One of the most common traits of beginning runners, is all their paces are the same. Easy pace is the same as race pace is the same as Tempo pace etc…
The reasons for this are straightforward. When you’re beginning, running is so hard that the idea that running is anything other than agony is foreign. What develops is a sort of in between pace that is hard enough to tire you out but not really hard enough to push your VO2 max or Lactate Systems.
By coming to track workouts, you will get a feel for different fast paces, mile, 5k, 10k, LT all feel a little different and tax different physiological systems.
The purpose of days that are not intervals, or long runs or tempo runs is to build your aerobic base and help you recover so you can do your next challenging workout. They should be slow, easy and not fatigue you unnecessarily.
What I’d like to encourage is when you’re not running hard during a workout, you run easier than you usually do.
Here is your homework:
I want you to feel some fatigue in your legs, while doing this. So the day after either a track workout, race or long run. Go for a run much slower than you’re accustomed to, if you usually do 8:30 miles do 9:30 miles. If you have a GPS, turn it off. Run by feel, keep slowing down until you feel like you can’t go any slower. Run for 25-40 minutes depending on your fitness. You should finish feeling refreshed. I want you to feel how to recover and still run.