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I鈥檓 a running coach that makes his living by writing training plans and encouraging runners to think more strategically about their training. I typically dislike 鈥渂ig swings鈥� or 鈥渉ero workouts,鈥� and instead, focus on gradual improvement over time.

But today, I want to forget all that and advise you to throw caution to the wind and take a chance on yourself.

After coaching for over a decade, I鈥檝e discovered that runners love their聽. They love having a predictable, consistent progression of both volume and intensity. When training is planned, methodical, and strategic, runners are much more likely to get on board with the plan. As an ardent runner myself, I fully appreciate this approach. It makes sense that we want to run:

• A 15-mile long run before we run 16 miles.
• A workout that鈥檚 3 miles long before we run a workout that鈥檚 4 miles long.
• A 30-mile week before we attempt a 35-mile week.

After all, one of the key principles of exercise science is the concept of progressive overload: stress must be applied in gradually larger amounts to continue yielding positive physical adaptations. We certainly don鈥檛 engage in聽dramatic聽overload! Gradual, methodical, progressive overload presents a smaller risk of聽聽and is more psychologically tenable for most athletes.

But when can this rule be bent or broken? What are the unique situations where we can afford to abandon our plan and bet on yourself to go big?

When Is It a Good Idea to Abandon Gradual Progression?

First, let me be clear that this discussion is about outliers. Most long runs, workouts, or races should follow the principle of gradual progression. Dramatic progression usually leads to injuries or poor performances. That being said, there are some situations where it鈥檚 a good idea to embrace a dramatic change in your training.

Let鈥檚 explore each scenario.

Scenario 1. You鈥檙e returning to running after a period of time off. Most of us have heard of the 10 Percent Rule, which says that weekly running mileage should not increase by more than 10 percent per week.

I think this approach to mileage building is incomplete. While the 10 Percent Rule works sometimes, there are times when it鈥檚 wildly conservative and you should build your mileage much more aggressively.

For example, if you were comfortable running 40-50 miles per week about six months ago, but just took two months off from running entirely, you do not need to build your mileage according to the 10 Percent Rule.

You may run 15 miles during your first week back to running, 25 miles in your second week, and 30 miles in your third week. This mileage progression results in an increase of 66 percent during the second week and 20 percent the third week. This clearly violates the 10 Percent Rule, but nonetheless represents a manageable workload for this athlete.

Scenario 2. You鈥檙e training for an ultra.听Ultra runners often have the widest latitude in 鈥渂reaking鈥� some of running鈥檚 most cherished 鈥渞ules.鈥� Their sport is, after all, a little ultra.

Ultramarathoners, especially those training for 50+ miles, will often incorporate two types of workouts that other runners would likely never attempt: the over-distance long run and the back-to-back long run.

Over-distance long runs are typically longer than 20 miles (rarely advised for marathoners) but often 30-50 miles in length for 100-mile ultra runners. These distances are usually not a great idea for most runners as they compromise future training, have a high injury risk, and aren鈥檛 specific to their goal races. But for ultra runners, those concerns can be forgotten due to the specific demands of their event. Since their goal race distance is so long, they must periodically run for far longer than 20 miles.

Back-to-back long runs are exactly what they sound like: two聽聽done on back-to-back days (usually a Saturday and a Sunday). This heroic weekend adventure is also typically reserved for ultramarathoners due to the demands of the events they鈥檙e training to complete. In these scenarios, we would not attempt to gradually get used to this stress.

Scenario 3. You鈥檙e making rapid progress.听Some runners are in an enviable position where they鈥檙e rapidly climbing the improvement curve that accompanies being a new runner. These runners have more flexibility to take a chance on themselves in race situations.

For example, if you鈥檝e been running for three months and just ran a 25:00 5K, you might think of yourself as 鈥渁 25-minute 5K runner,鈥� but I don鈥檛 think you should. You鈥檙e new to the sport and rapidly improving, so you should expect a lot more of yourself.

Instead of starting your next 5K around 8:00-mile pace (a 25:00 5K requires an average pace of 8:03 per mile), why not start at 7:30 or 7:45 for the first mile? This level of aggression usually spells doom for the advanced runner who is more aware of their abilities on the race course. But if you鈥檙e new to running, you鈥檙e much more likely to surprise yourself with a massive Personal Best.

Newer runners must realize that their capabilities are expanding quickly. During my first year of running, I ran a PR in nearly every single race I ran from the mile, to two miles, to the 5K. If you鈥檙e consistent with training, a long string of PR鈥檚 in your first few years should be expected.

