The long, slow, continuous run is the essence of long‑distance training. It is done at a moderate pace and helps you sustain running for a longer time. It fully oxidizes the energy substrates: carbohydrates and fats, with great efficiency, but more slowly.

Easy runs improve overall aerobic endurance, teach the muscles to use fat as fuel, and lead to a lower resting heart rate, making the heart more efficient in its work.

If you run slower you will enjoy it more and improve more and better, even if it seems contradictory. Running fast exhausts you much earlier, overloads your muscles, and may cause some unwanted discomfort. There’s no need to push so hard; it’s a matter of patience.

Easy runs should begin at an easy effort and be increased progressively. Each runner has their own training pace, and it is determined by the race pace they run at each moment of the season. When starting a plan, race pace is much slower than at the end of it; this implies lower intensity in easy runs and intervals compared to several weeks later.

At the beginning of the training plan, you must be cautious and listen to your own body, which will determine your training pace. Races will guide you to estimate the probable pace for your target event, which will always be faster than in those races.

In the final weeks of the plan, easy‑run paces will be faster. In the plans you’ll see that I indicate approximate paces for progressive runs, from the slowest to the fastest. For example, if I indicate: 90’ prog. (from 5’40’’ to 4’40”), it means you should start around 5’40’’ per km, progress smoothly to 5’20’’ during the first third, reach 5’00’’ in the next 30’, and finish the last 30’ at 4’40’’ per km.