Zone 3 is just grey zone running to me. Would rather an athlete stick to Z1/Z2 on easy days & then hit their quality appropriately hard. Don't see a reason for running a little slower than marathon pace on true easy days. It's not recovery at that point & takes a little out of you. I think it's fine to get down there on long run days but if you're training half marathon & under I don't think running in that zone does you a ton of good.
however, are your heart rate zones correct,? Even if they are, they are just an indicator of the amount of stress your body is under for the given workload at that point of your run.
remember it’s graded and there isn’t a big jump between jump at the border so bottom of zone 3 and top end of zone 2 is basically the same load .
At some point if an easy zero effort run becomes a bit touch more “difficult” you are going too fast so you can back off a bit and recheck your hr zone are valid
Zone 3 is just grey zone running to me. Would rather an athlete stick to Z1/Z2 on easy days & then hit their quality appropriately hard. Don't see a reason for running a little slower than marathon pace on true easy days. It's not recovery at that point & takes a little out of you. I think it's fine to get down there on long run days but if you're training half marathon & under I don't think running in that zone does you a ton of good.
There is no such thing as a grey zone. Stop overthinking it. Train at every intensity for the right duration. Train easy when you're tired, train hard when you're not.
That makes sense. And what is then the 'correct' duration in Zone 2 and Zone 3?
Think of your training as a pyramid of intensity. There are more building blocks at the base of the pyramid and slightly less on each course. Rhink of those courses as both intensity and duration and there's your general training plan.
There is such thing as grey zone. OP is asking about easy running Z3 is not easy running. I'm not saying not to run in Z3. What I'm saying is that that counts as a workout day. If all of your easy running gets up into Z3 & then you're piling workouts on top of that you're going to burn out.
There is such thing as grey zone. OP is asking about easy running Z3 is not easy running. I'm not saying not to run in Z3. What I'm saying is that that counts as a workout day. If all of your easy running gets up into Z3 & then you're piling workouts on top of that you're going to burn out.
You're overthinking it. We should all be training by feel.
Anyway a newbie is going to experience exponential fatigue and heart rate at any pace.
A better way to judge it is to ask yourself, "Is this a truly easy effort?"
Yeah, but that would make things simple. People seem to want to over complicate this.
Overcomplicating the "science" is big business. All those quacks on yewchoob and their cult followers and bots. It's entertaining stuff. Not as good as those old sitcoms but it's getting there.
really, just run. if you are able to carry a conversation, that's easy (Z2) pace. If you can string together a couple words/phrases between breathes, that is more of the zone 3 pace. Z3 is still worth training. If you can't say a word and are breathing heavily, you are entering Z4 territory and if it is an "easy day" I would slow down.
I run mostly ALL of my easy runs with my dog. And typically this involves some irregular pace spikes as my dog surges forward (on leash) after squirrels. So my easy day's are entirely off of feel, not heart rate zones. If I can run and talk to my wife on the phone, that is how I know it is an easy run.
Yeah, but that would make things simple. People seem to want to over complicate this.
Overcomplicating the "science" is big business. All those quacks on yewchoob and their cult followers and bots. It's entertaining stuff. Not as good as those old sitcoms but it's getting there.
I'm very glad I got into running before this nonsense was so commonplace. "Go run 30-60 minutes at a conversational pace for your easy days," felt like common knowledge then.
Overcomplicating the "science" is big business. All those quacks on yewchoob and their cult followers and bots. It's entertaining stuff. Not as good as those old sitcoms but it's getting there.
I'm very glad I got into running before this nonsense was so commonplace. "Go run 30-60 minutes at a conversational pace for your easy days," felt like common knowledge then.
100% agree! Conversational pace, that is the key indicator that you are running at an easy pace. Can't hold a conversation while out on a jog? Slow down!
I'm very glad I got into running before this nonsense was so commonplace. "Go run 30-60 minutes at a conversational pace for your easy days," felt like common knowledge then.
100% agree! Conversational pace, that is the key indicator that you are running at an easy pace. Can't hold a conversation while out on a jog? Slow down!
I need to practice what I preach a bit more, but I'm a big fan of stuff like: * Working out on a grass field. Pace goes out the window unless you're on a manicured golf course
* More time based sessions, no set distances
* More arbitrary distance workouts, e.g. "run from this end of the field to that end 20 times and catch your breath for a tiny bit in between."
This is the silliest advice on this whole board, just stupid.
OP: I have read a paper which indicates that a zone 2+3 training can get great results, even better compared to zone 2 + sub CV (some call that threshold) training distribution. So that thing it not so clear at all.
The appropriate training time distribution within zones 2 and 3 for easy runs can vary depending on individual fitness levels, training goals, and personal preferences. However, in general, many athletes and coaches recommend spending more time in zone 2 for easy runs as it allows for better aerobic development, endurance building, and recovery.
While spending some time in zone 3 during easy runs can be beneficial, it's generally recommended to prioritize zone 2 training to build a solid aerobic foundation. A 50-50% distribution may shift the focus towards zone 3 too much, potentially hindering the recovery and aerobic development that zone 2 training provides.
It's important to note that overall training intensity distribution should also consider harder workouts, like interval sessions or tempo runs, as incorporating varying intensity levels is crucial for a well-rounded training plan. It's always a good idea to consult a knowledgeable coach or trainer who can provide personalized guidance based on your specific goals and fitness level.
This is the silliest advice on this whole board, just stupid.
OP: I have read a paper which indicates that a zone 2+3 training can get great results, even better compared to zone 2 + sub CV (some call that threshold) training distribution. So that thing it not so clear at all.
25min 5k. That's all I'm going to say on this matter.
This whole thread is a list of assertions without any actual reasoning grounded in physiological evidence. My apologies if you're a human, but Stan's post above reads 95% like a GPT essay: some people say this others say that, consult a professional for an individual plan.