking the easy days easy. And I subscribe to the theory that taking easy days easy is a good thing (it trains the body to burn fat more efficiently, etc.).

 

[jpholic]

ATTQOTD: I think having some designated speed work makes it easier to rationalize taking the easy days easy. And I subscribe to the theory that taking easy days easy is a good thing (it trains the body to burn fat more efficiently, etc.).

Agree. Speed runs have helped me with increasing my VO2 and faster pacing. I pack the beginning of the week with zoomies and go easy as the miles get longer.

Tuesday - track day w/ speed intervals
Thursday - treadmill day (threshold)
Saturday - outdoor run (if on the training schedule)
Sunday - outdoor easy long run

Also agree with others that mentioning easing into speed runs. Definitely would not incorporate a defined track workout or speed training until I had a base that I could maintain for 20-30 mins.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

ATTQOTD: I probably wouldn't recommend someone start speedwork in their first few months of running. You're less likely to get injured if you give your body a chance to adapt to running slowly before you start running fast. Plus, when you start out, you're probably running too fast in general, so you're sort of doing speedwork all the time. If you add actual speedwork on top of that, that's more injury/overtraining risk.

But after you've been running consistently for a while and you're comfortable with it? Sure. Speedwork is great. It will help you get faster - and you're allowed to want to get faster regardless of whether you're at the front or back of the pack.

ATTQOTD: is speed work necessary to complete a half? No. Can it increase fitness, improve one’s race time, and promote better cardiovascular health? Probably. Is it a fun way to shake up your routine? For some of us, yes. I think there are lots of good reasons to do speed work - but would never dictate it as a “must” in a training plan.

x2. With the right base, it's not needed (see Higdon's begginer plans) but is mostly helpful if done right. There is a balance as I think it does increase your injury chance so that increased injury risk has to be weighed against the benefit you get from it. A personal decision based on each runner's current circumstance.

 

[avondale]

ATTQOTD: As other have said, you need some base running under your belt before speedwork is really helpful. After all, if you haven't done any base building running, then you won't know which paces are "easy" and which are not. You can't do speedwork until you have some idea of what your paces might be in that speedwork.

After base building, I definitely think speedwork is useful for any kind of race training. You might decide what type of speedwork depending on your goal race and your past experience, but getting some in can be helpful.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

Attqotd: lots of great advice already, so from my personal experience as someone who has no hope of being good in my age group, I love speed work. I think it helps round me out as a better runner vs what I used to be. I don’t know that it’s necessary for someone like me who dreams of a sub 2 hour half as supremely fast, but it feels like it helps.

 

[Professor_Cookie]

It’s so lonely here…

In addition to making sure I’m sticking to my yoga and strength training, I’m also going to be putting extra effort into my taper which starts in about two weeks and I never seem to take it seriously

So, QOTD: do you struggle with keeping to your taper, and if so, what has helped keep your head in it?

 

[jpholic]

So, QOTD: do you struggle with keeping to your taper, and if so, what has helped keep your head in it?

Fear.

Tapering is my favorite. I feel like its doctor's orders 'can't be a track star, busy recovering.' I go into maintenance mode, just enough exercise to keep the crazy at bay.

I schedule appts to be pampered to take place of some of my runs/workouts - pedicure, massages/chiropractor, cold plunge, and sauna time. I take the taper as a chance to indulge myself after the hard work put in. I am also really cautious to not do anything that could mess with race day(s). Pulled a calf muscle about a week before a HM and it was a miserable race. I felt completely defeated that day. That scared me into pulling back on all gym activities - go light on weights and do not push myself. I'll do some light running up to the one week mark then it's one last jog and 2-3 days of being a slug. Maybe a shake out run the day before a race... maybe.

 

[RuntheMouse]

It’s so lonely here…

In addition to making sure I’m sticking to my yoga and strength training, I’m also going to be putting extra effort into my taper which starts in about two weeks and I never seem to take it seriously

So, QOTD: do you struggle with keeping to your taper, and if so, what has helped keep your head in it?

Tapers are so hard! Hyper awareness sets in for me big time. For my marathon this October, I scheduled a little getaway the week before to keep my mind occupied. Quick car ride away and some outdoor activities should do the trick for a few days! Then I’ll have the few days before the race to focus, get everything prepped and carb load!

 

[PrincessV]

SAFD: I look forward to the taper to have some semblance of a life other than training again!

 

[Goofed98]

Speedwork, intervals and hills have all been fantastic for me.

I trained for my first marathon weekend on a mostly flat trail, or a high school track. Did plenty of miles, stuck to my training plan, and I knew I could go the full distance.

HOWEVER, that did not prepare me for the 3-4 overpasses, or the hill near the TTC, nor did it prepare me to alter my tempo to get around a group of people.

The second year, having done all of the above, I was much better prepared, and I had a much more successful and enjoyable MW experience.

 

[avondale]

Fear.

Tapering is my favorite. I feel like its doctor's orders 'can't be a track star, busy recovering.' I go into maintenance mode, just enough exercise to keep the crazy at bay.

I schedule appts to be pampered to take place of some of my runs/workouts - pedicure, massages/chiropractor, cold plunge, and sauna time. I take the taper as a chance to indulge myself after the hard work put in. I am also really cautious to not do anything that could mess with race day(s). Pulled a calf muscle about a week before a HM and it was a miserable race. I felt completely defeated that day. That scared me into pulling back on all gym activities - go light on weights and do not push myself. I'll do some light running up to the one week mark then it's one last jog and 2-3 days of being a slug. Maybe a shake out run the day before a race... maybe.

I don't usually have the time to go quite "all in" like this, but I definitely use the taper as an "excuse" to take it easy. Get in a few leisure activities (like reading or music) since I'm not running as much. Doing more foam rolling and stretching instead of as much strength work. Honestly, scaling back on my morning strength work a bit and sleeping in because I need to be more rested and practically I find it hard to go to bed earlier. If I start feeling guilty that I'm not exercising as much, then I do some walking - unless you really go crazy with it, you can't do too much harm with some extra walking.