Successful Zone 3 Run - 7K ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜Š - Bridge to 10K

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Successful Zone 3 Run - 7K ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜Š

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10
โ€ข29 Replies

Up with the lark this morning to try and beat the rain! As I left, I checked the forecast and found it was due to rain in 20 minutes. Well, I donโ€™t mind if it starts when Iโ€™m already warmed up and running, so off I go.

I had an internal debate about this slow run. Last weekend, I did 90 minutes and the previous 2 weekends, I did 75 minutes. I donโ€™t want to push further every weekend, so decided to drop back to 60 minutes for this run and to keep it in Zone 3.

Off I go, listening to Santana and singing along so I know Iโ€™m in the right zone! First km in Zone 2 as I warm up. Iโ€™ve been having problems keeping my heart rate down, largely due to anxiety. I have the zones on my watch set to numbers, so if I see 3.9, I know I have got to pull back! The end of the second km is a short but quite steep incline and Iโ€™m at 3.8 so I decrease stride length and pace. It works and Iโ€™m surprised - back at 3.5 and I continue.

For the rest of the run, I repeat this and it works every time. I wonder why. Iโ€™ve tried this so many times before and have often had to walk to bring my heart rate down; today I didnโ€™t have to! Today I had perfect control.

Iโ€™m enjoying this run. Iโ€™m not putting in that much effort and I have the chance to look around as I keep going. I see a number of runners, a few of them are familiar. Quite a few walkers are about, too. I nose into peoples gardens. I run on the road where I can, but there is traffic about so I have to take care.

I approach the T-junction and donโ€™t hesitate in turning right for the longer route! Then itโ€™s a gentle incline and my heart rate starts to climb. I slow down a little to keep everything under control. I run downhill for a while and speed up a tad, then Iโ€™m doubling up as I run part of the route for a second time, plodding on and still enjoying the run. I get to the T-junction for the second time and this time head for home. The promised rain hasnโ€™t happened! The long downward slope at the end of my runs is much shorter on this route. I calculate that Iโ€™ll get to 60 minutes running slightly before I get to 7K, so decide to run on for a minute or so to round it off nicely. Iโ€™ve got plenty left in the tank for a fast finish, but decide to keep in Zone 3 even at the end. The last .5K is downhill and I increase pace a little, but stay in Zone 3. Well! I donโ€™t think Iโ€™ve ever done that before! What a controlled run ๐Ÿ˜Š.

I walk to the steps, sit down and take a pic. Not even out of breath and not a drop of sweat in sight! I sync my watch and phone to check the stats. Average heart rate 133! Very satisfied with the run, I head home for coffee โ˜•๏ธ

Happy weekend running! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ

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Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020
Graduate10
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29 Replies
โ€ข
tmbtrain profile image
tmbtrainGraduate10

Your run today sounds fantastic ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ˜€

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply totmbtrain

Sometimes, an easy run is the answer! ๐Ÿ˜Š๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ‘

Grannyhugs profile image
GrannyhugsGraduate10

Great effort weโ€™ll done. Iโ€™m sitting here in a puddle - I was definitely not in zone 3 today, still far to hot for me๐Ÿฅฒ happy running ๐Ÿค—

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toGrannyhugs

Thanks, Grannyhugs ๐Ÿ˜Š. Air quality was excellent today so I think that helped!

Vinchie13 profile image
Vinchie13

Good run, looking cool Jools ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toVinchie13

Haha, yes - thanks. I was showing that I wasnโ€™t out of breath or sweaty, but I do confess that I chopped the top of my head off, because I looked like Punk Jools this morning ๐Ÿ˜‚

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

That was a very good run for you Jools2020, not too slow, just as they say, slow and steady, well done, if that had been a 5K parkrun you would have been far from last.

This morning I walked around my home parkrun course, I met a lady who was running slower than I was walking, she told me that she was second last at her last official Parkrun which I had ran back in March of last year, I asked her if she would be running next week as the parkrun resumes, she told me she "might" good luck to her.

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toAlMorr

Thank you, AlMorr. I worked out that taking the first 5 kilometres I would have finished 12th from last if Iโ€™d run in my local park run today! Itโ€™s the Wycombe Rye Park Run. Of course, in a Park Run I would not be running in Zone 3, so I like to think I would be finishing a little faster. Maybe even less than 40 minutes on a good day. Iโ€™m thinking of doing it sometime soon, but itโ€™s a bit daunting because I donโ€™t know anyone who goes there. I keep watching the Facebook page, I just wish I could find someone to go with. Good luck to the lady you met, I hope she takes part when your local park run starts.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10โ€ข in reply toJools2020

๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿพ

Maz1103 profile image
Maz1103Graduate10

Well done !. I struggle to get past 4k before I creep into zone 4 !!

