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Why Running Slower Helps You Get Faster

(The 80/20 Method Explained)

If your goal is to run faster, it may feel logical to push the pace every time you train. Many runners fall into the trap of thinking that more intensity automatically leads to better results. In reality, training hard too often is one of the quickest ways to plateau, feel constantly fatigued, or end up dealing with recurring injuries.

The surprising truth is this: one of the most effective ways to become a faster runner is to spend most of your training time running at an easy, comfortable pace.

This principle is often explained through the 80/20 method, also known as polarised training. It’s a strategy used by many elite endurance athletes and supported by a growing body of research.

In this blog, you’ll learn what the 80/20 method is, why it works, and how to apply it in a way that improves performance while keeping your body fresh and resilient.

What Is the 80/20 Method in Running?

At first glance, it feels almost contradictory. How can running slower possibly improve speed?

The key is that easy running develops the foundation of endurance performance: your aerobic system. It builds the ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles efficiently, produce energy sustainably, and recover well enough to train consistently.

This is not just theory. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine compared polarised training with other endurance training intensity distributions and evaluated its effects on endurance performance.

While training approaches can vary depending on the athlete, the overall message remains consistent: a large amount of low-intensity training combined with a smaller amount of high-intensity work is highly effective for endurance development.

The Aerobic Advantage: Efficiency, Not Just Fitness

Easy running keeps you mainly in an aerobic intensity zone where breathing is steady and the effort feels sustainable. Over time, this type of training improves your ability to run at faster paces while using less energy. This is often described as improved running economy, meaning you become more efficient at a given speed. Low-intensity running supports:

Elite endurance training models commonly combine high volumes of low-intensity running with smaller, carefully placed high-intensity sessions because the adaptations complement each other.

Less Fatigue, Better Consistency, Fewer Setbacks

One of the biggest reasons recreational runners struggle to improve is not a lack of motivation. It’s the build-up of fatigue.

If most runs are done too hard, recovery becomes incomplete. Instead of getting fitter, you slowly accumulate stress until your legs feel heavy, your pace stalls, and your body starts signalling warning signs.

The 80/20 method works because it helps you train more consistently. It keeps the bulk of your training in a zone where you can recover quickly, while the harder sessions still provide the performance stimulus needed to improve.

This is also why polarised training is often described as a low-risk, high-reward approach for endurance athletes.

Why the “Grey Zone” Can Hold Runners Back

The “grey zone” refers to running at a moderate intensity that feels challenging but not hard enough to truly develop speed, and not easy enough to support recovery.

This is the pace many runners default to, especially when training without a plan.

It feels productive because you are working, but it often creates the worst combination: significant fatigue with limited performance return. Polarised training aims to avoid this trap by keeping easy runs truly easy and hard sessions truly hard.

How to Find Your Easy Pace

The biggest challenge with easy running is that most runners do it too fast.

A practical guideline often used for easy aerobic training is approximately 60–75% of maximum heart rate, though individual zones vary depending on your fitness and personal thresholds.

A simple way to check your intensity without overcomplicating it is the “talk test”. During easy runs, you should be able to speak in full sentences without gasping for air.

If you rely on heart rate, be cautious with maximum heart rate formulas like “220 minus age”. It can give a rough estimate, but it is not accurate for everyone. Use it as a starting point rather than a perfect rule.

How to Apply 80/20

You don’t need to overhaul your entire training plan overnight. The best results come from applying the concept consistently and gradually. Start by looking at your weekly running time. If you run around 5 hours per week, the 80/20 split would look like:

As you build, the key is staying honest with the easy days. If you turn them into moderate days, you lose the whole purpose of the method.

A Simple Weekly Example

A straightforward structure might look like this:

This gives you frequency, volume, and enough intensity to improve, without running yourself into the ground.

Conclusion: Slower Runs Build Faster Runners

If you want long-term improvement, the goal is not to train harder every day. The goal is to train smarter.

The 80/20 method works because it respects both sides of progress: building aerobic capacity through low-intensity work while improving speed and performance with focused high-intensity sessions. By running slower most of the time, you recover better, train more consistently, and develop the fitness that allows you to run faster when it truly matters.

And once you experience the difference, you will never want to go back to “always pushing”.

Want a personalised running plan that actually makes you faster, without burning you out? At Work-Out, we combine smart endurance training with the right intensity balance, so you improve performance while staying injury-smart and consistent.

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