Running slow will make you faster
Say what?!
Yes, you read that right. If you run slow, you actually will become a faster runner.
How is this even possible? I will explain it to you in this blog post.
(Before you start reading: if you prefer watching videos, I also made a Youtube video about this topic, don’t forget to check it out!)
Aerobic & anaerobic
So you have two dominant training zones: aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (without oxygen).
When you focus on your aerobic zone (which you enter when you run at a low heart rate) you will start creating more blood vessels. These will help you to transport more oxygen to your muscles and thus reduce your fatigue.
Benefits of going "slow"
Another benefit that comes from running at a lower heart rate is that you will increase the amount of mitochondrial (cells) in your body. Why it this beneficial? Because the more cells you have, the more little powerhouses you will have to ‘fire up’ your muscles.
And last, but not least, your metabolic system will become more efficient. Your body will also start using fat as a fueling source and not only glycogen. What happens if you run out of glycogen is that you will ‘hit the wall’ and then it is game-over.
Knowing this, a lot of benefits arise from running slower right?
Just one sidenote: it’s not because YOU think you are running slow, that you ACTUALLY are. To know exactly whether or not in your running in the right heart rate zone it is advisable to do a maximum performance test every now and then and to base your trainings on your heart rate zones.
I hope this blog post has convinced you to start training more at a lower heart rate because of its benefits.
If you still have questions about this, you can always reach me through Whatsapp (+324 56 56 67 74). Don’t hesitate to reach out to me, I really want to help you improve.
