Working Well, The RPE Scale, & Pain Management

Newsletter 7/7/23

Each week, I dive into what I'm thinking, learning, & experiencing in my running journey. If you'd like to subscribe to receive these free weekly newsletters, you can do so here. Enjoy!

What I'm Thinking

Working Well vs Working Hard

In the sport of running, I think it's smarter to work well than to work hard.

Working well:

• Mostly consistent running over longer periods of time
• Taking breaks when your physical or mental state calls for them
• Genuinely enjoying the process

Working hard:

• Streaky in your consistency
• Going all out no matter what your body tells you
• Regularly sacrificing sleep, rest, & time with family/friends to get your run/workout in

Running is a long-term game. It's best to buckle in and take a practical & enjoyable approach that fits within the context of your life.

Allowing grace for missed workouts, & occasionally taking time off, is key to long-term consistency & enjoyability.

What I'm Liking

Using the RPE Scale for Easy Days

There are a few different approaches you can use to measure the intensity of your easy runs: heart rate, pace, or my personal favorite, feel.

Check out the RPE Scale, a scale that maps out levels of subjective intensity, to help with this:

Easy days should be at a ~2-3.

Going by feel allows room for your easy pace to fluctuate based on factors like how well you slept the night before, outside temperature, cumulative fatigue, etc.

What I'm Reading

The Science of Running - Chris Napier, PhD

One aspect of training we often don't discuss is pain management.

We know that training results in physiological changes that will help us run longer & faster.

But training also results in an improved ability to manage pain.

The pain from a race or a hard run itself may not change...

But our ability to cope with said pain can change as our subconscious brain learns what kind of stresses it is capable of withstanding.

Just one additional reason why pushing yourself every now and then is worthwhile if your goal is to run faster.

Hope you enjoyed this newsletter. Always feel free to reach out for topics you'd like to see covered. You can subscribe to receive these newsletters below.

-Casey