Don鈥檛 Be Too Cautious

Running has a high injury rate, so these strategies should be used sparingly and conscientiously, ideally under the direction of a certified聽. Logical progressions of volume and intensity and realistic training always win out over dramatic progressions and big swings in intensity.

However, I believe in everything in moderation (including moderation). There are unique instances when we can abandon the logic of our training plan, bet on ourselves, and take a chance on our ability. Sometimes, we have to take a risk to see what we鈥檙e truly capable of achieving.

The post It鈥檚 OK to Ditch Your Training Plan appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

As the marathon season in the United States winds down, a lot of runners are thinking about their 2024 goals and structuring some well-deserved time off from formal training.

Judging by social media, many runners are now taking an 鈥渙ff-season鈥� that provides more robust mental and physical recovery. This off-season is often considered mandatory, with most runners planning a few months of it before beginning formal training in the new year. But what exactly is an off-season?

What Is an Off-Season?

Truthfully, I鈥檓 not entirely sure. That term isn鈥檛 a formal vocabulary word from the world of running, meaning that you won鈥檛 find it in the coaching curriculum of USA Track and Field, the governing body for the sports of track and road running. It does say, however, that 鈥渢ime spent in non-training status should be minimized.鈥� As we鈥檒l soon see, most 鈥渙ff-seasons鈥� only include non-training exercise.

I also didn鈥檛 ever hear that phrase from any of the 11 coaches that I had during my eight-year career running cross-country and track at both high school and collegiate levels. While we had one season 鈥渙ff鈥� from formal competition鈥攖he summer months鈥攖his phase of was widely considered the most important training period of the year because it built the foundation of our endurance required while 鈥渙n鈥� season. But it was certainly never described as an off-season.

Curious to know how the term and concept of 鈥渙ff-season鈥� is being used in some of my favorite running books, I took a look, and here鈥檚 what I found:

• In Training for the Uphill Athlete by Steve House and Scott Johnston, there鈥檚 no mention at all of the phrase.
• In by Jack Daniels, there鈥檚 no use of 鈥渙ff-season.鈥�
• In by Pete Pfitzinger, he does not use the term 鈥渙ff-season,” but recommends 鈥渁 few weeks of no running or easy training.鈥�
• In by Brad Hudson鈥攎y favorite training book鈥攈e does mention the term off-season but recommends only one week off with plenty of cross training. He also disparages 鈥渙ff-season slackers.鈥�

So, where does this leave us? Is off-season training something you need to plan or care about, or is it mostly a made-up phase of training popularized by Runfluencers?

The Main Problem with Off-Season Training

The fundamental sticking point with the聽 term 鈥渙ff-season鈥� is that there鈥檚 no clear definition. It鈥檚 more of a colloquial phrase used haphazardly by more casual runners. Since you won鈥檛 find instructions on this topic from the sport鈥檚 governing body, nor are most well-recognized coaches using the term, it can mean almost anything.

I鈥檝e seen respected coaches claim that the off-season is鈥�

• 8-10 weeks long
• A 20-50 percent reduction in mileage
• Time off completely
• An opportunity to try other sports

I鈥檓 not sure exactly how long an off-season should be, nor am I clear on exactly what kind of training (or lack thereof) should be included. There seems to be a wide variety of opinions, and none of them are wrong, but when a term has no real definition, it can mean anything. And when something can mean anything, it doesn鈥檛 really mean anything. We can鈥檛 expect recreational runners to apply a vague term appropriately to their training with any amount of success if the best coaches in the industry can鈥檛 even define it.

Thankfully, there鈥檚 a better option.

Instead, Let鈥檚 Say 鈥淧reseason鈥�

In episode 325 of the , I had a conversation with running coach and 2:34 marathoner Matthew Meyer about this topic. Meyer wants to change our language and have us call this time period a 鈥減reseason.鈥�

Suddenly, we now have a framework for understanding our goals during this critical phase of training. It鈥檚 neither a period off from running, nor is it a time to dramatically reduce our workload. It鈥檚 also not a static training phase that stays the same for a predetermined length of time.

RELATED: Why You Should Stop in the Middle of Your Run

Instead, our goal with 鈥減reseason鈥� is to calibrate ourselves for the upcoming racing season. This preparation will look different based on our goals and our individual strengths and weaknesses.