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toMaz1103

So do I, usually! I think itโ€™s to do with getting fitter and persevering. I think the first time I tried it a couple of months ago, I went straight into zone 5 and gave up!

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassador

Ooo love a bit of Santana! ๐ŸŽถ

Fab run Jools, it seems so simple nowโ€ฆrun slower=slower HR๐Ÿ™„

I quite like a 60 minute runโ€ฆon the canal 30 minutes takes me to the viaduct over the river, so easy to know when to turn back. I average around 7km too.

I only reached 6km on my 60 minute โ€˜graduationโ€™ runโ€ฆbut it was a mare of a lockdown course with steep inclines ๐Ÿ˜ฌ

Glad to see youโ€™re enjoying these runs ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toLottieMW

It should be that simple, but Iโ€™ve found it really hard to reduce my heart rate. Sometimes Iโ€™ve had to walk - or even stop. Not this time, though. Perhaps Iโ€™m not so anxious or perhaps I persevered with running slower and allowed more time. Who knows ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ, but today it worked! Very happy.

Looks like our pace is similar! ๐Ÿ˜Š

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassadorโ€ข in reply toJools2020

Yesโ€ฆthe important thing is that it worked!

Similar pace? Indeed! But not todayโ€ฆ๐Ÿ˜‰

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate

What a successful run Jools ๐Ÿ˜€

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toSueAppleRun

Thank you, Sola. I really enjoyed it. ๐Ÿ˜Š

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduateโ€ข in reply toJools2020

Thatโ€™s the main thing, to enjoy our running

RacingintheStreet profile image
RacingintheStreetGraduate10

Oh Santana takes me back ๐Ÿ˜„Really interesting post and lots to think about in terms of the zone 3 running , Iโ€™ve only ever managed 70% and that was my 4K the other day.

I hadnโ€™t run for 3 weeks so was easing into things, I felt I didnโ€™t enjoy my run but was pleased Iโ€™d controlled my heart rate for so long ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ

Also might give the Jeffing a bit of research , still working on stamina ๐Ÿ™„

Your posts are always โ€˜food for thoughtโ€™ , thank you ๐Ÿ™‚

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toRacingintheStreet

This all started with me trying to regain my former fitness. Trying a few things to see what works.. To start with, I had to discount what didnโ€™t work and that was running once or twice a week, 4K or 5K, pushing myself when my fitness clearly wasnโ€™t there. I wanted to do longer runs, but clearly my fitness and stamina had suffered and I would be risking injury. So Iโ€™m just trying a few things to get myself out there 3 times a week and mixing up my runs! Seems to be working so far. My eventual aim is to get to HM again. No rush. Zone 3 runs build stamina with less injury risk and Jeffing is less taxing, too!

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate10

Sounds like you've got things running wise, pretty sorted, hope you can find someone to do your park run with, i know around here there are alot of ladies running groups. I'm of work at the moment, so trying to get some more runs in, keep the fitness going!!! ๐Ÿคฃ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toPeter44

Yes, Iโ€™m really enjoying running at the moment, back up to 3 times a week again. Iโ€™ll just have to bite the bullet with the Park Run and go on my own. Stay at the back with the stragglers ๐Ÿ˜Š. Enjoy the extra runs during your time off!

Chesterlove profile image
ChesterloveGraduate10

What watch do you use to get the zones?

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toChesterlove

I have a Garmin Vivoactive 3. It shows heart rate in a few ways other than your actual heart rate. I configure my watch face to show it numerically, e.g 3.5 tells me Iโ€™m in the middle of heart rate Zone 3, or you can set it to show a percentage of your maximum heart rate. Also, I can set up a second watch face that I access by swiping, to show the zones in different colours on a dial. I think most sports watches will let you set up something so you can see the zones as youโ€™re running.

Chesterlove profile image
ChesterloveGraduate10โ€ข in reply toJools2020

Thanks. I have an Apple Watch so Iโ€™ll see what it can do.

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning

Awesome performance!! The weather is really unpredictable at the moment. I keep planning my runs, finding no-rain windows on the forecast; by the time the morning comes around its absolutely bucketting irrespective of the previous nightโ€™s optimism.

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toGailXrunning

Thanks! Itโ€™s annoying when you think youโ€™ve found a window and then the forecast changes. I wonโ€™t set off in torrential rain, no thank you ๐Ÿ˜Š

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toJools2020

Oooโ€ฆ I think we might have identified your next challenge! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Or should I say โ€˜ourโ€™โ€ฆ โ˜”๏ธ

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toGailXrunning

๐Ÿ˜‚ Iโ€™ve been caught out in torrential rain while running and all I could do was laugh! It was definitely good fun.

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toJools2020

Snap! ๐Ÿ˜‚๐Ÿคฃ It happened exactly like that during my c25k, so probably last Septemberโ€ฆ. which means my hopscotching through Met Office forecasts has been working very well for most of the past year.

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