In the Running Training Journeys, there are three different paces at which your runs are to be performed: comfortable, moderate, or fast. Your Coach will advise you which is relevant for a specific workout.
When running at a comfortable pace, you should be able to hold a conversation easily without needing to take a breath. At a moderate pace, this will be more difficult and you may find yourself needing to stop regularly mid-sentence to catch your breath. It should be more demanding than a “comfortable” distance run, but less than a “fast” workout.
Finally, fast workouts should be run as fast as possible, but at a pace that allows you to complete the whole workout. Holding a conversation should be impossible, and you should be concentrating exclusively on your breathing and running. If you find yourself needing additional breaks, this is a sign that you need to go slightly slower. You can choose whether to stop, walk, or jog during these breaks. Running slightly faster or slower over individual sections of a workout is normal and doesn’t affect the effectiveness of the workout. You will quickly develop a sense of speed for the individual distances and know how best to tackle a certain stretch in terms of pace.
A combination of distances and workouts is ideal for improving running performance and achieving fast, long-lasting results. Always try to run each session at the pace suggested for the whole duration.