What if I told you that to get faster, you actually need to ease off in the majority of your training? Sounds pretty good, right?
Well, that is exactly what the 80/20 running method is all about.
Today, we are going to be diving into everything you need to know about the 80/20 rule. We’re going to discuss what it means, what the research says about its effectiveness, why you need to do it, and how you can apply it to your running.
Sounds interesting? Let’s dive right into it…
What is 80/20 Running
When I first started running, like many amateurs, I had no clue about pacing. I’d run every session at a moderate pace, stuck in that middle ground, and hit a frustrating plateau sooner than I’d expected.
I was constantly torn between smashing out interval sessions or enjoying a relaxed, easy run, never quite sure which approach would get me better results. Then, I stumbled across the 80/20 rule, and everything clicked.
To make real progress, it’s important to get that intensity balance spot on. The 80/20 rule is all about creating a clear divide between your easy runs and your higher-intensity efforts, ensuring your training is effective and sustainable.
So, what’s this 80/20 rule that everyone’s buzzing about?
In simple terms, the 80/20 rule boils down to two main factors in your running: volume (how much you’re running) and intensity (how hard you’re running).
The gist of it is this: 80% of your weekly training should be done at low intensity (think relaxed, easy-paced runs), while the remaining 20% should be at moderate to high intensity (those challenging efforts that push your limits).
To put it another way, for every one hard run, elite runners typically do four easy runs.
But here’s the thing—this 80/20 approach, also known as polarized training, isn’t some groundbreaking new concept. Top athletes have been unknowingly applying it for years, but recent research has brought it into the spotlight. Now, everyone’s eager to tap into it.
It can be tough to wrap your head around the idea that, to get faster, you actually need to slow down for most of your runs. It feels counterintuitive, right?
If you’ve been following my content, you know I’m a science geek at heart. So let’s dig into the nitty-gritty and explore the science behind why 80/20 training is so effective…
Related: Tapering Strategy for Better Marathon Times According to Research
Research Behind the 80/20 Running
While the 80/20 rule wasn’t crafted by science, it’s been validated time and again by research as the gold standard followed by elite athletes worldwide. Whether they’re runners, swimmers, cyclists, triathletes, or rowers, top performers naturally gravitate toward this intensity distribution.
Dr. Seiler:
It was Dr. Stephen Seiler from the University of Agder in Norway who first highlighted the 80/20 split through his research on elite endurance athletes in the early 2000s.
Seiler’s findings revealed that when examining world-class athletes training 10 to 13 times per week, around 80% of their sessions were done at low intensity—typically around 2 millimoles of blood lactate, which is close to what you’d expect at rest or during moderate exercise.
The remaining 20%? That was reserved for high-intensity work, like intervals done at roughly 90% of VO2 Max.
To put it simply, Seiler noticed that elite athletes spent most of their training time running well below race pace, which allowed them to stay fresh and ready to truly push themselves during those crucial high-effort sessions.
Matt Fitzgerald:
Matt Fitzgerald’s book, 80/20 Running, digs deep into this training principle, focusing on studies that analyze the training patterns of elite runners.
His findings confirmed that the vast majority of these athletes spend 80% of their training time below what’s known as the “ventilatory threshold.”
This threshold is essentially the point at which your body transitions from aerobic metabolism—where oxygen fuels your muscles—to anaerobic metabolism, where oxygen starts running low.
In practical terms, this threshold marks a pace where you can still hold a conversation comfortably.
Here’s what Matt Fitzgerald shared with Steadyfoot.com:
“In the last 15-20 years, an emerging consensus has established that the proper boundary between low and moderate intensity aligns with the first ventilatory threshold. For those regularly active, this boundary typically falls between 77-79% of their maximum heart rate. On the RPE scale, this lines up around a 4. It’s a critical marker because just above this threshold, your autonomic nervous system gets more stressed, and recovery takes longer.”
He continued: “If you stay just below that 4, it’s much easier on your body, and you recover quicker. The real issue arises when you consistently exceed that threshold during what’s supposed to be low-intensity training, which is a common trap for recreational runners. It leads to a chronic build-up of fatigue, which hampers performance.”
Study:
A revealing study tracked 85 elite male runners specializing in distances from 5K to the marathon over several years, with a specific focus on their training during the 10-week buildup to their goal race. The researchers divided their training into five categories: easy runs, tempo runs, long intervals, short intervals, and competitions or time trials.
Interestingly, the study classified all runs except easy runs as deliberate practice—essentially, focused sessions aimed at improving specific skills. Easy runs, on the other hand, were not considered deliberate practice.
The key finding? Total training volume had the strongest correlation with race performance. Simply put, the amount of running mattered more than the quality or intensity of specific sessions. The study noted: “The non-deliberate practice activity of easy running was crucial in better performances partly because of its contribution to the total distance run.”
