What if the fastest way to become a better runner was to slow down?
Most recreational runners make the same mistake: they run every session at a moderately hard pace. Too hard to recover from properly. Too easy to create the benefits of a true speed session.
The result? They feel tired, frustrated and confused about why their pace is no longer improving.
In Episode 4 of the SLAY Stronger Runner Series, Olympian, coach and SLAY founder Louise Hazel explains why easy running is one of the most powerful tools in your half-marathon training program.
This episode breaks down Zone 2 training, conversational pace, the 80/20 approach and the difference between training hard and training intelligently.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Why running faster every day does not necessarily make you faster
• What Zone 2 training actually means
• How to use the conversation test during an easy run
• Whether you should train by heart rate, pace or perceived effort
• How slower running builds your aerobic engine
• Why so many recreational runners become trapped in the “grey zone”
• Why Olympic athletes do not train at maximum intensity every day
• How to use the SLAY Traffic Light System to structure your training
• Why becoming dependent on your running watch can disconnect you from your body
• Why holding yourself back sometimes requires more discipline than pushing harder
The SLAY Traffic Light System
🟢 Green sessions: Easy runs, recovery and conversational effort
🟠 Amber sessions: Strength training and controlled steady work
🔴 Red sessions: Intervals, race pace and high-intensity training
Your week should contain far more green than red.
This Week’s Challenge
Complete one easy run without looking at your watch. Do not chase a pace. Do not obsess over distance.
Run at a conversational effort, pay attention to your breathing and finish feeling as though you could have continued.
Then ask yourself: Did I enjoy the run more? Did I recover faster? Did I finish feeling better than usual?
Coming Next Week: Fuel Like an Athlete
We’ll cover what to eat before and after running, protein, carbohydrates, hydration, electrolytes and whether trying to lose weight during half-marathon training could compromise your performance.
Subscribe and train with us every week as we build towards race day.
What do you find harder: running fast or allowing yourself to slow down? Tell us in the comments.
#Zone2Training #HalfMarathonTraining #EasyRunning #RunningTips #BeginnerRunner #WomenWhoRun #RunningCoach #NikeAfterDark #SLAYPodcast #LouiseHazel
🎧 LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/35UovsfJZfat5xU6r6i55b?si=a54a6454c06445c4&nd=1
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slay/id1393889958
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5I8e0HAZxB-SEvp4oLCCA
📩 JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Slay 10K: https://slay.myflodesk.com/slay10k
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@slayathletic/?sub_confirmation=1
Shop: www.slayathletic.com
Slay Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/emails/6907a431cef52dfcb87b55f9
Slay App Waitlist: https://slay.myflodesk.com/nhkxhv00tg
Slay: Your Strongest Year Yet Free Training: https://www.louisehazel.com/blank-5
Slay Meetups & IRL Community: https://stan.store/slayathletic?fbclid=PAdGRleARCYI9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAafeUDQD0ickXhd39FFC3Mf9yb8wP9i_yUvaUzpgBP7CcxuScV_dqMudyAT5aw_aem_mbFvFU--n6e5nSf9Kt9J3w
✨ IF THIS EPISODE SPOKE TO YOU…
Please like, comment, and subscribe — it helps this community of strong women grow. Share it with another woman who deserves to rise in 2026.
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
Stay Connected
