I've been sharing recently about my happy obsession with the Peloton app and, specifically, the outdoor running sessions. One of the things I've loved is that I'm learning about pace.

For years (or decades), when I would go for a run, I had exactly one pace: on. I was on or off, running or not running. Using the Peloton app, I've been learning from my fav running partner, Robin Arzon, that I have multiple speeds and how to toggle between them. I've been working on four different paces:

1. easy jog/recovery pace: you can hold a full conversation; totally easy; your warm-up pace

2. marathon pace: a pace you could sustain for hours (this always makes me laugh because I think I would need a chair for that).

3. tempo pace: what Robin calls "comfortably uncomfortable," where you "flirt with the edge." This isn't an all-out sprint, but this is pushing your speed.

4. sprint: full out; empty the tank.

To give even more distinction to the pace, they’re rated according to RPE: rate of perceived exertion with 1 being sitting on your couch and 10 being full out sprint. In terms of RPE: easy jog/recovery is 2-3; marathon is 4-5; tempo is 6-7; and sprint is a 10.

Experimenting with these distinctions, these paces, has transformed my running game and experience. I feel like a smarter runner (even though I'm basically a beginner). I have more control over my effort; more nuance in my running; more capacity and range that I didn't know I had. And way more endurance and speed than I realized.

I've gone from two speeds: on or off to a more sophisticated speed calibration. I can ramp up and ramp down. I can push and recede. I am learning my internal pacing. I'm tuning into my range. I'm discovering when to hold back for the long haul and when to push to the finish line. I'm learning about how to build endurance and speed. I'm exploring how to take my cues not solely from the external circumstances, but from the internal calibration about how to apply the right pace to the job at hand.

Pace doesn't just apply to running (you saw this coming, didn't you?) It's important to develop a keen understanding of pace to meet the race course of work and life.

It's so easy to have a simple on/off switch. The problem is - given the demands of a full life, we're mostly "on" - which is not sustainable.

We're an ecosystem, not a machine. What if we got better at calibrating our effort? What if we had more speeds? This would serve us well, I think, since life is a marathon and not a sprint (as they say).

What would it look like to approach your day with easy/recovery pace; marathon pace; tempo pace; and sprint in mind?

When do you need the easy/recovery pace?

When do you need a marathon pace - something doable over an extended period?

When can you flex your muscle and add some tempo to your efforts?

And when is a sprint called for?

You have all these paces and more... Begin to notice your pace, your RPE - rate of perceived exertion. Play with it. You'll discover that you have many gears - and there are times to exercise restraint in your pace, and other times to empty the tank.

What pace is required of you today? What's today's productive pace?

PS And check out the Peloton Digital app. It’s worth it. Even Consumers’ Advocate agrees. See their review of online personal trainers.