Let us help you streamline your path to your running goals with 1:1 Coaching, a Training Plan or 1-hour coaching consultation. Learn more here: readysetmarathon.com/run-coaching-services
I've had a similar awakening. Was doing involuntary tempo runs 4x week, plateauing and feeling frustrated. I'm only two weeks in to my Zone 2 training but have already found an intuitive rhythm and now actually look forward to the workout rather than dread it. Each mile is money in the bank accumulating aerobic interest. Thanks for the video.
I struggled to run 5days a week and 50-75km average, since I ran too hard. I plateaued...pushed harder and tore a calf. 3 month recovery, reset, got a coach...who explained I had zero aerobic base...I was all threshold. Nearly 2yrs later, we built up to running 7days a week, averaging over 100km a week. And it was extremely frustrating to run in low Z2....but eventually...I got faster at easy pace. Once I bought it to what my coach was really trying to do....things really took off. Now I look forward to my recovery Z1 runs (2 per week). And my Z2 runs (2 per week) I throw in strides at the end to work on the neuromuscular side of my running to work on form, without adding fatigue. So I'm not stealing effort and energy from my workout days. And I don't need rest days unless my body tells me, or I'm in a taper. I really wish I could started training this way 3 yrs earlier. But that's part of the journey and appreciation of where I'm at today. Keep up the great content, and PSA about needing to train easy to run fast!
The transition, and trust in the process, takes time! You hit the nail on the head and sounds like you had a great coach who was patient and truly wanted the best for you. Really appreciate you sharing your story!
The consistency part is HUGE that I think some people who say zone 2 doesn't work are missing. For most: 4/5 days every week easy, 1 really hard day, week over week, month over month...yes, it works!
I watch all the big name running channels and I gotta say I really like your info and delivery. As an older runner I was getting injured and it delayed progress, I was (am) guilty of all the mistakes you covered. Thanks for the info and taking the time to put together great content.
I really appreciate that and thanks so much for watching! It can be tough to figure out why the nagging injuries keep occurring...we all have opportunities to work on but that's what makes us keeping coming back for more and trying to become the best version of ourselves we can be.
I’m 48 and I used the MAF method way of calculating my zone 2 for a while but I spent a lot of time walking to keep my heart rate between 122 - 132 “especially when warm outside”. I started using the data on my watch to change my range to 125-142. I like the range on my watch and can easily hold a conversation with the range so it’s a pretty good range for me.
Curious how your watch calculated that zone 2 for you? Do you know? Because I find a lot of incorrect data from the watches. But if it's you continue to feel great during the run, recover well and are making progress then sounds like you've found a good spot!
@@runningwithjaneI feel the same, my Garmin and Apple Watch show completely different ranges, but the range on Strava is closer to Apple Watch, Garmin seems a bit lower. I’m very confused, but I ignored Garmin as 2 vs 1, Apple and Strava win😂
After NYC last November I decided to really slow things down and for two months I trained in zone 2 on every run. Because my max heartrate is 177 I needed to stay in the low 120's. This wasn't easy, especially on long runs over 10 miles so I allowed myself to peak at 130 bpm on them. My pace was around 11 minute miles. Then in January I incorporated in one speed session per week but the remainder of my runs where "low and slow" as I called them. At the end if February I started to train for Grandma's Marathon. I still run my recovery runs slow but now can easily keep my heartrate at 121 on a 4-6 mile recovery run. Last weekend I ran 13 miles and averaged 9:55 miles with an average heartrate of 131. That was HUGE improvement in just 4 months of zone 2 training. In fact, all my paces improved. At tempo, threshold, and marathon paces I am able to hold a much lower HR.
I'm not a serious runner - just a weekend trail guy. This video provides such great insight, because I always felt that I had to put in a super intense effort to get any gains; but it was always mentally hard to push myself out the door when I knew I was going to have to suffer through an intense workout. Now that I know that this easier pace is actually better for me, maybe I'll start getting out on the trails more often. Thanks!
That's how I was!! I never ran enough because every run I'd really have to psych myself up because I knew I was going to suffer. Now I enjoy it so much and of course am also able to run high mileage this way. Hope you've already started with some easier runs and are liking it better...and when you do get to run fast you'll start seeing your speed improve, too.
Why did you think you had to do a very intense run every tie you went for a run ? It has been know for decades that training is a mix of some hard intense runs with the rest at an easier pace - it is usually referred to as the 80/20 rule
I agree. Make sure you have a chest strap! I love zone 2. It really does translate into race day performance. My pace is usually 12:12 in zone 2 with my half marathon at a 10:40 pace although not in zone 2. . The half was comfortable for me. No heavy breathing consistent pacing not getting tired.
The chest strap was a game changer. My wrist hr sensor was telling me I was at 180 bpm during a 9 min/mile long run during the freezing cold. Never trusting that nonsense again.
I LOVE Z2 also!! And I also love running really fast on my hard days! I couldn't do the latter without lots of the first. Thank you for reiterating the importance of the chest strap...so far the watches still aren't nearly as reliable. Congrats on a strong half marathon!
I am a new runner and was having a tough time being in zone 2 no matter how slow I was running. Thank you for addressing that for new runners you have to go by feel until you get used to running that prevents your heart rate from spiking.
Yes, I would definitely suggest going by feel initially. If you feel really out of breath take a walk break. And ideally look at your HR after a run. Little by little you will see improvement and then you can start focusing more on training by HR.
If your are new to ignore ignore heart rate running ultil you at least have built a decent level of fitness and endurance - it is not helpful to monitor heart rates unti then and it is really is not mecessary to do heart monitoring at all for running purposes
Hated running my whole life. Didnt run since i left the army until i heard about zone 2. Only running zone 2 and nothing else in already running better than my army days, 10 years older. Its easy and i feel amazing and i love it
Yep, I think this is why most people hate running! Of course some people will never love it and that's ok, but it's not supposed to be a sufferfest all the time! So great to hear you have shifted to lots of easy running and are loving it!
since i have started biking my running has improved. when biking i am normally in a less exhausting state as when running so i guess biking over several hours improved my base fitness quite a bit. as a result i can go harder/faster when running. i dont know the science behind it but it feels right to me.
Biking can have massive upside to running. Some people don't handle the daily running pounding well. But the bike can be used to build tons of aerobic fitness, and still allow for running gains. Some of the strongest runners I know are triathletes who only run 3-4 days a week and relatively low volume, but put in so much time on the bike they develop these massive aerobic engines.
@@runningwithjane what i noticed tho is that my running speed has become slower while focusing more on cycling. I had to do quite a few speed sessions in preparation for my 10miles running race. But i guess base fitness due to cycling helped as i could improve my PB by more than 4 minutes 😳 and that PB is from 2015.
Ran a 14:58 off just zone 2 and strides for most of that year of training..only did 8 track sessions (mainly 200s) in the 2 months leading up to the race. High volume running is really key, go really slow and gets results
I’ve found that the karvonen formula works best for me. If I use 70% of my max heart rate, it’ll be 130 bpm. That is ridiculously low and basically a brisk walk. The karvonen formula allows me to go up to 146 bpm which feels just right. It feels like a 2/10 on the rate of perceived exertion scale and I can carry a conversation while jogging at that heart rate.
Best way is to follow the zone2 training of a cyclist since i have been doing a cycling for almost 7years. I found out now Xtraiining .. i ALWAYS wanted to develop my functional treshhold (ftp) in cycling. And i applied it in jogging and running and its work . I know its different from what other does but its definitel easy for me to do a haf marathon 21km ...
Thanks for the video! I am trying low hr training this year and in the building the base phase. I am trusting the process : >. it will be interesting to see how I feel at my next race.
Yes, yes!! Keep showing up and focus on right now. I would highly recommend at least doing strides or hill strides 1x/ week at a minimum for speed if you aren't already. That will keep speed in the legs while you're building your aerobic engine!!
Thank you for your support of the channel and truly makes me happy to know you look forward to the content so much. Trust me, I wish I could get out more, too - editing is a real time suck for me LOL, at some point would love to outsource that.
Just want to add +1 on the not being able to run consistent back to back days without doing majority zone 2 or easy running. For me that helped build up the foundation but it did eventually have its limits and i found it hard to run faster. After incorporating more hard speed days and longer zone 3/threshold paces it started coming together. Still doing 75 to 80 % of running at easy efforts but found my body needs to be pushed still to make those easy days feel easier and get some spring back in my stride.
We are completely on the same page - I'm definitely not encouraging all easy running when performance is the goal...need to have opportunities to push and suffer to reach your running potential.
I'm three weeks since my marathon, plan to stay around zone 2 for the next five weeks while building back up to the 30 mile week goal. I noticed my first runs back the heart rate easily spiking, I guess still fatigued from the race. Luckily I got a fitbit for Christmas and drastically lowered my training paces while getting good mileage on my pre-marathon block. I found out I was training at 90% heart rate most of the time before getting the monitor. Switched to COROS entirely now. Great content, thanks for taking the time.
It takes me like 5 weeks to feel back to normal after a marathon! So super normal. Love that your Coros is working great for you and awesome job figuring out your zones, etc!
All good advice. I sort of take the zone 2 with a grain of salt. I use a wrist based device so I know the accuracy of it is in question, particularly in cold weather. As a runner in his mid 50s I've found the zones to not really match what I run. UA-camr Ben Parkes had another calculator on the web he used that uses your max and rest heart rate to generate zones. I have found that the zones it generated were far more generous for older runners and matched almost exactly my easy pace runs as matched by the MacMillan charts. I think I'd have to get a lab test to really accurately calculate my zones but I think what I am doing now seems to be working for me. My easy runs are definitely more easy and I find I can still smash the harder sessions. I enjoyed your video and your training advice.
That's wonderful!! I absolutely believe RPE works great for some people. I trained pretty religiously with my HRM for a year but now I typically go by RPE because I was able to dial that in during that year and align those 2 things. If you're not getting injured, you're loving your running and hitting the hard days, sounds like you're doing amazing.
@@runningwithjane thanks. Yes it was an adjustment. I had to drop my pace by about a minute versus 18 months ago. I've seen some improvements , my injury rate is down and I am way more consistent than I have ever been in doing harder sessions. I am about to run 6 to 7 times a week as well and keep my mileage around 35 to 45 per week
Recently had laser treatment on my prostate I was able to ask nurse to set her heart rate and blood pressure machinery correctly using my refurb Garmin 45 so they are not that far out. Mine was spot when she got her machine set up properly.
I'm about 30lbs overweight, but still very muscular. Broke my ribs last year followed by covid which led to fat gain, and haven't been focused on losing it until recently. I have to use a treadmill and adjust the incline while briskly walking in order maintain my zone 2. Probably going to be like that for a while until I recondition my cardio fitness or until I lose the extra bodyfat lol.
Great job prioritizing your health! Walking on an incline is great for you and yes, that will be zone 2 for people for awhile as they get started on a running journey. Little run bouts - slow for even 30 seconds - will help you increase that aerobic endurance, too (don't worry if your HR goes out of zone 2 for this part). Little by little you'll be able to run for longer and ultimately stay in zone 2 doing it. Stick with it - you should be so proud of yourself!
