Online Run & Mindset Coaching

Why your pace isn't the best measure of progress

Why Your Pace Isn’t the Best Marker of Progress

If pace was the only sign of progress, winter training would feel like failure. Snow. Ice. Wind. Layered clothing. Dark mornings. Treadmill miles. None of that screams “personal best.”

But that doesn’t mean you’re not improving.

If you’ve ever finished a run lately and thought, “My pace looks slow… am I even getting fitter?” This post is for you.

Oftentimes we see pace as the LOUDEST metric on our watches, but it isn’t always the smartest one. Let’s look at a few different metrics to track your progress.

1. Heart Rate Trends Tell a Better Story

Pace changes day to day for a lot of reasons:

Terrain
Temperature
Footing
Sleep
Stress
Fueling

Heart rate trends are harder to manipulate. If you’re running similar efforts and your heart rate is slightly lower than it used to be, your aerobic system is adapting. That tells us your efficiency is improving!

If your heart rate stays steady while your pace gradually creeps faster at the same effort, that’s growth too.

So, instead of asking, “Was I faster today?” Try asking, “Did this effort feel sustainable? Is my system handling this better than before?”

Look at patterns across weeks. Not one chilly, windy Tuesday.

2. RPE Awareness Is a Sign of Maturity

RPE, rate of perceived exertion, is one of the most powerful skills you can build as a runner.

Can you:

- - Truly keep easy days easy?
  - Recognize when you’re drifting too hard?
  - Adjust without staring at your watch every 10 seconds?

If you’re learning how your body feels at different intensities, you’re leveling up. Winter conditions actually sharpen this skill. Your watch might say one thing, but your body tells you the truth. Learning to trust that feedback builds smarter pacing long term. Another sign of progress!

3. Recovery Is the Foundation of Fitness

Let me ask you something. Are you bouncing back between workouts faster than you were a few months ago?

Are you:

- - Less sore 48 hours later?
  - Sleeping better?
  - Maintaining steady energy through the week?
  - Handling higher volume without crashing?

Fitness isn’t just about what you can do in one session. It’s about what you can absorb consistently. If your body can handle more work with less breakdown, you’re adapting. This adaptation is far more important than fast splits on your watch.

4. Strength Gains Often Come Before Speed

Maybe your pace hasn’t shifted much.

But are you:

- - Lifting heavier in the gym?
  - Feeling more stable on slippery footing?
  - Holding posture better late in a run?
  - Dealing with fewer aches?

Strength changes how force moves through your body. Stronger hips, calves, and core mean better economy later. Speed built on weakness falls apart. Speed built on strength lasts. Sometimes the real progress is structural. The pace follows later.

5. Emotional Resilience Counts

This one doesn’t show up on your Garmin or Strava stats…

Are you:

- - Showing up when it’s dark and cold?
  - Finishing workouts you used to skip?
  - Recovering mentally from a “slow” run without spiraling?
  - Comparing yourself less?

Consistency in hard seasons builds something deeper than speed. If you’re training through winter without quitting on yourself, that’s growth. It may not look fast. But it’s a powerful sign of progress!

So What Should You Pay Attention To?

Instead of obsessing over pace alone, notice:

- - Heart rate trends over time
  - Your ability to gauge effort accurately
  - Recovery speed between sessions
  - Strength numbers improving
  - Mental steadiness

Pace is one data point.

It doesn’t measure durability.

It doesn’t measure discipline.

It doesn’t measure resilience.

And those are the things that carry you into your strongest seasons. If your watch says you’re slower right now, that doesn’t mean you’re not improving. It might mean you’re building the base that future speed will stand on. The question isn’t, “How fast am I today?” It’s, “Am I becoming a stronger, more sustainable runner?” That’s the progress that lasts.

Back

Google Sites

Report abuse