This highlights how easy runs—often underestimated—play a significant role in improving race outcomes by allowing runners to build up more volume without burning out.
Systematic Review:
Mark Kennealy and his colleagues conducted a systematic review that analyzed 16 studies focused on different training zones and methods to determine which approach is most effective for endurance athletes.
Let’s break down their findings…
Training Zones
As you can see from the photo below, the review highlighted three main training zones based on Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE):
- Zone 1: RPE of 1-4 (easy efforts)
- Zone 2: RPE of 5-6 (moderate efforts)
- Zone 3: RPE of 7-10 (hard efforts)
The authors compared three popular training approaches:
- Pyramidal Approach:
This is the classic 80/20 distribution, with 80% of training in Zone 1, while the remaining 20% is split between Zones 2 and 3.
- Polarized Approach:
This method goes to extremes, dedicating 80% of training to Zone 1 and the remaining 20% solely to Zone 3, minimizing time spent in Zone 2.
- Threshold Approach:
This strategy tweaks the ratio, reducing the low-intensity volume to less than 80% and increasing the time spent in moderate and high-intensity zones, with more than 20% in harder efforts.
The review concluded that “current evidence describes pyramidal and polarized training (80/20) as more effective than threshold training”
If you’re thinking, “I’m not a high-volume elite athlete, so does this even apply to me?”—great question. That’s exactly what we’ll dive into next…
Related: Research-Based Strategies to Avoid Hitting the Wall in Marathon
Does the 80/20 Rule Apply to Low-Mileage Runners?
Absolutely! Research shows that the 80/20 rule can be just as effective for runners clocking low weekly mileage as it is for high-volume athletes. Whether you’re running a few hours per week or piling on 25+ hours, this intensity distribution can enhance your performance.
One study tracked 30 runners logging less than 40 miles per week with 10k times hovering around 40 minutes. Half of them trained using the 80/20 split, while the others stuck with a 50/50 balance between easy and hard efforts.
After 10 weeks, the 50/50 group shaved 3.5% off their 10k times—not bad. But the 80/20 group saw even greater gains, improving by 5% on average. That extra 1.5% may not sound like much, but it translates to 35 seconds off the clock, which can make a big difference on race day.
So now that you’re on board, the next step is figuring out how to apply it to your training. Let’s break that down…
How to Apply 80/20 to Your Training
Applying the 80/20 rule to your running doesn’t require precise calculations—think of it as a flexible guideline rather than a strict formula.
Understand Your Easy Pace:
There’s no one-size-fits-all pace for the 80% easy runs. Your easy pace is unique to you and varies based on your experience and daily factors like sleep, diet, and overall training load. Also, a pace that feels easy one day might feel tough another day.
For some people out there who are regularly going at paces that are too high, running slowly might feel really quite challenging.
To gauge if you’re running slow enough, focus on your breath and heart rate. If you can carry on a conversation without gasping for air, you’re likely in the right zone. On a heart rate monitor, this generally falls into zone 1 or 2.
For more details on pacing, check out our article explaining everything you need to know about paces.
Non-Running Activities:
The 80% low intensity can also include other forms of exercise like cycling or using the elliptical. This is particularly beneficial if you’re recovering from an injury or just want variety in your routine.
20% for High-Intensity Work:
The remaining 20% of your training should focus on high-intensity efforts. This includes interval sessions where your heart rate spikes, and you’re pushing hard enough that conversation becomes difficult.
Keep in mind that recoveries during these high-intensity sessions count toward this 20%. Even though you’re not actively pushing hard, your heart rate remains elevated, contributing to the overall intensity.
To avoid overdoing it, plan your weekly mileage carefully. This helps ensure you’re sticking to the 80/20 balance without accidentally tipping too far into either extreme…
80/20 – Running 3 Times a Week (Distance)
1. Easy Run: 5K (3.1 miles)
Keep this run at a relaxed, conversational pace. This is part of your 80% lower-intensity work.
2. Threshold Intervals: 8K (5 miles)
- Warm-up: 2K (1.25 miles) easy pace
- Main Set: 4K (2.4 miles) at a pace just above your threshold
- Cooldown: 2K (1.25 miles) easy pace
- 4K (2.4 miles) of higher-intensity running, making up 20% of your weekly mileage.
3. Easy Run: 7K (4.35 miles)
- Another easy-paced run to round out your week.
Summary:
- Total Weekly Mileage: 20K (12.4 miles)
- 80% Easy Intensity: 16K (10 miles)
- 20% Higher Intensity: 4K (2.4 miles)
What about if you’re running five times a week? Here’s an example of what that week could look like…
Running 5 Times a Week (Distance)
1. Easy Run: 8K (5 miles)
- Start the week with a relaxed run.