Just fyi for those getting started woth zone two. Just know there is no "one" Zone 2. There are different zone 2's based on the metric you use. For example, most exercise lab studies use a three zone ventilary model where what most people think of zone 2 would actually be the 1st ventilary threshold. You also have zones based on lactate thresholds HR which use a % of your lactate threshold heart rate to find your herat rate zones. Theres also zone 2 that are calculated by actualy physically checking to see what output as measured by power that you reach a blood lactate of just below 2 mmol per kg of body weight. This video talks about finding zone 2 by % of maximum HR. There are other methods as well such as the Karvonen method, etc.. Just giving this PSA for anyone who watches a different video that talks about zone 2 but doesnt define it the same. For most amateur atheletes there are studies that show the best coorealtion to true lactate zone 2 is the talk test or perceived effort. This means if your HR is elevated due to environmental factors but it still feels easy enough to hold a converstion you are good to proceed without slowing down!
Thanks for the extra info! I agree many get too hyperfocused on perfect numbers, when really it's more about being in the right realm and then also connecting that to effort.
As always great information. One thing I would love to hear your thoughts on is running in the heat. I live in Texas and right now I can nail Zone 2. But come June when it's 115 degrees, just walking gets me into Zone 2. Is there some adjustment to be made for heat and humidity? Do we shift to perceived exertion or tempo? You're the most credible running coach on UA-cam.
I have asked this question on every running channel by now. I live in the Caribbean and heat and humidity is my daily bread, every day of the year. But alas no one has broached this subject for runners who do not live in temperate climates. I understand these channels are from people from Europe or the US. So my quest continues. Edited to add that she is indeed the best coach because her advice is not just for young, super fit runners but also for slow middle aged farts like myself.
Hi Michael! Well first, let me say I can empathize. I truly don't know how you Texas/hot & humid climate people do it!! What I don't want is people thinking from this video that it's stay in zone 2 or else. To me it's really about doing the best you can. I see some people SO far outside of where their easy pace should be that I know how much training by HR can help them. I also see people making a big effort to shift to easy and if it's in the ballpark they're typically doing just fine. Most of all, I'd just say be honest with yourself that you're trying to keep your breathing/HR down, take walk breaks if/when you need to w/o feeling bad about it and that's your best bet for thriving through the hot running. Consistency will still ALWAYS be most important, so I want you out there doing what you can. And thank you for the kindest comment - I'm so happy to know the advice is helpful for you!
Yolanda, hope my comment back to Michael helps you as well. I have an athlete from Indonesia and it's definitely a different ballgame for you runners whose reality is always this weather. Slow down as much as you can to keep it feeling as easy as you can, but ultimately do the best you can and don't let not seeing zone 2 keep you from getting out there and doing the thing. Sounds like you're doing great. Thank you so much for "best coach" comment...you guys made my day.🥰
Thank you Jane for this reply. It does help. I run very slowly (almost 14 min per mile) and it feels easy. However my HR mostly ends up lower 3, ocasionally very high 2 but sometimes very high 3 too. So then I’m panicking that I’m still running too hard and I’m messing my training with zone 3, which some UA-cam coaches say is useless. I try to keep the same slow speed for my easy runs but I have started to do some speedwork and I can even speed up at the end of my long runs, I still have some gas in the tank to kick it up the last kilometer or two.
Interesting. I just learned I still cannot run in zone 2, but will be in zone 3 even when I run just slightly faster than powerwalking. But I am sure I soon will make it with more training and weightloss. And I just got a Forerunner 55 so this will help me to run in right pace!
@@runningwithjane Thanks Jane! I understand I earlier have made some big mistakes. I have started training in a too high pace and "hit the wall" completely exhausted. And I didn't understand why, because I didn't think I was running very fast. Maybe my mind was still set on the pace I could do 25 years and 15 kg less ago. And I'm 50+ now without having worked out like I did when I was younger. The heart rate monitor has given me valuable information: Even though I didn't think I was running too fast, the heart rate easily went up to +160 on a flat. And on every uphill I probably beat the maximum heart rate. Resulting in completely exhausting already on a 2 km run. But when I recently tried to run at a slower pace (even though it was still a bit above zone 2) I ran 3km and felt like I could continue another 3km without a problem! This is getting fun!
Good information in general in this video, but why don't you use the Karvonen formula for calculating the heartrate-zones? The zones should be calculated on the basis of Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) i.e. Max HR- Resting HR, not on the basis of the Max HR.
Lots of different ways to calculate...definitely no one perfect formula and likely the numbers will still be a bit give or take. Getting in the right ballpark is what's important.
@@runningwithjane I think Karvonen is better for sure. I've been watching lots of videos on the subject since seeing the vast differences in heart rates between my wife and daughter and I. We have very different exercise histories and fitness levels. I'm more winded at 120bpm than my wife is at 150bpm for example. I exercise at more than twice the speed of my 19 year old daughter at 120bpm vs. 150bpm. My resting heart rate is over 30 beats per minute lower than theirs. Note, I'm 80 pounds overweight and look totally out of shape, but in my 20's I hiked over 10K miles at altitude with a heavy backpack! I think that explains a lot of these differences.
according to the hunt method , my zone 2 is 128 bpm, that's practically brisk walking to me . i can run very comfortably and easily at about 140-145bpm, this being not awkwardly slow and not painfully fast. im very lost .
If you're newer to running, that's normal. Don't worry so much about zone 2 if that's the case and work on building your endurance for how long you can run for. If you are more experienced and this is the case, walk breaks are totally fine to bring down HR and of course heat and hills would also be a factor.
It's a little off topic, but I found another important factor is a sufficient iron supply and I think a woman's demand is rather higher than a man's! I remember 2017 when started running again and expected to raise my distance like I did years before but after a month I was not able to run more than a 5km. I was stuck until I supplemented iron 100mg/day for about 2 weeks then I went to 10km, 15km and 20 like I was doing some years ago! At short term you will generate red blood cells, and at the long term myoglobin. But not take iron all the time, there's risk of overloaing the body. But I think that it would help many people and maybe most don't have it on the map.
@@runningwithjane you then need to check ferritine and another iron transferring protein plus hemoglobin. I did so after two weeks of supplementation and it was still a little low, very low normal range. In times of intense workout I often used to supplement iron and I felt some gains at the next week's session like there is much better oxygen supply.
Over the past few years I have gone back and forth on "Zone 2" running. I implemented it into a marathon training block and found that all it really did was teach me to run slower. I bought into a plan and followed it exactly. My "Zone 2" long runs were capped at 3 hours. That meant my longest "long run" in marathon training was 16 miles since that is what "Zone 2" allowed. Since focusing more on running slower, I feel like I have lost minutes off my mile times. If you are supposed to run 80% at zone 2 and you run 5 out of 7 days, that leaves 1 day for any kind of speed work. Afraid I am just not understanding, or seeing the "run slower to get fast" working for me.
You can add some "efforts" at the end of your Zone 2 runs (strides etc). Iñigo San-Millán the guru on Zone 2 does this himself, hill climbs at the end of his cycling rides. He explains that you've received the Zone 2 benefits in the first 60-90 etc minutes. Then hit it at the end of the run.
Yeah, I'm not big on Zone 2. I like simulating the grind you will feel in a hard effort. The only thing Zone 2 is good for is keeping your base up without injury risk.... but everyone is touting it, so there must be something to it. I found that when I increased my hard efforts or inserted 3/1 long runs, I really got better and learned to embrace the fatigue and thrive during it. But I'm still relatively new to running and learning as I go. 🤷♂️
I agree with these comments regarding Zone 2. In my running club, it’s not difficult to find runners using MAF and Zone 2 “run easy to run fast”; it is difficult to find runners who push their hard days hard enough.
Hi! I totally understand this. So I have a lot of thoughts here beyond a YT comment, but if you were experienced going into that block, you should have not just been doing zone 2 IMO. And if you were truly doing zone 2, not going past 3 hours in the long run was a missed opportunity. Without knowing all the details of your level and consistency here's my general recommendation: 3 easy days (truly zone 2), 1 hard day with a Z2 warm-up and easy CD (may not get down to Z2 that's OK) - I'm talking get uncomfortable on this hard day, long run day and layer in pace work at or a bit faster than race pace. ALL your easy miles count toward the percentage even if they are on the hard days.
I was in 11:30 to 12 range pace last year. Coming out of injury and after 4 months rest, now I’m at 13+ minute pace. If I end up doing zone 2, I will have to walk not run. Do I still need to do zone 2 for a while? In your experience how long it takes to see improvements?
I'm so sorry to hear about your injury and needing to take 4 months off. I know that's frustrating. Normal that you are slower than you were and don't worry, you will be back to where you were soon!! I would take the recommendation I gave to beginners - don't worry about HR training right now. Just get back into a routine and take a walk break when you feel your breathing/HR pick up. When you feel you're back to a solid routine, etc. THEN zone 2 training will be really helpful.
If you can't jog in Zone 2, there might be another factor like you're just really unfit or are drinking coffee pre-run? Why not try a few minutes jog and twenty seconds walk? And gradually phase out the walk? I started Zone 2 in 6:10/km pace and had to drop down to a walk half a dozen times over a 60 mins run. But after only three runs my heart adjusted and I don't need to walk now.
isn't better to do threshold test provided by garmin or 30min all out run (take last 20min avg heart rate) and then make zones based on lactate threshold heart rate? Getting max HR is very very difficult.
Their guided lactate threshold test is great also! Bottom line is I just want people who are doing HR training to be doing better than just 220-age and wrist-based monitoring. I'm all about just get a chest strap, choose a field test of sorts and then you can feel good about your zones.
Great and fascinating stuff. I checked your formula and it gets exactly to what Garmin finds as my zone 2 upper limit. Looking back the last 4-6 easy runs, my average is below that, but I still clocked significant time above. However, that's assuming a 70% limit. If I give it a 75% wiggle room, all of my time (except the odd minute per workout on inclines) is below the 75%. I just realized that I am giving myself a pat on the back, which makes this not really an ethical post. However, looking at other stats available thanks to the Garmin strap (vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc.), if I get slower to stay within 70%, I am often dropping a lot in terms of efficiency. Another pat on my back? I'll take the 75% wiggle room :-)
This is where the confusion lies for me...there are a lot of running channels that define zone2 as 60-70% of HRR (heart rate range). For me that number is significantly higher than 60-70% of max HR. I am easily able to stay in zone 2 defined by hrr while it would be impossible for me to run more than 5 mins in zone2 defined my max HR. Comments??
There is obviously some subjectivity because some people say 60-70 of max and others say 70-80 of max. Ultimately it's not exact by any means - if my athletes are staying under about 75% of max I feel good about what they are doing. I'm looking at the whole picture...are they able to maintain that on an easy long run to the end? Are they recovering well? Are they making progress? Does if FEEL easy? This matters the most, so don't get too caught up in the specific numbers.
