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An introduction to how I define Base Running – the pace at which you’ll spend the great majority of your running time. And a few extra thoughts on how to approach your Base runs

Base running – often referred to as “easy” pace – is probably the most important element of any endurance runner’s program. You’ll want to spend the great majority of your time at Base. The key to Base is to ensure that you are NOT running at a faster-than-necessary pace. Too often runners complete Base runs too quickly. Unfortunately the additional benefits of doing Base runs faster are slim to none.

Coaches and runners have known for a long time that Base runs tend to be too quick. Coaches imposed low RPE scores, HR limits, and specific pace targets based on a percent of your race times on their runners during Base run to keep the pace slow. These tactics have been successful in many circumstances. 

I find that RPE scores are hard to interpret. Running with an HR limit is annoying since HR depends so much on conditions like temperature and terrain changes and staring at a watch or slowing down when you hear a beep disconnects you from your internal running sensations. Having a pace target makes Base runs feel too much like a specific workout and many strive to go faster than the pace targets thinking, wrongly, that it will increase the benefits. So relying solely on these means may be problematic.

I suggest a simpler method in this program:

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