2. Interval Workout:
- Warm-up: 3K (1.85 miles) easy pace
- Main Set: 4 x 1K (0.62 miles) intervals with 500 meters recovery jog between intervals
- Cooldown: 3K (1.85 miles) easy pace
3. Easy Run: 8K (5 miles)
- Another easy-paced run to keep things relaxed.
4. Threshold Run:
- 6K (3.7 miles) at threshold pace
5. Long Easy Run: 16K (10 miles)
- Finish the week with a longer easy-paced run.
Summary:
- Total Weekly Mileage: 50K (31 miles)
- 80% Easy Intensity: 40K (24.85 miles)
- 20% Higher Intensity: 10K (6.2 miles)
Incorporating 80/20 Within Single Workouts
The great thing is even within a single workout, you can apply the 80/20 rule. For example, a long run could be predominantly easy with a few short bursts of higher intensity sprinkled in, or a workout could include intervals followed by a substantial cooldown.
This approach helps ensure you’re balancing intensity and recovery throughout your training, optimizing your performance and reducing the risk of injury.
Now, let’s have a look at an example of someone training for a marathon…
When training for a marathon, you can apply the 80/20 rule by incorporating a mix of easy and high-intensity runs into your weekly plan.
Sample Workout:
- Warm-up: 3K (1.85 miles) at an easy pace
- Main Set: 6 x 800 meters at high intensity (beyond your threshold) with 400-meter recoveries at a lower intensity
- Cooldown: 3K (1.85 miles) at an easy pace
Total Distance: 13.2 kilometers (8.2 miles)
Intensity Breakdown:
- High-Intensity Reps: 6 x 800 meters = 4.8 kilometers (3 miles), approximately 36% of the workout
- Easy Running (Warm-up, Cooldown, Recoveries): 8.4 kilometers (5.2 miles), approximately 64% of the workout
In this session alone, you’re not only taking off a bulk of your hard running for the week, but you’re also taking off a solid part of your easy running. It all adds up!
Now, let’s use time as a metric instead of distance…
80/20 – Running 5 Hours a Week
If you run for five hours a week, that’s 300 minutes, 80% of 300 is 240 or four hours. Here’s how a five-hour week with one hour of moderate or high-intensity training might look.
If you’re running a total of five hours a week, that’s 300 minutes. To adhere to the 80/20 rule, you’ll spend approximately 80% of your time (or 240 minutes) at a low intensity and 20% (or 60 minutes) at moderate to high intensities.
Here’s how you could structure a week:
- Monday: Rest day
- Tuesday:
- 15 minutes low intensity
- 30 minutes moderate intensity
- 15 minutes low intensity
- Wednesday: 45 minutes low intensity
- Thursday: 45 minutes low intensity
- Friday:
- 10 minutes low intensity
- 6 x 5 minutes high intensity (total 30 minutes)
- 2:30 minutes moderate intensity
- 5 minutes low intensity
- Saturday: 30 minutes low intensity
- Sunday: 90 minutes low intensity
Weekly Breakdown:
- Low Intensity: 240 minutes (4 hours)
- Moderate to High Intensity: 60 minutes (1 hour)
As you can see, you’ve still got your long run in there, you’ve got intervals, and a rest day, but it’s all carved up to give you an 80/20 balance between low, moderate, and high-intensity training.
Related: Most Common Marathon Mistakes We Got From 200 Facebook Responses!
Benefits of the 80/20 Running
While no training plan is perfect, sticking to the 80/20 running principle can unlock several key benefits:
- Enhanced Aerobic Capacity:
The 80% of low-intensity training improves your aerobic capacity—essentially how efficiently your body delivers oxygen to power your muscles. This improved aerobic foundation primes you to make the most of the 20% high-intensity sessions, leading to better performance in speed work and races.
- Faster Recovery:
By focusing on easy runs for the bulk of your training, your body recovers more quickly. You’re giving your muscles, joints, and nervous system the time they need to bounce back between hard efforts.
- Safely Increase Mileage:
The 80/20 approach lets you gradually build mileage without overloading your body. By keeping most of your running at low intensity, you can increase your volume without risking burnout or injury.
- Fresher Legs for Speed Work:
Sticking to low intensity for most of your runs ensures your legs are fresh and ready when it’s time to hit those high-intensity sessions. This makes a huge difference when you need to perform during time trials, key workouts, or race day.
- Improved Endurance and Lower Injury Risk:
Running easy most of the time builds your respiratory and muscular endurance, giving you a strong foundation for long-distance events. This steady approach also strengthens bones, ligaments, tendons, and joints, reducing the risk of injury typically associated with running too hard, too often.
- Better Fat Burning:
The low-intensity training in the 80/20 method optimizes your body’s ability to burn fat as a fuel source, an essential skill for distance running.