It would really help if trainers could tell us what gains to expect in the short term so we can stick with it in the months necessary for zone 2 training to work. Most advice is usually "keep at it, we know you get frustrated, you just have to have faith" and that's just too much to ask in my opinion.
Well, you can build your aerobic capacity for years, decades even. Lots of zone 2 leads to the ability to run more volume leads to consistency over time leads to building a massive aerobic base. Good things take time; if you have big goals, you have to also do the stuff you don't necessarily want to do. (Also I'm not encouraging people to only do zone 2 - we have all of our athletes beyond the beginner level doing a split of around 80/20 as I mentioned.)
I disagree on that there is no downside to zone 2 running. The one glaring thing is, that you will need to spend a lot of time running. Lets say your baseline is three 10k hard runs a week. Since zone 2 runs are a lot less effort for your body, you cant just switch to three 10k zone 2 runs and call it a day. You either have to up your mileage per run (by a significant amount), or do more runs per week. And that is just to get on the same level of gains to your previous hard runs. If you want to improve, you have to run even longer/more. And since your pace will be very slow, your runs will take EVEN LONGER still. I'd love to see a study that shows the breakeven point of how much longer timewise or how many more miles you'd have to run in zone 2 compared to harder runs, for a switch to even make sense. I've watched a lot of videos from zone 2 enthusiasts, and what i'm always missing is the fact that running like this only make sense if you're planning on running at least five times a week, or if you're only doing very long runs each time. And that's just not feasible for pretty much anyone but the most dedicated.
Honest question - what are you training for that you are running 3 x 10k per week? And what's your goal with that? If you want to race closer to your potential, you need to run more than 18 mpw. And that's really who I'm talking to here with zone 2 - anyone working toward improving/getting faster in endurance running. At a minimum I recommend getting to 30 mpw and that's just for the shorter distances. Here's an article you might find helpful though: run.outsideonline.com/training/getting-started/does-the-80-20-rule-apply-to-low-mileage-runners/
I have tested my heart rate zones in lab and I feel like the zones are too low and easy. Zone1-2 are good for recovery, zone3 for basic endurance gains, zone4 for advanced running and zone5 for vo2max and racing.
Very dependent on what your training looks like. Higher volume typically going to need a lot of time spent in zone 2 in order to recover well. And you'll be able to go harder on the speed days.
Age formulas for a maximum heart rate can be _way_ off. I'd read that it's off for about 35% of the population, and off double digits for about 10% of the population. When I did a field test that I found on the Polar website at the age of 41, the 220-age would have suggested a max of 179, and 211-0.7×age would have suggested 182, but mine ended up being 199. On the other end, Hal Higdon said that his max was about 25 lower than his age would have suggested. At 60, his was 135. Using the age formula, that would have suggested a Zone 2 of 83% of his maximum heart rate, and trying to get to the rate for a VO2 max interval would have killed him.
Field test will always be way better, yes. Using a chest strap to determine will always be the best way to measure as well. (Outside of doing this in the lab, obviously).
Am I correct to assume that, in order for zone 2 training to be useful, you need to actually put in the extra miles per week that it enables? In an extreme example, I assume that if you only have time for one 1h run per week, you might as well do a high intensity run.
Hi, yes, this is essentially for performance endurance training. Which increasing volume is a big piece. If you're only doing 1 run per week you're probably not looking to improve as an endurance runner (and you won't for long). 1 hour of easy running can still be incredible valuable for health. 1-hour of easy running could be a good supplement to cyclist who want XT. So I guess it's important to determine what your goal is with your running.
Hi Sean!! So once you find your HR Max you can find all of your zones. Here are the pace zones (these are all percent of max): Zone 1 Very light 50-60% Zone 2 Light 60-70/75% Zone 3 Moderate 70/75-80% Zone 4 Hard 80-90% Zone 5 Maximum 90-100%
Hi Jenny! So, this is so hard to say since it depends on different individual factors. But if you are really consistent at 4-5x/week month over month, and you are newer to training appropriately/consistently, you should see the gains come pretty quickly. I highly recommend the "keep showing up" mentality and focusing more on the process, less on the outcome and the gains will absolutely come!
I run about 15-20 miles a week in 2-3 runs. Started trying zone 2/slow running for past 1 year. By the math I should run below 140bpm.. but that was mostly walking , so I tried running slow with a 150 bpm limit. also added regular brisk walks that are in my actual zone 2. A whole year and now I can run at same slow pace at 145bpm.. will keep trying this until I can run below 140bpm. Sticking to this as it does make it easier to recover and I feel improvement in general running and health. Question I have is can you do zone 2 training through walks? It is more fun to walk fast to stay in zone 2 , rather than trying while running. Atleast for someone starting this like me.
Hey there! You're doing great! A way you can improve even more is to up your weekly mileage. If you can commit to running 4 days a week or doing 3 days/week with a longer run this will make a difference. But if it's just for overall health, that's awesome and keep it up!
I am curious about zone 2 -- there has to be a lower and upper echelon of the zone. I wonder if I could stay in the lower zone 2 HR and still achieve the desired aerobic base as the upper echelon
i just run crazy hard and see where my HR peaks lol. Honestly my MAX MAX is probably 3-5 beats per minute faster than even a full send effort up a hill, but like your video said, that's probably "good enough" for rough training zones
Thanks for the video. I really struggle with Z2 at age 66. I have been running for several years and routinely would find if i really maxed out a run in a 5km race my HR might head over 170-175. However according to the formula my Max HR should be 169 and my Z2 around 120 which for me would feel very slow as i reach this HR quite quickly on any run. Indeed on my club runs in the easiest (slowest) pace group i chat away running with HR at 135-140. Does Z2 measurements really work for the older runner?
Thank you for your video. Is the 75-90% Zone 2 training also recommended for half marathon training? I am using the Runna app and the training is 55-60% Zone 2.
Yes, also for half training. I'd try to bump up that zone 2 to at least 70%. Just FYI easy warm-up and cool-down miles also count for zone 2 even if it's a speed day.
Nice informative vid .. I’ve been running about 2 decades and almost always was running my easy runs ( too fast apparently) 🥴 running by feel not recommended 😂 you think you run slower but actually you on zone 3 .. so I’ve been running the last two months with heart rate strap and keeping it really on zone 2 .. and it’s much better overall feel to my legs and my general fatigue 🙏
In most cases of people just getting started with this without direction, you're correct, most people are running in zone 3. Not getting the maximum benefit and putting them at risk for injury. So glad you made the adjustment and are noticing a difference in how you feel!!
I a 67 and dont know any runner who actually though they had to run hard in every run - it has been known for decades that weekly runs should be a mix of fast hard runs and slower easier runs.And amateur runners absolutely do not need to measure their heart rate and most runners who do dont even know hot to accurately measure their heart rate and that measiring would need to be done periodically.
I've worked with many runners and there are A LOT of people who think you should run fast all the time. This comes from an (American at least) culture of "rise and grind." People start out doing something like fasted HIIT and cardio and then transition to endurance running and don't understand that the training is completely different.
@@runningwithjane Nobody in 2024 could be that stupid...Athletes have never before have had such easy access to advice and expert advice. And runners in endurance sport especially know that they cant run fastest all the time not when it comes to training
Would it be a bad idea to do ONLY zone 2 training during the “off season”? I have about two months in between my 10k race and starting half marathon training. I also, would like to lose a little more baby weight during that time so that I don’t have to worry about that so much when the time comes to train. I have grown to really appreciate the long slow distance for several reasons, do you think it’s a must to incorporate strides and hills and the like if I’m not training for a race? Thank you for these videos!
Also I would like to add my experience with zone 2. I have started doing, I guess, my own version of zone 2 running- I am getting back into running after about three years and so I’m basically a beginner as much as I hate to admit that. Basically i noticed my hr for every run was very consistently in the upper 150s, which i believe is zone 5!? 😅even though I felt great. The past couple of weeks I have been slowing down and shooting for hr of 140, which is still zone 3 for me but I would be walking if I went any slower at 13/mile pace. Even though it’s not perfect I still have seen a good deal of improvement, my pace is slowly increasing as my hr stays on goal and I am seeing more time in zone 2 with the same effort. The best thing is, after a long run I’m not completely spent. I can continue my day without feeling super tired, hungry, and stiff and actually have energy to enjoy the rest of my Saturday.
Curious which Zone 2 you use for HR. I use a COROS watch (think you do too?) and you can choose zones based on Max HR, Threshold HR and HR Reserve and each is quite different. Ive been using the Threshold HR Zone 2 and that has me close to 20 beats over the Max HR Zone 2 (i.e. 135-155bpm versus 115-135bpm).
Hmm, 20 beats difference doesn't seem right. I would really start paying attention to feel on these and make the connection btwn what actually feels easy. I use a Garmin. I did my max HR test with a Polar HR strap. I set my zone manually from there.
Around 75-85% of your total volume. So if you're running 40 miles per week, then around 30-33 should be easy. With 4 runs per week you'd do 2 easy runs, 1 hard run, and 1 long run. The easy paced warm-up and cool-down miles on a speed day will count toward your overall easy mileage.
how di you calculate your zone 2? its automatic in garmin watch or did you add it manually? my zone 2 in garmin watch is 109-126bpm im 38 yrs old, its super low compare to your zone 2.
Hi there! My max HR is 185 so the top of my zone 2 is 139. I manually set these in Garmin in settings. At 38, 126 for top of zone 2 would be really low. But you really need to know your threshold or max HR to figure out your zone 2 range. At 38 it would make sense for top of your zone 2 to be closer to 140, but not everyone will be the same.
@runningwithjane I'm using the MyZone Switch heartrate monitor. Not sure my true max heartrate, MyZone has clocked it at 200. And I've been running for about 3 months now.
None of the zone 2 formulas are accurate for me. I have regularly hit 180+ just doing intervals and I recently hit 196 bpm on a 5k even though I didn't fully push myself to the max since it was really prep for a half miler. As a 44 year old male do I just have an abnormally high heart rate?
There absolutely outliers who may have an abnormally high HR. I would double check that the 196 wasn't a fluke spike because that can happen...you can do this by checking your HR graph (such as in the Garmin app)...if it stayed level at 196 or right in that mid 190s range for several min. at the end of your 5k it's probably right. Only way you could know for sure is getting tested in a lab though and I'd definitely be using a chest strap to know for sure. (Also I have seen Apple watches get this very wrong so I would never trust an Apple watch LOL in case that's what you have)
@runningwithjane This was a 5k that went over a bridge over the intercoastal waterway both ways since it was out and back. That definitely helped to raise my heart rate. It was 189 around the halfway point and over 190 for the last mile or so.
If this is allowing you to reach your goals in your running whether it be finishing races, getting PRs or just running for joy, then that's great!! There's no one perfect way.
Hi! Great to take walk breaks if you can't keep your HR in zone 2; but 12:30-13:30 running pace can definitely be doable with practice. This video may help: ua-cam.com/video/2g-0DSScznU/v-deo.html
Hi! Don’t stay in zone 2 for race day. Depends on what race you’re running and you’re level…beginner marathoner may be in z3, experienced marathoner going from z3-z5, and 5k will have a lot in zone 5. I don’t usually have athletes pay attention to hr during a race though unless they are very experienced using it and have a chest strap.