Broadly speaking, a preseason block of training should follow a few fundamental principles. It should:

1. Address weaknesses like , lack of endurance or speed, or high injury risk
2. Build a foundation of general fitness that will support the specific demands of training in the future (this is often a good time to set 鈥渢raining PR鈥檚鈥� like weekly mileage, for example)
3. Progress mileage, long run distance, workouts, and even strength training intelligently (this is not a static phase of training)
4. Last about four to eight weeks (any longer and you鈥檒l begin to miss out on other valuable forms of training)
5. Occur one to two times per year

Ultimately, your preseason should look very similar to your regular season of training. The main difference is the focus. During preseason, we may do far fewer high-intensity workouts (leading to more recovery and less injury risk) and plyometrics, but more overall mileage and cross-training. We may lift weights more often, but with less power. It鈥檚 a season of preparation, addressing weaknesses, and building .

RELATED: Best Exercises for Runners: The Ultimate Cross-Training Workout

When Can I Take Time Off?

Don鈥檛 worry, runners. I鈥檓 not recommending that you never take any time off. Far from it! In fact, I think regularly scheduled time off (and time for reduced training) is highly valuable.

, so a period off after a major goal race is a smart idea. Most runners will thrive on one to three weeks of no running post-race, with more time awarded to runners who are finishing a particularly challenging season that might have been longer, more intense, or more psychologically draining than usual.

After a few weeks of no running, preseason training can begin. The first one to two weeks will be easy, followed by progressive increases in volume and the reintroduction of workouts. Ultimately, runners should plan for about a month of time off and easy running before more formal preseason training begins.

Though the term 鈥渙ff-season鈥� might not be formally recognized, it does point to the need for recovery and variety. So let鈥檚 redefine this season not as 鈥渙ff,鈥� or one with a dramatic reduction in training, but more as a forward-leaning 鈥減reseason鈥� that invests in our future goals while prioritizing our need for recovery today. This approach respects the recovery process, helps you prepare for the future, and addresses your weaknesses so you can keep improving for years.

The post It鈥檚 Time to Rebrand 鈥淥ff-Season鈥� for Runners appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Racing 26.2 miles is no easy feat. The marathon tests the limits of every runner because of its unique demands. It鈥檚 long enough to deplete your stored reserves of carbohydrates, but short enough that it can be run at a competitive pace without any walking breaks.

This creates an environment where small training and racing errors can become magnified, reducing the possibility of a successful race. Seemingly small choices鈥攍ike the pace of the first mile, how well you run the tangents, or even your long run four months ago鈥攃an often have an outsized impact on your race result.

For runners with a competitive goal, like a or a certain finish time, being strategic about the training process and race strategy is a requirement for success. After coaching marathoners for nearly 13 years, here is my list of commonly forgotten strategies for dramatically increasing the likelihood of your fastest marathon.

1. Run the Tangents

Every certified marathon course in the United States adheres to the USA Track & Field鈥檚 course certification program. Every performance that wishes to be ranked on a national list or used as a record must be run on a USATF-certified course.

One stipulation of this course measuring methodology is that the course is defined by the shortest possible route that any runner could potentially take and not be disqualified. That means the course is measured along the tangents around curves (i.e., a straight line through an S-turn or diagonally between corners when crossing a street).

RELATED: 鈥淐apacity Training鈥� Is the Key to Long-Term Running Endurance

But many runners don鈥檛 run the course this way. They follow the crowd, taking the long way around turns and not running the shortest possible route, leading to a bloated finish time. Running as closely as possible to the imaginary line that follows the shortest possible route will ensure you don鈥檛 run longer than needed鈥攁nd your finish time is as fast as possible.

2. Carb-Load Before the Race

Decades ago, runners were told to deplete their carbohydrate reserves through training and diet. Only then were they ready to restock their reserves and 鈥渙vercompensate鈥� with carbs.

We鈥檝e since learned that while the depletion phase of this protocol is unnecessary, carb-loading in the two to three days before an endurance race like the marathon is beneficial and will help your overall finish time. And since most people can only carry about 20 miles worth of carbohydrates in their muscles, liver, and bloodstream, we have to cram more carbs into these stores before the race.

Aim for 8 to 10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of bodyweight in the days leading up to the marathon (this means most of your calories are coming from carbs鈥攅ven as high as 80 to 90 percent of your total daily calories).

Bread, oatmeal, bagels, pancakes or waffles, and low-fiber fruit are great options to ensure you鈥檙e carrying as much fuel as possible on race day. You may also want to supplement with a carb-rich beverage like fruit juice or a sports drink.

3. Fuel During the Marathon

Carb-loading isn鈥檛 enough for marathon success since you still won鈥檛 have enough to carry you through 26.2 miles.

And you certainly don鈥檛 want to be like the runner I once talked to, who told me he was going to race a fast marathon 鈥渙ff adrenaline alone鈥� (adrenaline is a hormone, not a fuel).

