YESSS! This is what it's all about.

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.

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 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.

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!

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.

You too!!

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!!

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.

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😂

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!

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!

That's excellent, Dan!! You've come a long way and isn't it cool you have a metric to actively measure?

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 KZfaq 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.

Hi Jerry! If it really feels like 2/10 then that's great! Just make sure you're being honest with yourself.

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.

You should definitely pat yourself on the back! Sounds like you're doing GREAT!

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!!

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%

Zone 2 absolutely translates to other modalities!!

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.

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.

Hey Chris!! Great question and I will address this in my KZfaq live Fri, 3/15 @ 3 MST: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/q8t_Zd2l2dyRhoU.html

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!!

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".

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.

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).

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

Hi Warren!! I love my Polar H10!

@@runningwithjane Thank you 🙂

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"

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.

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 mean that'll do it LOL! And yes, we are not looking for perfection.

Probably time to do a max HR test then.

@@runningwithjane oh I've stumbled across the karvonen formula and it's great 👍🏻

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.

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: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/aM1dY6eEuMnenok.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.

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/

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.

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.

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.

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 😊

Yes!! Reminding yourself of the value in the moment is so important.

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!

You do this split for every single run you do?

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.

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.

Hey I'll take it! Thanks!

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!

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.

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.