People should make it a think never to concider informing about those 2 formulas. It does not matter, that it fits 80% of everybody if people do not know if they are within th 80%. If you need to train with heart rate, you have to do a max test - otherwise just go by feel. Running by feel is quite OK - but don't inform about those flawed formulas. -it's only a disservice to everybody.
IMO, at least using the formulas puts people headed in the right direction. Maybe you've been running "easy" runs up to 150 and then you find out from a formula that your zone 2 should top out at 135. Eye opening, so you start to slow down. And no harm no foul if that actually ends up being slower than necessary...unless you're elite level it's very rare that someone will be running and NOT be in the low zone 2. The benefits will come just the same. And I made it clear they were flawed and what I recommend that's better.
DONT USE THESE FORMULAS! You either are going to run too slow or still too fast. It is easier and better to do some runs and try to stay within 180-190W (Apple Watch). Then check what your heart rate average is with this output.
That's not true for everyone - the formulas are actually a good starting point for most people to be in the right realm. In general should be used as a guide and alongside RPE and not the end all be all.
Most sources say 60-70. But yes, there is certainly conflicting information. I'm comfortable with athletes hovering at 75% or lower. Err on the side of slower to reduce injury and to be able to go really hard on the hard days.
Zone 2 is a bad idea for new runners, because they change form runners to walkers and lose interest in running. Better is zone 3 (aerobic) when you feel that you run. Zone 2 is a good idea for advanced or intermediate runners because they have lowered HR.
It doesn't work for me, I do the other way, 20% easy 20% tempo 40% threshold 10% tempo and 10% easy, every threshold i try to break my limit little bit. I get faster and faster, and tempo became easy run for me. Everyone is not the same. Thank you for sharing.
How many times will the “experts” say people “just run in zone 2 and you will beat your PBs”(actually not)? You must do speed-works to improve your VO2max, you must do tempo runs to improve your lactate threshold. Obviously you must do works in zone 2 to improve your endurance and heart capacity as well.
Hi there - I didn't say to only run in zone 2. Specifically stated that 75-90% of total volume should be in zone 2. The rest should be in zone 4/5 typically.
I don't understand why you would use a formular to calculate max heart rate. The formulars are all based on population averages and can be wildly inaccurate for individuals (for me the suggested formula is 10% off). If you want to know your max HR why not just do a running test?
@@runningwithjane nope it is 70-80. Do more research. I did it too. Most articles did it wrong too. A small hint: Maximum Heartrate and Heartrate Reserve.
What I find confusing, is all the definitions of zone 2 out there. I like your definition because it is easy, I can sustain it for sure, so I want to believe you! However, I did a vo2max stress test and my zone 2 came up between 76% and 82% of heart rate max. Aerobic threshold at 82%, anaerobic threshold at 90% of max heart rate. According to them, my zone ONE only STARTS at 68% of max heart rate. They advised me to run middle of zone 2 "for them" in my easy runs, or right around 79% of max heart rate. But such an effort level beats me up. Can I really train at 60% and make gains? They told me it's like I'm not running below 68% effort. The thing is, 79% effort doesn't feel easy. Yes, it's slower than my marathon race pace, but that doesn't make it easy. On the other hand, 60-65% effort is the pace I default to when exhausted (e. g. Active recovery between hard interval sessions). So if I go by feel, your method is right. But it does mess up my mind that it's completely outside their calculations. What do you think?
At their (the people who tell you that 76-82%) zone 2, can you hold a conversation? If you can’t, then it’s too hard. How did they measure your max? If the max is flawed then it will flaw everything else
@@peterreynolds5788 Yes I can hold a conversation. This was a stress test on a treadmill with a breathing mask on, a heart rate strap, and lactate measurements. It was accurate I think, even conservative since two months later I managed to hold the measured VO2max speed over a 5k (16min05sec), which either means I improved in two months or they got it slightly wrong, as you can't normally hold your VO2max for 16min. I know that I am still in endurance at that effort both from the lab test and by how I feel. Cardiovasculary, I am OK. My measured aerobic threshold (82% of heart rate max) is still around 1min slower than my 5k pace, so I don't think it was inaccurate. What I meant to say is that zone 2 recommendations vary SO MUCH: we hear "60-70% of max heart rate", "60-70% but of heart rate reserve", "actually it's 70-80%", "yes, 70-80% but of heart rate reserve", "80% of threshold heart rate maximum", etc. Even Fitzgerald which she cites regularly recommends endurance runs at 70-80% of heart rate RESERVE. In fact 70% of my heart rate reserve is exactly the middle of my measured zone 2 from the lab (78% of max heart rate). Where I "struggle" at these effort levels is not in terms of my breathing, but more in terms of susceptibility to injury. It takes a bigger toll on the body. I become more prone to injury. Yet many authors recommend these higher effort levels for zone 2. Even Iñigo San-Millan, a foremost expert on the topic, recommends running / cycling in "zone 2" closer to the aerobic threshold for max benefits. He says, below 70%, the benefits are much smaller. Yet at these intensities, I can't sustain higher mileage weeks and feel on the brink of injury all the time. Hence my question: is it really beneficial at 60%? One theory is that you need to slow down as you get better. Right now, I am de conditioned after an 8-month injury. It feels easier on my muscles, tendons and ligaments to run at 75% effort right now (let's say 5'20 per km) compared to running at 65% effort back when I was in shape (around 5'10/km back then at that effort/heart rate). I might feel a bit more out of breath right now at 75% effort, but, as I am de conditioned cardio-vascularly, my muscles and tendons are actually producing less force.
@@peterreynolds5788 I answered but my comment was deleted, strange. To make a long story short: yes it was accurate. 78% effort is easy-ish on the lungs but not so much on the tendons and muscles, especially when I am in top shape. Then I get close to 4min/km at that middle zone 2 effort (5k PB in 16min05sec). Running big mileage at that 4min/km speed is hard on the tendons and muscles even though it is technically below my ventilory threshold. Hence my question : is 60% effort really productive? Some experts like Iñigo San-Millan don't recommend dropping below 70% effort, and advise staying close to the aerobic threshold.
Of course, I can hold a conversation. It's not hard as in I am struggle to breathe. It's hard as in too fast. In top shape, I can hold 3'10/km on 5km, so running at 4'10/km is not hard on the lungs, but it is hard on the body!
Well not just LSD, around 80% of weekly volume. Definitely not claiming that it's earth-shattering news...just that most people don't do it and wonder why they can't make progress.
The more you run, the lower your HR will get at any speed. If you can't run in zone 2 yet, that's OK, better to focus on just getting in time on feet and extending that amount of time you can run. You can run until you really feel your HR spiking, take a walk break, and then go again.
I can’t get behind that definition of zone two. 70% of your max heart rate, my max heart rate at 37 years old is 183 bpm. 70% of that is less than 130 bpm. It is not possible for me to even walk fast and keep my heart rate under 130 bpm. I’m in reasonably decent shape
If you're newer to running, jog for as long as you can until you really start to feel your breathing increase, then take a walk break. Over time you'll be able to increase how long you can comfortably run. There should be less concern on maintaining the perfect HR at that point in your journey.
Been doing zone two for more than 7 years and even I can admit it's complete garbage . 100% a trend and over hyped. It's not worth the frustration and stress. It can discourage people from running because it's an awful roller coaster. There's a million different reasons why your heart rate can go ballistic and running tech is not completely accurate. The assumption is that cardiovascular is exactly the same and operates like clockwork... hellllll no. Just because it works for you, doesn't mean it'll work for everyone. Just go out there and run, enjoy it. Fuck the numbers and the data, you will build aerobic base no matter what if you're consistant. People like you spread this stuff like it's the be-all end-all of training methods, it's not.
Let us help you streamline your path to your running goals with 1:1 Coaching, a Training Plan or 1-hour coaching consultation. Learn more here: readysetmarathon.com/run-coaching-services
I've had a similar awakening. Was doing involuntary tempo runs 4x week, plateauing and feeling frustrated. I'm only two weeks in to my Zone 2 training but have already found an intuitive rhythm and now actually look forward to the workout rather than dread it. Each mile is money in the bank accumulating aerobic interest. Thanks for the video.
YESSS! This is what it's all about.
I struggled to run 5days a week and 50-75km average, since I ran too hard. I plateaued...pushed harder and tore a calf. 3 month recovery, reset, got a coach...who explained I had zero aerobic base...I was all threshold. Nearly 2yrs later, we built up to running 7days a week, averaging over 100km a week. And it was extremely frustrating to run in low Z2....but eventually...I got faster at easy pace. Once I bought it to what my coach was really trying to do....things really took off. Now I look forward to my recovery Z1 runs (2 per week). And my Z2 runs (2 per week) I throw in strides at the end to work on the neuromuscular side of my running to work on form, without adding fatigue. So I'm not stealing effort and energy from my workout days. And I don't need rest days unless my body tells me, or I'm in a taper. I really wish I could started training this way 3 yrs earlier. But that's part of the journey and appreciation of where I'm at today.
Keep up the great content, and PSA about needing to train easy to run fast!
The transition, and trust in the process, takes time! You hit the nail on the head and sounds like you had a great coach who was patient and truly wanted the best for you. Really appreciate you sharing your story!
Takes time and higher mileage, but it works. Consistency and volume are easy when keeping the hr low.
The consistency part is HUGE that I think some people who say zone 2 doesn't work are missing. For most: 4/5 days every week easy, 1 really hard day, week over week, month over month...yes, it works!
I watch all the big name running channels and I gotta say I really like your info and delivery.
As an older runner I was getting injured and it delayed progress, I was (am) guilty of all the mistakes you covered.
Thanks for the info and taking the time to put together great content.
I really appreciate that and thanks so much for watching! It can be tough to figure out why the nagging injuries keep occurring...we all have opportunities to work on but that's what makes us keeping coming back for more and trying to become the best version of ourselves we can be.
I’m 48 and I used the MAF method way of calculating my zone 2 for a while but I spent a lot of time walking to keep my heart rate between 122 - 132 “especially when warm outside”. I started using the data on my watch to change my range to 125-142. I like the range on my watch and can easily hold a conversation with the range so it’s a pretty good range for me.
Curious how your watch calculated that zone 2 for you? Do you know? Because I find a lot of incorrect data from the watches. But if it's you continue to feel great during the run, recover well and are making progress then sounds like you've found a good spot!