Marathoners need to consume carbohydrates during the race, as well. This helps make up for the shortfall in fuel that your body is simply incapable of carrying. It鈥檚 like if your car had a small gas tank that couldn鈥檛 carry enough fuel for a road trip. You鈥檒l need to add more gasoline to your tank to make up the difference.

During the marathon, aim for 50 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, ideally spaced about 30 minutes apart. This total works out to be approximately two gels, with most runners needing about 5-9 gels during the race (depending on finish time) to feel as energetic as possible over the final miles.

4. Start Slow to Finish Fast

Marathons can鈥檛 be won in the first mile, but they can be lost. A fast pace during the early miles of a marathon spells trouble for two important reasons.

First, running too fast too early puts too much mechanical stress on your body. The faster you run, the more impact forces your muscles and skeletal system must absorb. This can create microtears and small amounts of muscular damage too soon during the race that will only become worse as the miles tick by.

Second, if your early pace is too quick, you鈥檒l burn through more stored glycogen. Not only do we have to save your muscles from excessive damage, but we must ration those precious carbohydrate stores for later in the race.

Aim to run slightly slower than your goal pace for the first two miles of the race, thereby reducing the risk of starting too fast and helping you warm up fully before hitting your goal marathon pace.

5. Prioritize Your Pre-Season Long Run

Often, success in the marathon is built during the pre-season, well before the official marathon training cycle even begins. But how does that work?

Many marathoners spend their season gradually building their long run distance from about 10 miles to 20 miles. This can usually be done safely in a 16-week training cycle.

That鈥檚 a fine strategy if your goal is to finish the marathon. At such a distance, completion of 26.2 miles is a worthwhile accomplishment. But if your goal is to run competitively or achieve a certain time standard, more advanced are needed. Performance-oriented runners need more frequent long runs in the 18-20 mile range to build the specific fitness required to run well over the marathon distance.

RELATED: 8-Week Marathon Training Plan

This concept is well-supported in a recent showing that longer long runs are associated with faster finish times (with no increased injury risk). If you want to run fast over 26.2 miles, a steady diet of high-quality long runs is a necessity.

Many of these ideas are not often focused on among marathoners, but they matter. For marathoners with goal finish times, attention to detail and a strategic training approach may make all the difference in achieving a highly sought-after goal.

The post 5 Micro-Training Tweaks for Your Fastest Marathon Yet appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

For eight long years, I had a running problem. Every August, I became utterly and completely antsy. My legs twitched, my energy was heightened, and my desire to run fast grew day by day. This restlessness always came at the end of my cross country summer base training, which was mostly made of up of running in Zone 2 miles. After months of running steadily and slowly, I was bored and aching to push the RPM’s higher.

Perhaps you鈥檝e felt the same way. After a prolonged period of easy running, you can sometimes start to feel stale. Each run feels the same and you may actually experience a reduction in certain elements of your fitness like coordination, athleticism, and power.

RELATED: Yes, Zone 2 Training Is Important. (Just Don鈥檛 Forget the Other Stuff.)聽

That鈥檚 because even long distance runners aren鈥檛 meant to only run slow. If you鈥檙e an ultrarunner, speed training offers so many developmental benefits that it can be a disservice to your growth as an athlete to eliminate it entirely.

Below I highlight聽why long distance runners should incorporate speed workouts even if their goal race doesn’t require them to run fast.

What Is Speed Training?

Speed training can be defined in many ways. If you were to ask 10 different coaches their definition, you might get 10 different answers. For our purposes, let鈥檚 define speed training as any workout where you鈥檙e running at one-mile race pace or faster. In other words, it鈥檚 very fast!

For this reason,聽you might not be able to complete a high volume of speed training,聽nor should you. Distance runners should be exposed to a regular dose of intensity, but make sure not to overdo it.

An important concept to internalize is that fast running is not the same as hard running. The workouts that are referenced later include both fast and hard running, but there鈥檚 an important distinction: fast running doesn鈥檛 necessarily have to be hard, and hard running isn鈥檛 necessarily fast.

Many runners are familiar with the concept of the 鈥�80/20鈥� rule, which states that no more than 20 percent of your volume should be done at harder efforts. If we were to further subdivide that 20 percent, paces that represent mile pace or faster should be a small fraction of this total. Depending on your volume, that might only be 2 to 5 percent of your total weekly volume.

Consider speed training the 鈥渃herry on top鈥� of your training. It can refine your fitness and boost your performances, but just make sure you spend the majority of your time . When in doubt, err on the conservative side with less volume at these high speeds.

How Does Speed Training Help Endurance Runners?