Related: Fueling Your Run: Top Strategies for Marathon Success!
- Power Gains from High-Intensity Training:
The 20% high-intensity sessions work your fast-twitch muscle fibers, build cardiovascular fitness, and improve your ability to push through tough sections of a race. These sessions are where you get your speed gains and improve your lactate threshold.
However, because high-intensity workouts place a significant strain on your body, it’s crucial to limit them to just 20% of your training—typically once or twice a week—and avoid doing them back-to-back.
Ultimately, studies suggest that the 80/20 rule strikes a perfect balance between adaptation and recovery. Running slower most of the time builds the stamina needed for standout sessions and races, giving you a real shot at setting new personal records.
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Related: What is a Good Cadence for Running?
How to Measure Intensity
You can measure intensity in different ways. You can do heart rate zones, power zones, or RPE (rate of perceived exertion), which is your internal perception of how hard you are working.
With that said, let’s dive into the tally of RPE from one to ten…
- 1-2 (Very Light):
This is the easiest level of exertion, just above complete rest. It feels like gentle movement, like an easy stroll, with no strain or noticeable effort. You could do this all day without breaking a sweat.
- 3-4 (Light):
You’re now moving at a pace that feels sustainable for hours. It’s still quite easy, and you can hold a conversation without any trouble. Think of a relaxed jog or a brisk walk where your breathing is slightly elevated but still comfortable.
- 5 (Moderate):
At this level, you start to push yourself a little bit more. You can feel a slow build-up of fatigue and it’s going to be hard to maintain that for beyond 60 minutes. You’re definitely exercising, but it’s still something you could maintain without needing to stop.
- 6-7 (Moderate to Somewhat Hard):
Now it’s getting more challenging. The pace feels uncomfortable but still sustainable. It’s a tough spot where you’re pushing yourself, but you’re not maxing out. Talking is possible, but you might need to take pauses between sentences.
- 8 (Vigorous):
This is where it becomes really uncomfortable. You’re pushing hard, and your breathing is heavy. You can still talk, but it’s limited to a few words at a time. This is a tough effort you can only hold for shorter bursts, like a race pace.
- 9 (Very Hard):
Breathing becomes labored, and speaking more than a few words feels almost impossible. You’re near your limit and feel like you can’t maintain this effort for long. It’s an all-out push that you can only sustain for a few minutes.
- 10 (Max Effort):
You’re giving everything you’ve got. This is your absolute limit, where continuing feels almost impossible. Talking isn’t an option, and you’re barely hanging on. You can only maintain this level for seconds to a minute, like a final sprint or finishing kick.
Essentially, 80% of your training should feel like a 5 or less on the intensity scale, leaving the remaining 20% for those tougher efforts that push you above a 5 in perceived exertion.
For those out there that use zones, we’re looking at somewhere around zones 1 and 2 for low-intensity efforts and zones 3, 4, and above for moderate to high-intensity.
Here are a few takeaways from today’s article:
- Build a Strong Aerobic Base:
To improve your running performance, focus on logging plenty of slow, easy miles. This solid foundation is crucial for long-term gains.
- Keep Easy Runs Easy:
Resist the urge to speed up during your easy runs, even if it feels like you can push harder. Remember, the purpose of these runs is to keep the intensity low and your legs fresh.
- Run with Purpose:
Each workout should have a clear objective. Sometimes, the goal is simply to stay slow and relaxed, which is just as important as pushing hard on speed days.
- Listen to Your Own Body:
Avoid comparing your pace with others. Instead of chasing someone else’s speed, trust your own perceived effort level and focus on what works best for you.
- Adjust for Your Needs:
The 80/20 rule is a guideline, not a one-size-fits-all formula. If you’re dealing with fatigue or injury, you might need to tweak the intensity ratio to suit your unique situation. Start with 80/20 as your baseline and make adjustments based on how your body responds.
Final Thoughts
The truth is, when it comes to training, planning is only half the battle—it’s your execution that really counts. The 80/20 method is a powerful tool for peak fitness, but it’s important to remember that it’s not meant for year-round application.
During the off-season or when you’re far from race day, dialing back the intensity and focusing on gradual fitness building is usually the smarter move.
While it’s tempting to push hard in every run, consistently running at high intensity can be counterproductive. You risk burnout and fatigue, which can mess up your performance during key sessions and races.
Before you go, have you ever considered how your morning coffee might help you run faster and longer? It’s worth a look—your favorite brew could be more than just a pick-me-up!”
I hope today’s discussion sheds some light on this 80/20 running approach. It’s a lot to take in, but if you’ve got any questions or thoughts, feel free to drop them in the comments below. I’ve used this method myself for years, so I’m more than happy to help out where I can.
Have you tried the 80/20 method? How did it work for you? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your experience.