@@runningwithjaneI feel the same, my Garmin and Apple Watch show completely different ranges, but the range on Strava is closer to Apple Watch, Garmin seems a bit lower. I’m very confused, but I ignored Garmin as 2 vs 1, Apple and Strava win😂
After NYC last November I decided to really slow things down and for two months I trained in zone 2 on every run. Because my max heartrate is 177 I needed to stay in the low 120's. This wasn't easy, especially on long runs over 10 miles so I allowed myself to peak at 130 bpm on them. My pace was around 11 minute miles. Then in January I incorporated in one speed session per week but the remainder of my runs where "low and slow" as I called them. At the end if February I started to train for Grandma's Marathon. I still run my recovery runs slow but now can easily keep my heartrate at 121 on a 4-6 mile recovery run. Last weekend I ran 13 miles and averaged 9:55 miles with an average heartrate of 131. That was HUGE improvement in just 4 months of zone 2 training. In fact, all my paces improved. At tempo, threshold, and marathon paces I am able to hold a much lower HR.
That's excellent, Dan!! You've come a long way and isn't it cool you have a metric to actively measure?
I'm not a serious runner - just a weekend trail guy. This video provides such great insight, because I always felt that I had to put in a super intense effort to get any gains; but it was always mentally hard to push myself out the door when I knew I was going to have to suffer through an intense workout. Now that I know that this easier pace is actually better for me, maybe I'll start getting out on the trails more often. Thanks!
That's how I was!! I never ran enough because every run I'd really have to psych myself up because I knew I was going to suffer. Now I enjoy it so much and of course am also able to run high mileage this way. Hope you've already started with some easier runs and are liking it better...and when you do get to run fast you'll start seeing your speed improve, too.
Why did you think you had to do a very intense run every tie you went for a run ? It has been know for decades that training is a mix of some hard intense runs with the rest at an easier pace - it is usually referred to as the 80/20 rule
I agree. Make sure you have a chest strap! I love zone 2. It really does translate into race day performance. My pace is usually 12:12 in zone 2 with my half marathon at a 10:40 pace although not in zone 2. . The half was comfortable for me. No heavy breathing consistent pacing not getting tired.
The chest strap was a game changer. My wrist hr sensor was telling me I was at 180 bpm during a 9 min/mile long run during the freezing cold. Never trusting that nonsense again.
I LOVE Z2 also!! And I also love running really fast on my hard days! I couldn't do the latter without lots of the first. Thank you for reiterating the importance of the chest strap...so far the watches still aren't nearly as reliable. Congrats on a strong half marathon!
I am a new runner and was having a tough time being in zone 2 no matter how slow I was running. Thank you for addressing that for new runners you have to go by feel until you get used to running that prevents your heart rate from spiking.
Yes, I would definitely suggest going by feel initially. If you feel really out of breath take a walk break. And ideally look at your HR after a run. Little by little you will see improvement and then you can start focusing more on training by HR.
If your are new to ignore ignore heart rate running ultil you at least have built a decent level of fitness and endurance - it is not helpful to monitor heart rates unti then and it is really is not mecessary to do heart monitoring at all for running purposes
Hated running my whole life. Didnt run since i left the army until i heard about zone 2. Only running zone 2 and nothing else in already running better than my army days, 10 years older. Its easy and i feel amazing and i love it
Yep, I think this is why most people hate running! Of course some people will never love it and that's ok, but it's not supposed to be a sufferfest all the time! So great to hear you have shifted to lots of easy running and are loving it!
Hey it's Coach Jane. Thanks Coach Jane for all you do. Have a fantastic week
You too!!
since i have started biking my running has improved. when biking i am normally in a less exhausting state as when running so i guess biking over several hours improved my base fitness quite a bit. as a result i can go harder/faster when running. i dont know the science behind it but it feels right to me.
Biking can have massive upside to running. Some people don't handle the daily running pounding well. But the bike can be used to build tons of aerobic fitness, and still allow for running gains. Some of the strongest runners I know are triathletes who only run 3-4 days a week and relatively low volume, but put in so much time on the bike they develop these massive aerobic engines.
Yes, cardiovascularly speaking cycling and swimming translate very well to running fitness!
I love both running and cycling
@@runningwithjane what i noticed tho is that my running speed has become slower while focusing more on cycling. I had to do quite a few speed sessions in preparation for my 10miles running race. But i guess base fitness due to cycling helped as i could improve my PB by more than 4 minutes 😳 and that PB is from 2015.
Ran a 14:58 off just zone 2 and strides for most of that year of training..only did 8 track sessions (mainly 200s) in the 2 months leading up to the race. High volume running is really key, go really slow and gets results
I’ve found that the karvonen formula works best for me. If I use 70% of my max heart rate, it’ll be 130 bpm. That is ridiculously low and basically a brisk walk. The karvonen formula allows me to go up to 146 bpm which feels just right. It feels like a 2/10 on the rate of perceived exertion scale and I can carry a conversation while jogging at that heart rate.
Hi Jerry! If it really feels like 2/10 then that's great! Just make sure you're being honest with yourself.
Best way is to follow the zone2 training of a cyclist since i have been doing a cycling for almost 7years. I found out now Xtraiining .. i ALWAYS wanted to develop my functional treshhold (ftp) in cycling. And i applied it in jogging and running and its work . I know its different from what other does but its definitel easy for me to do a haf marathon 21km ...
Zone 2 absolutely translates to other modalities!!
Thanks for the video! I am trying low hr training this year and in the building the base phase. I am trusting the process : >. it will be interesting to see how I feel at my next race.
Yes, yes!! Keep showing up and focus on right now. I would highly recommend at least doing strides or hill strides 1x/ week at a minimum for speed if you aren't already. That will keep speed in the legs while you're building your aerobic engine!!
I have never clicked on one of your videos so fast!
I really wish the frequency of your uploads was more often 😁
Why? These people have lives. Their only purpose in life isn't to serve you. Just be grateful for what you get. 🙄
Thank you for your support of the channel and truly makes me happy to know you look forward to the content so much. Trust me, I wish I could get out more, too - editing is a real time suck for me LOL, at some point would love to outsource that.
@@runningwithjane thanks for all you do, I really admire your dedication to the sport and your willingness to share your expertise.
Just want to add +1 on the not being able to run consistent back to back days without doing majority zone 2 or easy running. For me that helped build up the foundation but it did eventually have its limits and i found it hard to run faster. After incorporating more hard speed days and longer zone 3/threshold paces it started coming together. Still doing 75 to 80 % of running at easy efforts but found my body needs to be pushed still to make those easy days feel easier and get some spring back in my stride.
We are completely on the same page - I'm definitely not encouraging all easy running when performance is the goal...need to have opportunities to push and suffer to reach your running potential.
I'm three weeks since my marathon, plan to stay around zone 2 for the next five weeks while building back up to the 30 mile week goal. I noticed my first runs back the heart rate easily spiking, I guess still fatigued from the race. Luckily I got a fitbit for Christmas and drastically lowered my training paces while getting good mileage on my pre-marathon block. I found out I was training at 90% heart rate most of the time before getting the monitor. Switched to COROS entirely now. Great content, thanks for taking the time.
It takes me like 5 weeks to feel back to normal after a marathon! So super normal. Love that your Coros is working great for you and awesome job figuring out your zones, etc!
All good advice. I sort of take the zone 2 with a grain of salt. I use a wrist based device so I know the accuracy of it is in question, particularly in cold weather. As a runner in his mid 50s I've found the zones to not really match what I run. UA-camr Ben Parkes had another calculator on the web he used that uses your max and rest heart rate to generate zones. I have found that the zones it generated were far more generous for older runners and matched almost exactly my easy pace runs as matched by the MacMillan charts. I think I'd have to get a lab test to really accurately calculate my zones but I think what I am doing now seems to be working for me. My easy runs are definitely more easy and I find I can still smash the harder sessions. I enjoyed your video and your training advice.
That's wonderful!! I absolutely believe RPE works great for some people. I trained pretty religiously with my HRM for a year but now I typically go by RPE because I was able to dial that in during that year and align those 2 things. If you're not getting injured, you're loving your running and hitting the hard days, sounds like you're doing amazing.
@@runningwithjane thanks. Yes it was an adjustment. I had to drop my pace by about a minute versus 18 months ago. I've seen some improvements , my injury rate is down and I am way more consistent than I have ever been in doing harder sessions. I am about to run 6 to 7 times a week as well and keep my mileage around 35 to 45 per week
Recently had laser treatment on my prostate I was able to ask nurse to set her heart rate and blood pressure machinery correctly using my refurb Garmin 45 so they are not that far out. Mine was spot when she got her machine set up properly.
Best is to use anaerobic threshold to establish zones
I'm about 30lbs overweight, but still very muscular. Broke my ribs last year followed by covid which led to fat gain, and haven't been focused on losing it until recently. I have to use a treadmill and adjust the incline while briskly walking in order maintain my zone 2. Probably going to be like that for a while until I recondition my cardio fitness or until I lose the extra bodyfat lol.
Great job prioritizing your health! Walking on an incline is great for you and yes, that will be zone 2 for people for awhile as they get started on a running journey. Little run bouts - slow for even 30 seconds - will help you increase that aerobic endurance, too (don't worry if your HR goes out of zone 2 for this part). Little by little you'll be able to run for longer and ultimately stay in zone 2 doing it. Stick with it - you should be so proud of yourself!
Just fyi for those getting started woth zone two. Just know there is no "one" Zone 2. There are different zone 2's based on the metric you use. For example, most exercise lab studies use a three zone ventilary model where what most people think of zone 2 would actually be the 1st ventilary threshold.
You also have zones based on lactate thresholds HR which use a % of your lactate threshold heart rate to find your herat rate zones.
Theres also zone 2 that are calculated by actualy physically checking to see what output as measured by power that you reach a blood lactate of just below 2 mmol per kg of body weight.
This video talks about finding zone 2 by % of maximum HR.
There are other methods as well such as the Karvonen method, etc..
Just giving this PSA for anyone who watches a different video that talks about zone 2 but doesnt define it the same. For most amateur atheletes there are studies that show the best coorealtion to true lactate zone 2 is the talk test or perceived effort. This means if your HR is elevated due to environmental factors but it still feels easy enough to hold a converstion you are good to proceed without slowing down!
Thanks for the extra info! I agree many get too hyperfocused on perfect numbers, when really it's more about being in the right realm and then also connecting that to effort.
@@runningwithjane 💯
As always great information. One thing I would love to hear your thoughts on is running in the heat. I live in Texas and right now I can nail Zone 2. But come June when it's 115 degrees, just walking gets me into Zone 2. Is there some adjustment to be made for heat and humidity? Do we shift to perceived exertion or tempo? You're the most credible running coach on UA-cam.
I have asked this question on every running channel by now. I live in the Caribbean and heat and humidity is my daily bread, every day of the year. But alas no one has broached this subject for runners who do not live in temperate climates. I understand these channels are from people from Europe or the US. So my quest continues.
Edited to add that she is indeed the best coach because her advice is not just for young, super fit runners but also for slow middle aged farts like myself.
Hi Michael! Well first, let me say I can empathize. I truly don't know how you Texas/hot & humid climate people do it!! What I don't want is people thinking from this video that it's stay in zone 2 or else. To me it's really about doing the best you can. I see some people SO far outside of where their easy pace should be that I know how much training by HR can help them. I also see people making a big effort to shift to easy and if it's in the ballpark they're typically doing just fine. Most of all, I'd just say be honest with yourself that you're trying to keep your breathing/HR down, take walk breaks if/when you need to w/o feeling bad about it and that's your best bet for thriving through the hot running. Consistency will still ALWAYS be most important, so I want you out there doing what you can.
