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Velox · online running coach

Run faster by running easy

Heart-rate zones from your own numbers, not 220 minus age. A plan that fits your week and changes when your life does.

Resting HR: bpm, morning, in bed

How I coach

Drawing of Roman Efimov running at an easy pace in a black T-shirt and shorts
  • 10K best

    36:19

  • My easy cap

    151 bpm

  • Easy last month

    81%

How it works

From your watch data to a plan you can keep.

  1. 01

    Tell me your goal

    Your race, your recent times and the days you can run. One message on Telegram is enough to start.

  2. 02

    Zones from your numbers

    Resting and max heart rate from your watch set your easy cap. Age formulas can be 10 to 20 beats off.

  3. 03

    A plan in minutes and effort

    Mostly easy running, one or two sessions that count, short strength twice a week. Every session has its range.

  4. 04

    Adjusted every week

    Bad night, sore legs, work trip: you tell me, and the hard session moves or gets lighter.

The science behind it

What the research says.

The main rules in my plans come from published studies. These are the ones I lean on most.

  • -1:59

    faster 10K in 10 weeks

    10K2014

    In 10 weeks, a mostly easy plan took recreational runners from 39:18 to 37:19 over 10K.

    Muñoz et al., Int J Sports Physiol Perform

    30 recreational runners. The middle-zone group went 39:24 to 38:00; the gap was not statistically significant.

    Open the study
  • +10%

    one run past your 30-day longest

    Injury2025

    One run more than 10% longer than your longest of the last 30 days was linked to more injuries.

    Frandsen et al., Br J Sports Med

    5,205 runners followed for 18 months.

    Open the study
  • 4 × 8

    minutes, about 90% of max HR

    Intervals2013

    4 × 8 minutes at about 90% of max heart rate beat shorter, harder 4 × 4 for fitness gains.

    Seiler et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports

    35 trained recreational cyclists, 7 weeks. Cyclists, so a guide, not a rule.

    Open the study
  • 80%+

    of max load: the heavy that worked

    Strength2024

    Heavy strength work made running more economical. Moderate weights showed no clear benefit.

    Llanos-Lagos et al., Sports Med

    Meta-analysis of studies with 652 runners.

    Open the study
  • 27

    studies on how hard easy feels

    Easy days2022

    Sessions planned as easy were rated harder by athletes than their coaches intended.

    Inoue et al., Sports Med Open

    27 studies, mostly team sports, very low certainty.

    Open the study
  • Talk

    the no-lab threshold test

    Talk test2022

    The talk test is a valid, no-lab way to estimate your first and second thresholds.

    Bok et al., Sports Med

    Review of the talk test, feeling scale and RPE.

    Open the study

Three ways to train with me.

Message me first. We agree what fits, then I send a payment link.

Draft offers. Confirm the current price and payment method with me before ordering.

Monthly coaching

$79per month

First three runners: $49

I adjust your plan every week to how you actually run, sleep and recover. You can message me any time.

  • Your watch connected through Intervals.icu
  • Sessions sent to your watch
  • A weekly check-in and 80/20 report
Message me

Personal 4-week plan

$59one time

Built around your zones, the days you can run and your race. Two hard days never meet.

Message me

Ready 4-week plan

$29one time

Three versions: 4, 5 or 6 runs a week. You set it with your own zones. PDF, 9 pages.

Message me

Questions runners ask me.

What heart rate should my easy runs be?

Under your resting heart rate plus 70% of your heart-rate reserve (max minus resting). With a resting 55 and a max 185, that is under 146. Check it with the talk test: on an easy run you can speak in full sentences.

Do I need a chest strap?

No. A watch with wrist heart rate is enough to start. On short fast reps heart rate lags behind, so there I use feel and pace as well.

Which watches work?

Any watch that records heart rate: Garmin, COROS, Polar, Suunto or Apple Watch. With coaching I see your runs through Intervals.icu.

How is monthly coaching different from a plan?

A plan is four weeks written once. Coaching changes every week: I read your runs, your sleep and how you feel, and move or lighten sessions when life gets in the way.

How do I pay?

Message me on Telegram first. We agree what fits your goal, and then I send a card payment link.

Curious what your easy pace is?

Two numbers from your watch give you a starting easy ceiling. Your own runs make it exact.

Find my easy heart rate
Illustration: Roman checking his running watch
PDF · 7 pagesFree

My last four weeks, minutes by heart-rate zone

My last four weeks, minutes by heart-rate zone
Week 1Week 1: Easy 285 minWeek 1: Moderate 26 minWeek 1: Hard 15 min325 min88% easyWeek 2Week 2: Easy 207 minWeek 2: Moderate 45 minWeek 2: Hard 28 min279 min74% easyWeek 3Week 3: Easy 243 minWeek 3: Moderate 18 minWeek 3: Hard 29 min290 min84% easyWeek 4Week 4: Easy 237 minWeek 4: Moderate 55 minWeek 4: Hard 10 min302 min78% easy
My last four weeks, minutes by heart-rate zone
WeekEasyModerateHard
1285 min26 min15 min
2207 min45 min28 min
3243 min18 min29 min
4237 min55 min10 min
runs
24
km
229
of the time easy
81%

21.09-18.10.2026. Heart rate from a chest strap.

Get the free plan

My last four weeks of training as a PDF: every session, my heart rate and what I would change.

One email with the plan. No spam.

Follow my runs

Every session on Strava, music and running on Instagram, questions on Telegram.