For years, runners have used heart rate-based training to maximize their running ability. This method involves five “zones” where your heart beats at a percentage of its maximum capacity. In zone 1, you’re warming up for a run, and in zone 5, you’re in full sprint.
Recently, Zone 2 has achieved MVP status among the five Zones, thanks in part to longevity gurus like Peter Attia, MD, who has been promoting healthy living as we age. Zone training is one of the four essential “pillars of training.”
For runners, Zone 2 training—which requires sustained effort at a comfortable pace—stands out for other reasons. NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach Marnie Kunz says, “Zone 2 running is the foundation of long-distance running and helps the body cope with races from 5Ks to marathons and beyond. ” .
Here’s why Zone 2 training should be a staple in every running program.
The benefits of running Zone 2
Zone 2 training is how runners build aerobic fitness, which is essential to improve speed and endurance for race day. “This is a basic pace that helps build your aerobic engine, so that more difficult paces are manageable,” says Jason Fitzgerald, USATF certified running coach and founder of Power Running.
“Technically, zone 2 is a physiological zone where blood lactate levels are stable,” he continues. At this easy pace, your body has enough time to clear lactate (a substance that remains in the muscles from making energy) from your blood.
Once the blood lactate level rises, you are transferred to the higher training zones. At the lactate threshold, or anaerobic threshold, says Fitzgerald, “that’s the point where your blood lactate level rises so fast that you’re in an unstable state—you’re producing so much lactate that you Can’t clean it.” This reaction creates a burning sensation in your legs that eventually makes you too tired to continue at that pace.
High-effort running improves your body’s ability to clear lactate, so you can handle faster speeds. But adequate Zone 2 training helps you maximize the benefits of more intense runs.
That’s because Zone 2 training increases the number and size of mitochondria in your cells, Fitzgerald continues. Mitochondria are the places in cells that create the energy—also known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—your muscles use when you run. With more mitochondria comes a stronger supply of energy that you can draw from, enabling you to run farther and longer without tiring.
Having more mitochondria also helps you maximize your results from hard-effort sessions, such as VO2 max-enhancing interval training (zones 4 and 5). “VO2 max exercise will make those mitochondria work more efficiently,” says Fitzgerald. The more efficiently your mitochondria work, the greater your potential to improve your speed.
“Zone 2 running also offers the benefit of being less hard on your body, making recovery time faster than high-intensity workouts like speed training,” says Kunz. “It allows you to run more often than you would if you were training in high heart rate zones.”
Finally, practicing Zone 2 running helps you become more efficient at using fat as fuel, which takes longer to burn and can also help you go longer.
How to Find Your Zone 2 Piece
There are a few ways to set your Zone 2 speed. If you’re a tech-focused runner, use a smartwatch or other device to see if your heart rate stays within 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate for zone 2 training, Kunz says.
You can also use various formulas to calculate your maximum heart rate (220 minus age is the most common), but there are often too many individual variables for the calculation to be accurate, Fitzgerald says. Instead, he recommends tracking your heart rate throughout the workout and using your highest heart rate to determine your maximum, and then estimating your zone 2 range from there.
If you can’t see your heart rate while running, keep track of your effort. “[Zone 2] A smooth, controlled, conversational effort where you can speak in multiple sentences,” says Fitzgerald.
Using the scale of perceived exertion (RPE), which is a method of measuring how hard your body works during physical activity, can also be a useful technique. The scale goes from 0 to 10, with 0 equaling no work and 10 meaning pushing yourself to the max. Stay around a 4 out of 10 on the RPE scale to move into zone 2, Kunz says.
A reasonable amount of time to spend training in Zone 2
Most runners should spend 80 percent of their mileage in zone 2, while new runners may benefit from devoting 90 percent to zone 2, Fitzgerald says. Dedicate the rest of your training to zones 3 to 5.
You’ll see Zone 2 runs in your training plan in the form of easy runs and long runs, which typically make up the majority of your mileage for the week.
One drawback to Zone 2 is the time commitment. “You need a high volume of Zone 2 stimulation to see results,” says Fitzgerald.
The ideal Zone 2 session length depends on your fitness level and training goals. “If you’re training for a 5K, a 25- to 35-minute Zone 2 session will be one of your most common workouts. For longer races, like half marathons and marathon training, your Zone 2 run might be 40 minutes. And more,” says Kunz.
When to expect to see results from Zone 2 training
In general, you’ll see positive adaptations from continuous Zone 2 (aerobic) training within two to four weeks, says Fitzgerald. However, it may take less time if you are in good shape.
“Aerobic training is one of those things where you’ll continue to see results even 10 years after you start running,” says Fitzgerald. The key is to gradually increase your mileage or time spent in zone 2 and break it up into more intense sessions in zones 3 to 5 so that your progress stops.
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