And thank you for the kindest comment - I'm so happy to know the advice is helpful for you!
Yolanda, hope my comment back to Michael helps you as well. I have an athlete from Indonesia and it's definitely a different ballgame for you runners whose reality is always this weather. Slow down as much as you can to keep it feeling as easy as you can, but ultimately do the best you can and don't let not seeing zone 2 keep you from getting out there and doing the thing. Sounds like you're doing great. Thank you so much for "best coach" comment...you guys made my day.🥰
Thank you Jane for this reply. It does help. I run very slowly (almost 14 min per mile) and it feels easy. However my HR mostly ends up lower 3, ocasionally very high 2 but sometimes very high 3 too. So then I’m panicking that I’m still running too hard and I’m messing my training with zone 3, which some UA-cam coaches say is useless. I try to keep the same slow speed for my easy runs but I have started to do some speedwork and I can even speed up at the end of my long runs, I still have some gas in the tank to kick it up the last kilometer or two.
@@runningwithjane Thank you for the response. I can't wait for the 3/15 Zone 2 Live.
Interesting. I just learned I still cannot run in zone 2, but will be in zone 3 even when I run just slightly faster than powerwalking.
But I am sure I soon will make it with more training and weightloss.
And I just got a Forerunner 55 so this will help me to run in right pace!
Yes, it will come! Focus more on consistency right now and take walk breaks when you need to. Hope you'll love the data from the watch!
@@runningwithjane
Thanks Jane!
I understand I earlier have made some big mistakes. I have started training in a too high pace and "hit the wall" completely exhausted. And I didn't understand why, because I didn't think I was running very fast. Maybe my mind was still set on the pace I could do 25 years and 15 kg less ago. And I'm 50+ now without having worked out like I did when I was younger.
The heart rate monitor has given me valuable information:
Even though I didn't think I was running too fast, the heart rate easily went up to +160 on a flat. And on every uphill I probably beat the maximum heart rate. Resulting in completely exhausting already on a 2 km run. But when I recently tried to run at a slower pace (even though it was still a bit above zone 2) I ran 3km and felt like I could continue another 3km without a problem!
This is getting fun!
LSD reinvented, Arthur Liddard said this first, I ran 2:20 marathons and 66 minute half on 80% LSD TRAINING 200 km per week
Yep, it's nothing new!! That's why I laugh when people say it's just a passing fad.
@runningwithjane at least since the 1950s, my best is way behind but I loved running for hours "through the broad bright land"
Good information in general in this video, but why don't you use the Karvonen formula for calculating the heartrate-zones? The zones should be calculated on the basis of Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) i.e. Max HR- Resting HR, not on the basis of the Max HR.
Lots of different ways to calculate...definitely no one perfect formula and likely the numbers will still be a bit give or take. Getting in the right ballpark is what's important.
@@runningwithjane I think Karvonen is better for sure. I've been watching lots of videos on the subject since seeing the vast differences in heart rates between my wife and daughter and I. We have very different exercise histories and fitness levels. I'm more winded at 120bpm than my wife is at 150bpm for example. I exercise at more than twice the speed of my 19 year old daughter at 120bpm vs. 150bpm. My resting heart rate is over 30 beats per minute lower than theirs. Note, I'm 80 pounds overweight and look totally out of shape, but in my 20's I hiked over 10K miles at altitude with a heavy backpack! I think that explains a lot of these differences.
according to the hunt method , my zone 2 is 128 bpm, that's practically brisk walking to me .
i can run very comfortably and easily at about 140-145bpm, this being not awkwardly slow and not painfully fast.
im very lost .
Probably time to do a max HR test then.
@@runningwithjane oh I've stumbled across the karvonen formula and it's great 👍🏻
My zone 2us fast walking. As soon as I start to slow run I go straight in aerobic and threshold
If you're newer to running, that's normal. Don't worry so much about zone 2 if that's the case and work on building your endurance for how long you can run for. If you are more experienced and this is the case, walk breaks are totally fine to bring down HR and of course heat and hills would also be a factor.
It's a little off topic, but I found another important factor is a sufficient iron supply and I think a woman's demand is rather higher than a man's!
I remember 2017 when started running again and expected to raise my distance like I did years before but after a month I was not able to run more than a 5km. I was stuck until I supplemented iron 100mg/day for about 2 weeks then I went to 10km, 15km and 20 like I was doing some years ago!
At short term you will generate red blood cells, and at the long term myoglobin. But not take iron all the time, there's risk of overloaing the body.
But I think that it would help many people and maybe most don't have it on the map.
Agree it's always good to get your bloodwork done on a consist basis or if things feel off!
@@runningwithjane you then need to check ferritine and another iron transferring protein plus hemoglobin. I did so after two weeks of supplementation and it was still a little low, very low normal range.
In times of intense workout I often used to supplement iron and I felt some gains at the next week's session like there is much better oxygen supply.
Over the past few years I have gone back and forth on "Zone 2" running. I implemented it into a marathon training block and found that all it really did was teach me to run slower. I bought into a plan and followed it exactly. My "Zone 2" long runs were capped at 3 hours. That meant my longest "long run" in marathon training was 16 miles since that is what "Zone 2" allowed. Since focusing more on running slower, I feel like I have lost minutes off my mile times. If you are supposed to run 80% at zone 2 and you run 5 out of 7 days, that leaves 1 day for any kind of speed work. Afraid I am just not understanding, or seeing the "run slower to get fast" working for me.
You can add some "efforts" at the end of your Zone 2 runs (strides etc). Iñigo San-Millán the guru on Zone 2 does this himself, hill climbs at the end of his cycling rides. He explains that you've received the Zone 2 benefits in the first 60-90 etc minutes. Then hit it at the end of the run.
Yeah, I'm not big on Zone 2. I like simulating the grind you will feel in a hard effort. The only thing Zone 2 is good for is keeping your base up without injury risk.... but everyone is touting it, so there must be something to it. I found that when I increased my hard efforts or inserted 3/1 long runs, I really got better and learned to embrace the fatigue and thrive during it. But I'm still relatively new to running and learning as I go. 🤷♂️
I agree with these comments regarding Zone 2. In my running club, it’s not difficult to find runners using MAF and Zone 2 “run easy to run fast”; it is difficult to find runners who push their hard days hard enough.
Hi! I totally understand this. So I have a lot of thoughts here beyond a YT comment, but if you were experienced going into that block, you should have not just been doing zone 2 IMO. And if you were truly doing zone 2, not going past 3 hours in the long run was a missed opportunity. Without knowing all the details of your level and consistency here's my general recommendation: 3 easy days (truly zone 2), 1 hard day with a Z2 warm-up and easy CD (may not get down to Z2 that's OK) - I'm talking get uncomfortable on this hard day, long run day and layer in pace work at or a bit faster than race pace. ALL your easy miles count toward the percentage even if they are on the hard days.
@namebutler This! Hill sprints and strides are great on a mostly zone 2 day. Have a speed day with fartlek, tempo, etc. and get uncomfortable!!
According to the formula my zone 2 is 121 which is probably a fast walk 😅 Think I’ll try the max heart rate test 😢
I was in 11:30 to 12 range pace last year. Coming out of injury and after 4 months rest, now I’m at 13+ minute pace. If I end up doing zone 2, I will have to walk not run. Do I still need to do zone 2 for a while? In your experience how long it takes to see improvements?
I'm so sorry to hear about your injury and needing to take 4 months off. I know that's frustrating. Normal that you are slower than you were and don't worry, you will be back to where you were soon!! I would take the recommendation I gave to beginners - don't worry about HR training right now. Just get back into a routine and take a walk break when you feel your breathing/HR pick up. When you feel you're back to a solid routine, etc. THEN zone 2 training will be really helpful.
If you can't jog in Zone 2, there might be another factor like you're just really unfit or are drinking coffee pre-run? Why not try a few minutes jog and twenty seconds walk? And gradually phase out the walk? I started Zone 2 in 6:10/km pace and had to drop down to a walk half a dozen times over a 60 mins run. But after only three runs my heart adjusted and I don't need to walk now.
Solid advice
Glad you found it helpful!
isn't better to do threshold test provided by garmin or 30min all out run (take last 20min avg heart rate) and then make zones based on lactate threshold heart rate?
Getting max HR is very very difficult.
Their guided lactate threshold test is great also! Bottom line is I just want people who are doing HR training to be doing better than just 220-age and wrist-based monitoring. I'm all about just get a chest strap, choose a field test of sorts and then you can feel good about your zones.
Great and fascinating stuff. I checked your formula and it gets exactly to what Garmin finds as my zone 2 upper limit. Looking back the last 4-6 easy runs, my average is below that, but I still clocked significant time above. However, that's assuming a 70% limit. If I give it a 75% wiggle room, all of my time (except the odd minute per workout on inclines) is below the 75%. I just realized that I am giving myself a pat on the back, which makes this not really an ethical post. However, looking at other stats available thanks to the Garmin strap (vertical oscillation, ground contact time, etc.), if I get slower to stay within 70%, I am often dropping a lot in terms of efficiency. Another pat on my back? I'll take the 75% wiggle room :-)
You should definitely pat yourself on the back! Sounds like you're doing GREAT!
Thank you ❤❤
You're welcome 😊
Always have something left in your tank!!!
In most training runs, yes!
This is where the confusion lies for me...there are a lot of running channels that define zone2 as 60-70% of HRR (heart rate range). For me that number is significantly higher than 60-70% of max HR. I am easily able to stay in zone 2 defined by hrr while it would be impossible for me to run more than 5 mins in zone2 defined my max HR.
Comments??
There is obviously some subjectivity because some people say 60-70 of max and others say 70-80 of max. Ultimately it's not exact by any means - if my athletes are staying under about 75% of max I feel good about what they are doing. I'm looking at the whole picture...are they able to maintain that on an easy long run to the end? Are they recovering well? Are they making progress? Does if FEEL easy? This matters the most, so don't get too caught up in the specific numbers.
@@runningwithjane Makes sense. Thanks for replying!!
It would really help if trainers could tell us what gains to expect in the short term so we can stick with it in the months necessary for zone 2 training to work. Most advice is usually "keep at it, we know you get frustrated, you just have to have faith" and that's just too much to ask in my opinion.
Well, you can build your aerobic capacity for years, decades even. Lots of zone 2 leads to the ability to run more volume leads to consistency over time leads to building a massive aerobic base. Good things take time; if you have big goals, you have to also do the stuff you don't necessarily want to do. (Also I'm not encouraging people to only do zone 2 - we have all of our athletes beyond the beginner level doing a split of around 80/20 as I mentioned.)
heart rate zones are calculated by heart rate reserve,no % from max heart rate.Also you can use a calculator online
There are lots of different ways. Doesn't need to be exact/perfect for this purpose.
