Slow enough that you could talk in full sentences the whole way and finish with plenty left. For most runners that is zone 2, 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate in a five-zone model. It usually feels slower than you expect. That is normal, and it is the point.
How do I find my easy pace?
By effort, not by a number on the watch. Three checks, from simplest to most precise:
| Check | Easy means |
|---|---|
| Talk test | You can speak in full sentences. A few words at a time means you are going too fast |
| Breathing and feel | Relaxed, and you could keep going for a long time |
| Heart rate | Zone 2, 60 to 70% of your maximum. The heart rate zone calculator gives it in beats per minute |
The talk test is more than folk wisdom. Research by Carl Foster and colleagues found that the point where talking stops being comfortable sits close to the ventilatory threshold, the effort at which your breathing starts to pick up. Below it is easy running.
Your easy pace is whatever speed those checks give you on the day. It will be slower on a hot afternoon, up a hill or after a short night, and that is correct: the effort stays easy even when the pace cannot.
Why run so slowly?
Easy running builds your aerobic base at a low cost. You recover from it quickly, so you can run more often and still have energy for the sessions that are meant to be hard. It is also where most endurance training happens: studies by Stephen Seiler and others found that endurance athletes spend most of their training time at low intensity, a small share hard, and very little in between.
Over the weeks, the same heart rate starts to carry you faster, or the same pace costs fewer beats. That is how slow running makes you faster.
How do I know I’m running too fast?
- You cannot finish a sentence without taking a breath.
- Your heart rate settles in zone 3 or higher on flat ground.
- Your easy runs and your harder runs are only a few seconds per kilometer apart.
- You still feel yesterday’s easy run in your legs.
Can an easy run be too easy?
Rarely. Going a little slower than you need to costs almost nothing, and most runners err the other way. There is no need to aim below zone 2 on purpose, though. The goal is relaxed, conversational running, not the slowest pace you can manage.
What if I have to walk to stay in zone 2?
Slow your running down instead, as much as you need to. When you are new to running, even gentle running can take your heart rate above zone 2. That is normal, and it changes within weeks as your aerobic base grows. What builds your running is running continuously at a relaxed effort, so a truly relaxed run slightly above zone 2 is still doing its job. On a steep hill or a hot day, take a short walk if you need one.
If relaxed running lands in zone 3 run after run, check your maximum heart rate. Set too low, it makes every zone too low. See How does Apple Watch set my heart rate zones?
Why does my heart rate creep up late in an easy run?
It is called cardiac drift: the longer you run, and the warmer it is, the harder your heart works at the same pace. It is normal. Start at the bottom of zone 2 and let the pace come down in the second half rather than pushing to hold it.
What does Kiiro show?
Kiiro shows your time in each zone for every run, so you can see whether an easy run stayed easy, and Intensity shows how your recent training splits between low, medium and high. Zones start at 60, 70, 80 and 90% of your maximum heart rate, and you can set your own. On routes you run often, Route progress shows the payoff: the same route at a lower heart rate, or faster at the same one. See heart rate zones in Kiiro and Zone 2.
Related questions
- Should I run by heart rate or pace?: For most of your running, heart rate. It shows what a run costs you, while pace only shows how fast you went. Use pace for races and short, fast repeats. Here is when each works and where heart rate lets you down.
- Why am I not getting faster at running?: Usually because your runs all sit at the same medium effort, your training has not grown in months, or you are running tired. Sometimes you are faster and the way you compare runs hides it. Here is how to tell which.
- How does Apple Watch set my heart rate zones, and can I change them?: Apple Watch gives you five heart rate zones, calculated automatically from your maximum heart rate and your health data. You can replace them with your own. Here is how, and why your zones may look different in Kiiro.
