As we all know, there are days when a pace feels easier/harder than others. If we think that x-pace is our ‘easy run pace’ and hold true to that despite how it feels any one day, we’ve started to outsource our intuition and undercut the trust we have in feel.

Running metrics can provide valuable insights into training, but they should support—not replace—how you actually feel. The article explores metrics such as cadence, pace-to-heart-rate decoupling, and perceived exertion, explaining how coaches use them to identify trends, fatigue, efficiency, and injury risk. While technology continues to advance, no data point is more important than listening to your body. Long-term improvement comes from balancing useful metrics with self-a