Why Easy Runs Don't Always Feel Easy
If you’ve ever typed “different types of runs” into Google and ended up more confused than when you started, you’re not doing anything wrong; it is confusing, I mean there’s only so many types of run we can fit into a week!
Easy run.
Long run.
Tempo run.
Progressive run.
Recovery run.
Steady run….the list goes on.
They’re often presented as neat, separate boxes, fabulous, but real life rarely works like that.
Especially if you’re juggling work, family, tired legs, confidence dips, or simply trying to keep running without it taking over your life.
So let’s slow this down and make it realistic.
Easy runs (what “easy” actually means)
An easy run is meant to feel…. well, easy.
Not slow compared to someone else — but a pace where you can breathe, think, and finish feeling like you could have done more.
In real life, easy runs are often the first to get hijacked.
They turn into:
rushed runs
“just one quicker mile…… I’m feeling good”
quiet guilt about whether they even count - what will “people” think of my pace on Strava?
But the easy runs are where consistency lives. And they’re what allow you to keep showing up.
Long runs (no magic distance required)
A long run isn’t defined by a specific number, put simply it’s your longest run of the week. For some runners, that could be three miles, for others, it could be fifteen. And for most of us, it changes week to week.
Long runs aren’t about proving toughness, no they’re about time on your feet, confidence, and learning that you can keep going, both physically and mentally.
Tempo runs tend to come with a bad reputation
They’re often described as “comfortably hard”, which isn’t always very helpful, is often subjective and can feel quietly intimidating. How hard do I need to push myself? To the brink of vomiting?
At their core, tempo runs are about controlled effort, usually in the middle of a run.
Not sprinting.
Not collapsing at the end.
Just working a little harder than easy but on purpose.
In real life, tempo runs are often the first session to disappear when life gets busy. So let’s be honest, most of us don’t get pleasure or gratification from experiencing discomfort that we impose on ourselves!
And that’s okay.
The part most training plans don’t tell you
All these different types of runs aren’t tests of your discipline or motivation.
They’re simple tools that help you adapt.
If you’re tired, stressed, injured, or rebuilding confidence, the purpose of the run matters more than the label.
You don’t fail a training plan by adjusting it.
You fail it by forcing it to ignore your real life.
If you’d like a bit more support
In the paid version of this newsletter, I go a step further by looking at how easy, long, and tempo runs can fit into your real life.
I share how to adapt them when time is tight, energy is low, confidence dips, or plans don’t quite go to plan without losing progress or trust in your running.