I disagree on that there is no downside to zone 2 running. The one glaring thing is, that you will need to spend a lot of time running. Lets say your baseline is three 10k hard runs a week. Since zone 2 runs are a lot less effort for your body, you cant just switch to three 10k zone 2 runs and call it a day. You either have to up your mileage per run (by a significant amount), or do more runs per week. And that is just to get on the same level of gains to your previous hard runs. If you want to improve, you have to run even longer/more. And since your pace will be very slow, your runs will take EVEN LONGER still. I'd love to see a study that shows the breakeven point of how much longer timewise or how many more miles you'd have to run in zone 2 compared to harder runs, for a switch to even make sense. I've watched a lot of videos from zone 2 enthusiasts, and what i'm always missing is the fact that running like this only make sense if you're planning on running at least five times a week, or if you're only doing very long runs each time. And that's just not feasible for pretty much anyone but the most dedicated.
Honest question - what are you training for that you are running 3 x 10k per week? And what's your goal with that? If you want to race closer to your potential, you need to run more than 18 mpw. And that's really who I'm talking to here with zone 2 - anyone working toward improving/getting faster in endurance running. At a minimum I recommend getting to 30 mpw and that's just for the shorter distances. Here's an article you might find helpful though: run.outsideonline.com/training/getting-started/does-the-80-20-rule-apply-to-low-mileage-runners/
I have tested my heart rate zones in lab and I feel like the zones are too low and easy. Zone1-2 are good for recovery, zone3 for basic endurance gains, zone4 for advanced running and zone5 for vo2max and racing.
Very dependent on what your training looks like. Higher volume typically going to need a lot of time spent in zone 2 in order to recover well. And you'll be able to go harder on the speed days.
Age formulas for a maximum heart rate can be _way_ off. I'd read that it's off for about 35% of the population, and off double digits for about 10% of the population. When I did a field test that I found on the Polar website at the age of 41, the 220-age would have suggested a max of 179, and 211-0.7×age would have suggested 182, but mine ended up being 199.
On the other end, Hal Higdon said that his max was about 25 lower than his age would have suggested. At 60, his was 135. Using the age formula, that would have suggested a Zone 2 of 83% of his maximum heart rate, and trying to get to the rate for a VO2 max interval would have killed him.
Field test will always be way better, yes. Using a chest strap to determine will always be the best way to measure as well. (Outside of doing this in the lab, obviously).
Am I correct to assume that, in order for zone 2 training to be useful, you need to actually put in the extra miles per week that it enables? In an extreme example, I assume that if you only have time for one 1h run per week, you might as well do a high intensity run.
Hi, yes, this is essentially for performance endurance training. Which increasing volume is a big piece. If you're only doing 1 run per week you're probably not looking to improve as an endurance runner (and you won't for long). 1 hour of easy running can still be incredible valuable for health. 1-hour of easy running could be a good supplement to cyclist who want XT. So I guess it's important to determine what your goal is with your running.
Thanks for an informative video. My question is, how do you create your zones based on that one zone 2 number? Thanks.
Hi Sean!! So once you find your HR Max you can find all of your zones. Here are the pace zones (these are all percent of max):
Zone 1 Very light 50-60%
Zone 2 Light 60-70/75%
Zone 3 Moderate 70/75-80%
Zone 4 Hard 80-90%
Zone 5 Maximum 90-100%
How long does the base take to get established if you are a running 4/5 times a week on a program?
Hi Jenny! So, this is so hard to say since it depends on different individual factors. But if you are really consistent at 4-5x/week month over month, and you are newer to training appropriately/consistently, you should see the gains come pretty quickly. I highly recommend the "keep showing up" mentality and focusing more on the process, less on the outcome and the gains will absolutely come!
I run about 15-20 miles a week in 2-3 runs. Started trying zone 2/slow running for past 1 year. By the math I should run below 140bpm.. but that was mostly walking , so I tried running slow with a 150 bpm limit. also added regular brisk walks that are in my actual zone 2.
A whole year and now I can run at same slow pace at 145bpm.. will keep trying this until I can run below 140bpm.
Sticking to this as it does make it easier to recover and I feel improvement in general running and health.
Question I have is can you do zone 2 training through walks? It is more fun to walk fast to stay in zone 2 , rather than trying while running. Atleast for someone starting this like me.
Hey there! You're doing great! A way you can improve even more is to up your weekly mileage. If you can commit to running 4 days a week or doing 3 days/week with a longer run this will make a difference. But if it's just for overall health, that's awesome and keep it up!
I am curious about zone 2 -- there has to be a lower and upper echelon of the zone. I wonder if I could stay in the lower zone 2 HR and still achieve the desired aerobic base as the upper echelon
Absolutely!!! You really can’t go too slow in most cases if you are running. Hard for most people to run and not get aerobic.
i just run crazy hard and see where my HR peaks lol. Honestly my MAX MAX is probably 3-5 beats per minute faster than even a full send effort up a hill, but like your video said, that's probably "good enough" for rough training zones
I mean that'll do it LOL! And yes, we are not looking for perfection.
Thanks for the video. I really struggle with Z2 at age 66. I have been running for several years and routinely would find if i really maxed out a run in a 5km race my HR might head over 170-175. However according to the formula my Max HR should be 169 and my Z2 around 120 which for me would feel very slow as i reach this HR quite quickly on any run. Indeed on my club runs in the easiest (slowest) pace group i chat away running with HR at 135-140. Does Z2 measurements really work for the older runner?
Hey Chris!! Great question and I will address this in my UA-cam live Fri, 3/15 @ 3 MST: ua-cam.com/video/ueO2zttv-VQ/v-deo.html
Which chest strap would you recommend the polar H10 the garmin hrm Pro+ or the coospo h9z thanks 😊
Hi Warren!! I love my Polar H10!
@@runningwithjane Thank you 🙂
Thank you for your video. Is the 75-90% Zone 2 training also recommended for half marathon training? I am using the Runna app and the training is 55-60% Zone 2.
Yes, also for half training. I'd try to bump up that zone 2 to at least 70%. Just FYI easy warm-up and cool-down miles also count for zone 2 even if it's a speed day.
Nice informative vid .. I’ve been running about 2 decades and almost always was running my easy runs ( too fast apparently) 🥴 running by feel not recommended 😂 you think you run slower but actually you on zone 3 .. so I’ve been running the last two months with heart rate strap and keeping it really on zone 2 .. and it’s much better overall feel to my legs and my general fatigue 🙏
In most cases of people just getting started with this without direction, you're correct, most people are running in zone 3. Not getting the maximum benefit and putting them at risk for injury. So glad you made the adjustment and are noticing a difference in how you feel!!
I a 67 and dont know any runner who actually though they had to run hard in every run - it has been known for decades that weekly runs should be a mix of fast hard runs and slower easier runs.And amateur runners absolutely do not need to measure their heart rate and most runners who do dont even know hot to accurately measure their heart rate and that measiring would need to be done periodically.
I've worked with many runners and there are A LOT of people who think you should run fast all the time. This comes from an (American at least) culture of "rise and grind." People start out doing something like fasted HIIT and cardio and then transition to endurance running and don't understand that the training is completely different.
@@runningwithjane Nobody in 2024 could be that stupid...Athletes have never before have had such easy access to advice and expert advice. And runners in endurance sport especially know that they cant run fastest all the time not when it comes to training
Would it be a bad idea to do ONLY zone 2 training during the “off season”? I have about two months in between my 10k race and starting half marathon training. I also, would like to lose a little more baby weight during that time so that I don’t have to worry about that so much when the time comes to train. I have grown to really appreciate the long slow distance for several reasons, do you think it’s a must to incorporate strides and hills and the like if I’m not training for a race?
Thank you for these videos!
Also I would like to add my experience with zone 2. I have started doing, I guess, my own version of zone 2 running- I am getting back into running after about three years and so I’m basically a beginner as much as I hate to admit that. Basically i noticed my hr for every run was very consistently in the upper 150s, which i believe is zone 5!? 😅even though I felt great. The past couple of weeks I have been slowing down and shooting for hr of 140, which is still zone 3 for me but I would be walking if I went any slower at 13/mile pace. Even though it’s not perfect I still have seen a good deal of improvement, my pace is slowly increasing as my hr stays on goal and I am seeing more time in zone 2 with the same effort. The best thing is, after a long run I’m not completely spent. I can continue my day without feeling super tired, hungry, and stiff and actually have energy to enjoy the rest of my Saturday.
Curious which Zone 2 you use for HR. I use a COROS watch (think you do too?) and you can choose zones based on Max HR, Threshold HR and HR Reserve and each is quite different. Ive been using the Threshold HR Zone 2 and that has me close to 20 beats over the Max HR Zone 2 (i.e. 135-155bpm versus 115-135bpm).
Hmm, 20 beats difference doesn't seem right. I would really start paying attention to feel on these and make the connection btwn what actually feels easy.
I use a Garmin. I did my max HR test with a Polar HR strap. I set my zone manually from there.
I heard the old runners measure it by "if you can talk easily while running you are in zone 2".
How many runs a week should be in Zone 2?
Around 75-85% of your total volume. So if you're running 40 miles per week, then around 30-33 should be easy. With 4 runs per week you'd do 2 easy runs, 1 hard run, and 1 long run. The easy paced warm-up and cool-down miles on a speed day will count toward your overall easy mileage.
@@runningwithjane thank you 😊
I'm 32 M, and my heart rate is at least 215. Because in two races, my max HR was 215.
I'm not sure that's even possible?? What did you use to measure it?
@@runningwithjane I used both Garmin watch and Apple Watch, and both showed similar HRs.
how di you calculate your zone 2? its automatic in garmin watch or did you add it manually? my zone 2 in garmin watch is 109-126bpm im 38 yrs old, its super low compare to your zone 2.
Hi there! My max HR is 185 so the top of my zone 2 is 139. I manually set these in Garmin in settings. At 38, 126 for top of zone 2 would be really low. But you really need to know your threshold or max HR to figure out your zone 2 range. At 38 it would make sense for top of your zone 2 to be closer to 140, but not everyone will be the same.
@@runningwithjane thanks for reply. What method did you use to get your zone 2?
Hi - from getting max - I discuss the method in the video.
I cant stay in zone 2. Once I start jogging even lightly it climbs to high z3 low z4. Most of my runs are mid z4.
Hi Daniel. What device are you using? Do you know your true max HR? How long have you been running?
@runningwithjane I'm using the MyZone Switch heartrate monitor. Not sure my true max heartrate, MyZone has clocked it at 200. And I've been running for about 3 months now.
None of the zone 2 formulas are accurate for me. I have regularly hit 180+ just doing intervals and I recently hit 196 bpm on a 5k even though I didn't fully push myself to the max since it was really prep for a half miler. As a 44 year old male do I just have an abnormally high heart rate?
