I have trouble with Zone 3 runs! My heart rate goes up quite quickly, so I have to slow down considerably to make it work. My love of running negative splits then takes over, so that’s what I usually end up doing, giving up completely on staying in Zone 3!
I thought back to when I was newer on my running journey and how much the longer, slow runs helped with my stamina. Today, I decided to be firmer with myself about the negative splits. Let the splits fall how they will and stick to running slowly. Slower than slow if I need to!
So that’s what I did. Shorts and tee shirt on, sun visor (rain was forecasted, although didn’t happen). Out the door and on my warm up walk. I realised I was so engrossed in my plan that I had forgotten to do my warm up dynamic stretches, so I had to stop and do them!
It was a struggle to keep in Zone 3, especially during the second half of the run, but slowing down worked for the most part. I only had to slow to a walk once, going up a particularly steep bit. The rest of the run, if I encroached into Zone 4, I just slowed right down. Usually at the start of the last km on a 5K run, I’m already flagging, but today I wasn’t. I was still running in Zone 3 and could have carried on. I decided halfway through the last km, though, to take off the breaks and speed up! Couldn’t help it! I always feel the run has ended well by finishing strong and today was no exception. I actually saw 5 something for a few seconds on my watch! 😊🏃♀️🐌 👍
Next week I want to have a go at 30/30 Jeffing, but at the weekend I will do a longer run in Zone 3.
Happy weekend running 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️👍😊
Horrible Splits 😂
9:03, 9:12, 9:08, 9:22, 7:30
Written by
Jools2020
Graduate10
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That so seems like a good idea keeping heart rate low, my recent runs have been split between zones 3 & 4 and are more enjoyable, I will follow your lead and plan a slow 5k tomorrow, today the intention was there but the legs weren’t willing, the 7 hours in the car yesterday might have something to do with it Happy weekend, you should feel good about yourself after your run
I do feel good after that run. It was so comfortable, just like the early days. Sometimes it pays to step back a bit and you can see the whole picture. My stamina has suffered and I want to build it back up again for the next HM run! 😊
Our early days were awful! huffing and puffing and Willow limping bone, I’ve read a lot of posts about slowing down and it’s encouraging, i’ve always bought though we are so slow to start with but realise we are a lot faster than we used to be, I love that you had energy left for a strong finish
I was definitely very slow to start with, but got faster naturally. Like you. I’m going to spend a few weeks extending my weekend run, running in Zone 3. It felt good! I could have carried on longer if I hadn’t increased pace for that last half km. I really want to run for longer again, without exhausting myself in the process!
Thanks, Grannyhugs. Yes - I kept out of Zone 5, even with the burst at the end! I did encroach into Zone 4, but only just and I then slowed down to get my heart rate down again. Happy running to you, too 😊👏
Well done! And that final k, brilliant, I can just picture you running all your frustration away😆 I'm having trouble staying in zone 3 atm even though my pace is probably slower if anything. Maybe it's the humidity, I really can't cope with it 🥵
Thanks, Beatles. I really did run my frustrations away this morning. Yes, my heart rate zooms up if it’s humid. This morning it was actually OK, I didn’t even think about it being warm. Now I need to run for 3 times a week! It’s time to get back to it! 😊👏
Love all the planning and recalibrating… even if it makes you miss your warmups or end a slow run on a blowout final sprint. I think we learn that varying our approach is good. Without a watch I’ve no idea which zone my heart is in (maybe I’m living in blissful ignorance)!
I’m good at modifying my plans 😂! It doesn’t really matter about a watch. I could regulate my runs by feel and they would be pretty much the same! As long as I can easily sing along with my music, I’m running at the correct pace for the exercise - but I have to be strict with myself!
I've been trying to keep my heartrate down too. At 5.30am in the cool I can do nearly 3k very slowly in zone 2 and then another in zone 3...then I have to run at snail 🐌 pace to keep it down. I can see improvements though. Nice to feel fresh at the end!!
Z3… that should be no problem 😉 my plan called for a 135min run in HR Zone 2, ah well it was a nice walk😂. On a serious side I’ve tweaked my max HR on Garmin, using my actual max HR that I’ve recorded on one of my harder runs, I have also thought about using my VO2 max “age reading with the 220-age formula which would give me a better chance at those lower zones, not sure about the higher ones though!
I think I was in zone 2 for the first half km! Wow, that would be really hard. I’ve tweaked my maximum heart rate in Garmin already, using one from a run where I was working hard! I suspect it should be tweaked even higher. I found a few different formulae which are often wildly inaccurate in older people like me. I’m just leaving it as it is now.
I look at my Fitbit when I get home…I’ve not thought of looking at the heart rate whilst running. I prefer Strava stats…so although it’s linked to Fitbit, I only get the pace zones on Strava, unless I record on Fitbit…but then it all gets duplicated 🤦🏻♀️…anyway, I would think that pace zones and heart rate zones are the same thing 🤷🏻♀️
Yes, I think that the endurance pace zone is similar to heart rate Zone 3 - i.e. easy conversational pace. I’ve only noticed pace zones since you posted snapshots of them! 😊
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5K 😺
