There’s a temptation we all face sooner or later: choosing the familiar path, the comfortable pace, the routine we know by heart. It’s like always ordering the same dish at a restaurant—you know you like it, no surprises, but after a while, you stop truly savoring it.
The same thing happens in running. You lace up your shoes, head out, press play on your smartwatch, and off you go. Always at the same pace, that rhythm that doesn’t exhaust you but doesn’t push you either. It’s a comfortable, livable compromise, seemingly sustainable forever. It’s your comfort zone, your safe harbor. And unfortunately, nothing new happens there.
The Comfort Zone
Imagine being condemned to relive the same workday repeatedly: the same meetings, the same tasks, the same conversations. At first, you feel secure because you know how to navigate it, but after a while, you become an automaton. Your brain switches to autopilot.
This is what happens when you always run at the same pace. Your GPS always shows that cursed 5:30 per kilometer. Or 6:00, or 4:45. The exact number doesn’t matter; it’s the immutability of that data point. You feel comfortable; you know what to expect; there are no surprises.
The problem is that our body is like an overly zealous employee: if you always give it the same task, it learns it perfectly and optimizes it to perform with the least possible effort. It becomes highly efficient at that single, specific task. But if the goal is to improve, this strategy turns into a dead end.
Why Your Body Stops Improving
Always running at the same pace makes you incredibly good… at running at that pace. And nothing else. It’s as if you’re memorizing for an exam: at a certain point, you stop learning and just repeat. Your heart, your muscles, your nervous system learn not to exert themselves. And so, they stop growing.
Physiology also confirms this: our body improves when subjected to different stimuli. Variability—in pace, intensity, and terrain—is the engine of adaptation.
The Key is Controlled Chaos
If you want your body to change, you have to give it a reason to. And that reason is variety of stimuli. You don’t have to turn every run into an epic of suffering. It’s about introducing a bit of that “controlled chaos” that’s the basis of all true progress.
Think of a recipe you know by heart. If you always prepare it the same way, it becomes routine. But if you occasionally change an ingredient, a spice, or a cooking method, it becomes interesting again. The same applies to running.
Why Varying is Better Than Repeating
- Your aerobic system will thank you: By always running at the same pace, you only train one part of your engine. More sustained tempo sessions, where you gradually increase speed, force your heart and lungs to work at different capacities, becoming more efficient at managing oxygen.
- Awake muscles, strong muscles: Running without pace variations is like always using the same kitchen utensil. Fast, short sessions engage powerful muscle fibers, the ones that give you sprint and reactivity. Long, slow-paced distances, on the other hand, train pure endurance. Only by combining them do you become a complete athlete, like a craftsman who knows all their tools.
- Your mind won’t get bored: Repeating the same thing endlessly is the perfect recipe for boredom. And boredom in running is like rust to iron: it corrodes everything. Varying your workouts, discovering new sensations, and tackling different challenges keeps that spark of curiosity alive that makes you get out of bed early in the morning.
The Art of Running Slow (and Also Fast)
Varying your pace doesn’t just mean “pushing hard.” It also means learning to genuinely slow down. Running slow is an underestimated art, like knowing how to cook a perfect risotto: it seems easy, but it requires patience and technique.
Slow paces help the heart work more efficiently, promote muscle regeneration, and make you more efficient. It’s like learning to drive using less fuel: you still reach your destination, but with less waste.
And then there are quality workouts: intervals and pace variations. All are tools to shake up habit, create small, controlled bursts of stress, and make the body, by adapting, become stronger. More resilient. More ready for anything.
How to Achieve It
You don’t need monumental changes. It’s like renovating a house: you don’t have to tear everything down; just changing a few elements can create a completely different environment.
Instead of always doing 10 km at a constant pace, try doing 8 km one day, including 4-5 one-minute accelerations. Or, another day, increase the distance by a few kilometers but at a much slower pace, like a walk with a friend. If you’re just starting, even just one day a week dedicated to a slightly brisker pace than usual will make a huge difference.
Do It If You’re Bored
If you get bored while running, it doesn’t mean you no longer love running. Perhaps you love your comfort pace too much. The time has come to betray it, surprise it, disguise it. The truth is, running isn’t just measured in kilometers or minutes. It’s measured in stimuli, variations, discoveries. In how much you want to put your shoes on the next day and try something new. Even just to see what happens.
Your body is an incredible machine, designed to adapt and improve. But it needs you to give it a reason to do so. Varying stimuli also means preventing overuse injuries. It’s like distributing weight across multiple shelves instead of piling it all on one: more balanced, safer, more durable.