Not every “hard” workout has to be a killer session. You can sneak in more quality without going to the well by stopping at a track, on a hill, or an obstacle-free stretch of road toward the end of a run and doing a few up-tempo repeats between 200 and 800 meters.

Sure, there will be breakthrough moments that leave us hungry for more—but most of the time, progress in running (like in life) is slow and we learn to embrace and look forward to the process rather than the outcome. It may take a while to learn that lesson, but when we “get it,” everything in life levels up.

Recent research also shows that runners wishing to improve their speed should spend at least 80 per cent of their time at low intensity, so beneficial is it to heart, muscle, skeletal and neurological health.