Filtering out of the fast lane

IN THE last column, I lamented how my watch may be too smart for my own good. My stance on smartwatches remains. But one particular function on mine has recently led me to ponder if I have often been going too fast, or wanting to go too fast, for my own good.

In my runs and in life, that is.

My watch recommends a daily workout based on my training load, recovery time and peak oxygen uptake, among other things. Initially, I would dismiss these recommendations, frowning especially on its suggested pace, which is typically slower than what I would have desired to go at. And when the recommendation was to make the day a rest day, I would almost certainly dismiss it.

But as life’s concerns start to weigh down on my energy levels lately – we all have these seasons – I have sometimes opted for the recommended workouts and found them more manageable.

Why running slow is good

“Slow runs” may sound like an oxymoron, but even elite runners and coaches advocate varying the pace of our workouts. In the words of Belgian pro triathlete Bart Aernouts, “A slow run can only be too fast, not too slow.”

Easy runs guard against injuries because they cause lower impact, thereby reducing the risk of overstraining muscles.

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Not simply going as hard as we can also helps with metabolism. To be more scientific, running at a comfortable pace allows the body to improve its aerobic energy system, which creates energy with oxygen.

Once the body runs out of oxygen – usually when it is exercising at high intensities – it switches to the anaerobic energy system. At this point, the muscles convert glycogen stores into energy less efficiently. The body has to produce extra lactic acid to compensate for that, and it therefore tires more easily.

To be sure, there is a time and place for anaerobic workouts. But going at an easy pace, where our muscles can get plenty of oxygen, can help build aerobic endurance. Eventually, we will be able to run longer without pain and fatigue.

Everyone’s version of “slow” is different, but most experienced runners say that if you can hold a conversation with your running buddy during the workout, that is probably your slow pace.

After a week of slower-than-desired runs, I was rather pleased with a decent pace on a long run this past Sunday. And I’m back to running slow-er again this week.

Take a step back, and slow down

In life, too, slowing down is a piece of advice I often get and should probably take more regularly. I am often known as the friend whose schedule has to be blocked a month in advance, or the one who is not likely to show up to appointments on time because she would be rushing from a prior engagement.

I believe that I am not alone in this in fast-paced Singapore, where speed and efficiency are virtues, and there is a built-in pressure for individuals to always be on to the next big thing. In my view, that can be productive, but only to a certain extent.

While I cannot speak for others, I have experienced the emotional and physical toll of taking on too much. It is rather a vicious cycle. The law of diminishing marginal returns then sets in – I feel I am not doing as well as before in various aspects of my life, which then heightens the toll.

In running and in life, there is a certain resistance to slowing down, and part of it may be because of how we think others may perceive us, or how we may view ourselves, relative to others. “Am I weak” is a question that has come up for me recently.

I believe my recent running experiences are instructive here. Going slowly and taking regular rest days have helped me to go faster more effortlessly on the occasional “hard” runs.

Writing this at the turn of another year, I hope to exercise this principle in other aspects of life too. My hopes for 2023 are to fill up the calendar less intensively and to take more rest days.

That said, this is also the final edition of Dawn Patrol. Thank you for your kind readership in the last 10 months!