How Training in Zone 2 Can Help You Perform Better
Why Zone 2 Matters
For beginner runners trying to build an endurance base, Zone 2 training is essential to developing cardiovascular efficiency. Building aerobic efficiency increases the ability of the heart to pump blood and deliver oxygen to muscles. Zone 2 training helps train the body to adapt to use fat stores as energy for steady state running while conserving glycogen stores for later in your long run or race and that sprint to the finish line. Zone 2 is best known as the Recovery Zone because activity in this training zone puts less stress on the body while performing active recovery. It is a conversational zone meaning you should be able to run at a steady, easy pace while having a conversation without gasping for breath.
Practical Tips
Training at lower intensity in Zone 2 helps you build endurance without overtraining so start slow by either using a run/walk method or running at a pace that allows you to hold a conversation without taking breaks in the conversation to catch your breath.
Use run/walk intervals to help you stay in Zone 2 while gradually increasing the length of your sessions. As your fitness improves, you can decrease the walk segment and increase the time running. For example, a beginner may start with an easy run for 2 minutes followed by a brisk walk interval for 1-2 minutes.
For experienced runners who may find it challenging to slow down their daily runs, consider incorporating 1-2 runs each week as an easy pace run to improve endurance, minimize risk of injury and improve recovery.
For runners coming back from injury, consider incorporating both easy running and non-impact cross training such as cycling into your schedule. This combination can be a great way to get back to training safely.
Wearables vs RPE
Running watches and heart rate monitors are wearable technologies that can be programmed to help you determine whether you are running in Zone 2 or not. The Zone 2 sweet spot is between 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. You can estimate that by subtracting your age from 220 and multiplying that number by 0.6 and 0.7 to find your range. For a 53 year old adult, the range would be 100-116 beats per minute (bpm).
For accurate Zone data specific to you, a sports performance center or exercise physiology lab can perform a VO2 max test with you and provide you with the full range of your Zone data.
If you don’t have access to a wearable, the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) can be used to help you determine if you are running easy. Zone 2 is considered an RPE of 3-4 on a scale of 1-10. The best way to know if you’re in Zone 2 is by trying to hold a conversation. If you are gasping for air as you talk, you are working harder than Zone 2. If you can hold a conversation without having to take a break in the conversation to catch your breath, you are most likely in Zone 2.