There absolutely outliers who may have an abnormally high HR. I would double check that the 196 wasn't a fluke spike because that can happen...you can do this by checking your HR graph (such as in the Garmin app)...if it stayed level at 196 or right in that mid 190s range for several min. at the end of your 5k it's probably right. Only way you could know for sure is getting tested in a lab though and I'd definitely be using a chest strap to know for sure. (Also I have seen Apple watches get this very wrong so I would never trust an Apple watch LOL in case that's what you have)
@runningwithjane This was a 5k that went over a bridge over the intercoastal waterway both ways since it was out and back. That definitely helped to raise my heart rate. It was 189 around the halfway point and over 190 for the last mile or so.
My runs linger between zone 2 and 3. I can't constantly look at my watch to see where my heart rate is. I go by feel.
If this is allowing you to reach your goals in your running whether it be finishing races, getting PRs or just running for joy, then that's great!! There's no one perfect way.
What if you’re a long time slow runner to begin with? It’s hard to run slower than a 11-12 min mile.
Hi! Great to take walk breaks if you can't keep your HR in zone 2; but 12:30-13:30 running pace can definitely be doable with practice. This video may help: ua-cam.com/video/2g-0DSScznU/v-deo.html
@@runningwithjane I did try it yesterday. It felt like a stroll around the block. I suppose my perception of Zone 2 was very skewed.
Quick question ... if you are training mostly 80/20 on Zone 2, during Race Day do you stay @ Zone 2 or you can push to Zone 4?
Hi! Don’t stay in zone 2 for race day. Depends on what race you’re running and you’re level…beginner marathoner may be in z3, experienced marathoner going from z3-z5, and 5k will have a lot in zone 5. I don’t usually have athletes pay attention to hr during a race though unless they are very experienced using it and have a chest strap.
People should make it a think never to concider informing about those 2 formulas. It does not matter, that it fits 80% of everybody if people do not know if they are within th 80%. If you need to train with heart rate, you have to do a max test - otherwise just go by feel.
Running by feel is quite OK - but don't inform about those flawed formulas. -it's only a disservice to everybody.
IMO, at least using the formulas puts people headed in the right direction. Maybe you've been running "easy" runs up to 150 and then you find out from a formula that your zone 2 should top out at 135. Eye opening, so you start to slow down. And no harm no foul if that actually ends up being slower than necessary...unless you're elite level it's very rare that someone will be running and NOT be in the low zone 2. The benefits will come just the same. And I made it clear they were flawed and what I recommend that's better.
DONT USE THESE FORMULAS! You either are going to run too slow or still too fast. It is easier and better to do some runs and try to stay within 180-190W (Apple Watch). Then check what your heart rate average is with this output.
That's not true for everyone - the formulas are actually a good starting point for most people to be in the right realm. In general should be used as a guide and alongside RPE and not the end all be all.
For me, i thk zone 2 is not max heart rate x 60-70%. It is (max heart rate - rest heart rate) x 60-70% + rest heart rate
I'm 36 and my heart rate monitor tracks 200+ bm regularly on very hard effort races. These formulae aren't always accurate.
Agree that they are not. Just a starting point.
U must be having high blood pressure , it’s risky at this hr
Down side to zone 2 training: It makes a lot of dirty laundry.
I guess anyone working out 5-6 days a week would have a lot of laundry LOL - but yes, laundry is the bane of my existence!
I keep saying to myself " running slow is an art", when I run slow.
Yes!! Reminding yourself of the value in the moment is so important.
60-70% seems conservative. Most of what I’ve seen around Zone 2 suggests 70-80%
Most sources say 60-70. But yes, there is certainly conflicting information. I'm comfortable with athletes hovering at 75% or lower. Err on the side of slower to reduce injury and to be able to go really hard on the hard days.
Zone 2 is a bad idea for new runners, because they change form runners to walkers and lose interest in running. Better is zone 3 (aerobic) when you feel that you run. Zone 2 is a good idea for advanced or intermediate runners because they have lowered HR.
I don't think new runners should worry about looking at HR at all. Just get out there and start with run/walk and start building endurance.
It doesn't work for me, I do the other way, 20% easy 20% tempo 40% threshold 10% tempo and 10% easy, every threshold i try to break my limit little bit. I get faster and faster, and tempo became easy run for me. Everyone is not the same. Thank you for sharing.
You do this split for every single run you do?
How many times will the “experts” say people “just run in zone 2 and you will beat your PBs”(actually not)? You must do speed-works to improve your VO2max, you must do tempo runs to improve your lactate threshold. Obviously you must do works in zone 2 to improve your endurance and heart capacity as well.
Hi there - I didn't say to only run in zone 2. Specifically stated that 75-90% of total volume should be in zone 2. The rest should be in zone 4/5 typically.
I don't understand why you would use a formular to calculate max heart rate. The formulars are all based on population averages and can be wildly inaccurate for individuals (for me the suggested formula is 10% off). If you want to know your max HR why not just do a running test?
Hi there - I shared how to do a running test in this video.
60-70% is wrong. Zone 2 is 70-80% of HRMax
No, it's not. When we are talking about zone 2 from a endurance training perspective for reaching peak performance, it is widely agreed to be 60-70%.
@@runningwithjane nope it is 70-80. Do more research. I did it too. Most articles did it wrong too. A small hint: Maximum Heartrate and Heartrate Reserve.
What I find confusing, is all the definitions of zone 2 out there. I like your definition because it is easy, I can sustain it for sure, so I want to believe you! However, I did a vo2max stress test and my zone 2 came up between 76% and 82% of heart rate max. Aerobic threshold at 82%, anaerobic threshold at 90% of max heart rate. According to them, my zone ONE only STARTS at 68% of max heart rate. They advised me to run middle of zone 2 "for them" in my easy runs, or right around 79% of max heart rate. But such an effort level beats me up. Can I really train at 60% and make gains? They told me it's like I'm not running below 68% effort.
The thing is, 79% effort doesn't feel easy. Yes, it's slower than my marathon race pace, but that doesn't make it easy. On the other hand, 60-65% effort is the pace I default to when exhausted (e. g. Active recovery between hard interval sessions). So if I go by feel, your method is right. But it does mess up my mind that it's completely outside their calculations.
What do you think?
At their (the people who tell you that 76-82%) zone 2, can you hold a conversation? If you can’t, then it’s too hard.
How did they measure your max? If the max is flawed then it will flaw everything else
@@peterreynolds5788 Yes I can hold a conversation. This was a stress test on a treadmill with a breathing mask on, a heart rate strap, and lactate measurements. It was accurate I think, even conservative since two months later I managed to hold the measured VO2max speed over a 5k (16min05sec), which either means I improved in two months or they got it slightly wrong, as you can't normally hold your VO2max for 16min.
I know that I am still in endurance at that effort both from the lab test and by how I feel. Cardiovasculary, I am OK. My measured aerobic threshold (82% of heart rate max) is still around 1min slower than my 5k pace, so I don't think it was inaccurate.
What I meant to say is that zone 2 recommendations vary SO MUCH: we hear "60-70% of max heart rate", "60-70% but of heart rate reserve", "actually it's 70-80%", "yes, 70-80% but of heart rate reserve", "80% of threshold heart rate maximum", etc.
Even Fitzgerald which she cites regularly recommends endurance runs at 70-80% of heart rate RESERVE. In fact 70% of my heart rate reserve is exactly the middle of my measured zone 2 from the lab (78% of max heart rate).
Where I "struggle" at these effort levels is not in terms of my breathing, but more in terms of susceptibility to injury. It takes a bigger toll on the body. I become more prone to injury.
Yet many authors recommend these higher effort levels for zone 2. Even Iñigo San-Millan, a foremost expert on the topic, recommends running / cycling in "zone 2" closer to the aerobic threshold for max benefits. He says, below 70%, the benefits are much smaller.
Yet at these intensities, I can't sustain higher mileage weeks and feel on the brink of injury all the time.
Hence my question: is it really beneficial at 60%?
One theory is that you need to slow down as you get better. Right now, I am de conditioned after an 8-month injury. It feels easier on my muscles, tendons and ligaments to run at 75% effort right now (let's say 5'20 per km) compared to running at 65% effort back when I was in shape (around 5'10/km back then at that effort/heart rate). I might feel a bit more out of breath right now at 75% effort, but, as I am de conditioned cardio-vascularly, my muscles and tendons are actually producing less force.
@@peterreynolds5788 I answered but my comment was deleted, strange.
To make a long story short: yes it was accurate. 78% effort is easy-ish on the lungs but not so much on the tendons and muscles, especially when I am in top shape. Then I get close to 4min/km at that middle zone 2 effort (5k PB in 16min05sec). Running big mileage at that 4min/km speed is hard on the tendons and muscles even though it is technically below my ventilory threshold.
Hence my question : is 60% effort really productive? Some experts like Iñigo San-Millan don't recommend dropping below 70% effort, and advise staying close to the aerobic threshold.
Of course, I can hold a conversation. It's not hard as in I am struggle to breathe. It's hard as in too fast. In top shape, I can hold 3'10/km on 5km, so running at 4'10/km is not hard on the lungs, but it is hard on the body!
I thought I have to kill me self running to get faster 😅
Nope!! Build volume and lots of that should be easy running. Then one fast day per week! Doesn't need to be complicated.
This is just a rebadged LSD! Been around for years....
Well not just LSD, around 80% of weekly volume. Definitely not claiming that it's earth-shattering news...just that most people don't do it and wonder why they can't make progress.
126 bpm is me walking......
The more you run, the lower your HR will get at any speed. If you can't run in zone 2 yet, that's OK, better to focus on just getting in time on feet and extending that amount of time you can run. You can run until you really feel your HR spiking, take a walk break, and then go again.
Slacker's training. 😅
The fastest people in the world train this way. There is plenty of suffering in other runs during the week.
Said in jest of course -hence the 😊.
Thanks for the informative vids!
Lol!! Thanks for watching the channel!
I can’t get behind that definition of zone two. 70% of your max heart rate, my max heart rate at 37 years old is 183 bpm. 70% of that is less than 130 bpm. It is not possible for me to even walk fast and keep my heart rate under 130 bpm. I’m in reasonably decent shape
If you're newer to running, jog for as long as you can until you really start to feel your breathing increase, then take a walk break. Over time you'll be able to increase how long you can comfortably run. There should be less concern on maintaining the perfect HR at that point in your journey.
1:05 -- Running 75% of your MAX is easy running? ... Some of U people out here are wack. lol and bye bye.
Been doing zone two for more than 7 years and even I can admit it's complete garbage . 100% a trend and over hyped. It's not worth the frustration and stress. It can discourage people from running because it's an awful roller coaster. There's a million different reasons why your heart rate can go ballistic and running tech is not completely accurate. The assumption is that cardiovascular is exactly the same and operates like clockwork... hellllll no. Just because it works for you, doesn't mean it'll work for everyone. Just go out there and run, enjoy it. Fuck the numbers and the data, you will build aerobic base no matter what if you're consistant. People like you spread this stuff like it's the be-all end-all of training methods, it's not.
You should be touching every zone.. easy runs should be easy and hard runs should be hard. Nothing new
Hi Eric - nope nothing new. Just something many athletes push back on because they either don't trust it or just don't like doing zone 2.
I'm trying it :)
Awesome! It works...keep going!