Are all these complaints simply zone two issues?

[Flattttt]

Are all these complaints simply zone two issues?

So, here’s the deal. I’m on my third couch to 5K. It’s always been hard. The first two times, I took a class. We were all huffing and puffing. Someone even got pretty bad shinsplints on my first go around, and had to quit. The rest of it made of us made it through, but clearly there were issues.

Contrast that with this time around. I’m training myself. I’m repeating whole days, and even occasionally a whole week.

Then lightbulb goes off. I start reading about zone two training. And I start slowing down my pace. Magically I start finishing my runs kind of refreshed.

The lightbulb really goes off when I get a call from my friend during a run. I’ve only got five minutes to go, so I take the call. I’m using my Bose 700 headphones, so we can hear each other great.

We share the conversation equally, so I’m regularly talking.

After a while, I start getting this nagging feeling like my body is starting to have enough. I sense that it would be smart for me to stop pretty darn soon. I could go further, but I know that I’ll be happier if I stop.

I check the clock on my phone, and realize I’ve run for 15 minutes. 15 minutes!! from when he called me that is. It’s a new personal record! I’ve run longer than ever. And I still feel pretty great.

Of course conversation is a classic marker for staying in zone two.

So I’m starting to think of it this way. If I stayed in zone one and simply walked this thing, I’m sure I could walk for an hour maybe two.

If I run in zone two, I could run for very many many many minutes.

Contrast that with My previous trainings have been at higher speeds. Probably zones three or even four. And guess what. I honestly could simply only last as long as the number of minutes I had trained for plus a bit more.

Just to rewind a bit. Before this whole conversation thing with my friend, I did do a couple of runs where I told myself OK, I’ve got to go X number of minutes, so I’m going to have to pace myself. I did slow down and complete those numbers minutes OK.

But once again, the real breakthrough came after that when I held a constant conversation withMy buddy bear the end of a training run (I think it was week5)

So when I read all these complaints from people about how they were just dying out there running I think wait a minute, wouldn’t it be great if they ran in zone two and loved every minute of running! What are your thoughts?

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

As ever.my mantra is and always has been...slow and steady.

Loving every single relaxed run. Four years on...it still is...and my runs have evolved.

My slow now, is not the slow of 2015...but my runs are still relaxed, still wonderfully enjoyable.

Finding that happy pace...whether a zone or simply my slow and steady, gets us to the most amazing places. My next HM, end of next month

Very well done you on finding your happy pace

[Parky88 Graduate]

Interesting

Still working on finding this pace myself... for a while I thought I was there, but as you described, still struggling to go on for any longer after the 30 min mark. So currently trying to consciously make myself slow down even more

[Flattttt Graduate in reply to Parky88]

Classic book:

Total Heart Rate Training by Joe Friel

HRM:

Wahoo TICKR X heart rate monitor

[Parky88 Graduate in reply to Flattttt]

Thanks Dunno if I'm serious enough yet to invest in heart monitors though! Firstly might just try slowing down a bit. If only there was someone I could take along in order to test that "conversational pace" concept... think running along talking to myself might get me a few funny looks?!

[Flattttt Graduate in reply to Parky88]

It won’t get funny looks. People will assume you’ve got any earpiece in and you’re speaking on the phone with somebody.

I tried it a little bit, and even singing along the songs, but it wasn’t sustaining. I got bored and stopped doing it.

The best thing I found is to simply call someone and have a conversation. If I had more friends, I’d do this more often!

Sooner or later, I’m going to call someone and use a beat per minute calculator to figure out what the tempo is. Then I can just make a playlist of songs at the tempo, and alternate feet putting down a foot at every beat (I.e. run to that tempo)

In my experience this works but as the terrain changes, I have to adjust my stride. For example, A tempo that works well on one terrain it will suddenly be too tough as I’m going uphill, so I’ll shorten my stride. Or, if there’s a downgrade or something like that, I may widen my stride a little bit or lengthen it just slightly (I don’t wanna ruin my patella of course ) Or just lift my knee is a little higher. It works.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

You have put your finger on it............run at an easy conversational pace.

Please make sure that you build your duration in a gradual manner, preferably following a progressive training plan such as C25k.

We are all capable of doing way more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without increasing our injury risk. Sticking to gently progressive training plans is the safest way to push our limits, whilst gently increasing our resistance to injury.

[Flattttt Graduate]

👍👍 thanks for the tips!