Spending a small amount of your training time at high speeds will help your overall development as a runner, but it will also improve your upcoming race performances.

These training sessions have the potential to give you a lot of benefits:

• Increased running speed (your maximum, sprint, or 鈥渢op end鈥� speed will be increased);
• Higher running economy (you鈥檒l be more efficient and use less energy at the same speeds);
• Better neuromuscular coordination (the communication pathways between your brain and muscles);
• Increased muscle .

Most runners think that running at fast speeds only makes them faster. But better economy, coordination, and strength are fitness gains that transfer well to other distances (even the long ones that don鈥檛 require much speed).

The two most important benefits are added strength and better running economy, two skills that are in high demand in ultra-distance races. If you can run the same distance with less wasted energy, you鈥檒l end up at the finish line substantially sooner!

Building Speed into Your Program

Runners who want to glimpse their potential are good candidates for more speed training. If you haven鈥檛 yet started to 鈥渞un fast,鈥� there are many workouts that can give you these benefits safely and accessibly, no matter your ability.

1. (uphill or on flat terrain) have you accelerate up to 800-meter or one-mile race pace and then decelerate to a stop for a total distance of about 100 meters. Strides are more like drills than workouts so they are considered 鈥渇ast but not hard.鈥� They can be added after an easy run or before a workout. Complete four to six reps, two to three times per week.

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2. are maximum intensity sprints up a steep hill with full walking recovery. They only last 8-10 seconds so they are the most like a true speed development workout a sprint coach may assign. Since they鈥檙e so short, they鈥檙e not very difficult…but they sure are fast. Run four to six reps, one to two times per week after easy runs.

3. Hill Surges are a more traditional hill workout but the repetitions are kept to 30-60 seconds. They are run at about mile race pace and include at least 90 seconds of easy running for recovery. This workout can be done every one to two weeks depending on the other workouts you have planned in your training calendar

4. Short Reps are what legendary running coach Jack Daniels might call 鈥淩鈥� work. They鈥檙e fast, short repetitions typically done on a track with full recovery. Reps should be kept to 300 meters or less. This type of training session can be done every one to two weeks.

These types of workouts all have three things in common. First, they include running at mile race pace or faster. Second, they require full recoveries. And, third, they are not done in high volume.

Strides and hill sprints can be done most weeks of your training cycle. They鈥檙e fundamental ways to 鈥渢ouch speed鈥� without making it too difficult. But hill surges and short reps should be more periodized, coming in the beginning or middle weeks of your season. They form the bridge between easy running and more race-specific workouts you may run.

By adding regular, small doses of speed training into your running program, you鈥檒l enjoy the many benefits of running fast: faster top-end speeds, better running economy, improved neuromuscular coordination, and extra strength. No doubt, it鈥檒l make you into a faster runner, no matter what distance you鈥檙e training for.

Jason Fitzgerald is the host of the Strength Running Podcast and the founder of聽.听

The post Why Speed Training Matters (Even if You鈥檙e an Ultrarunner) appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

A month ago, one of the runners I coach contacted me in a panic. We鈥檒l call him 鈥淎dam.鈥� He鈥檚 training for a sub-three-hour marathon and is, consequently, pouring himself into his training.

So far, everything in his preparation has been going to plan. He鈥檚 healthy. His workout times are solid. He鈥檚 hitting overall mileage levels that are challenging but manageable. Adam has also been feeling good for most of his training, so he鈥檚 right where I鈥檇 like him to be.

But Adam was panicking over his cadence. Last week, he ran two of his easy runs with an average cadence of 169 steps per minute. Usually, his cadence lands at around 170 to 171 steps per minute.

Was Adam right to panic over his cadence slipping ever so slightly? Was this a sign of excessive fatigue? Would this trend keep progressing over time?

Having this immediate, ongoing access to so many metrics about your running is both a blessing and a curse. In this case, Adam had nothing to worry about, but let鈥檚 discover why.

Drawbacks to Data

Now that runners have such unprecedented access to robust training and bodily data, it can be tempting to pore over every detail to determine what can be optimized to ensure great performances, fewer injuries, and longevity in the sport. But therein lies the risk. Humans are not robots, and our data is often messy, which can cause us to interpret temporary changes as permanent.

Adam鈥檚 cadence, for example, might have been affected by his sleep, overall fatigue, shoe choice, the terrain he was running on, or a number of other variables. Let鈥檚 also consider that, at such a low variability from his 鈥渘ormal鈥� cadence, there could have also simply been a measurement error. GPS cadence accuracy isn鈥檛 100 percent accurate, anyway.

Alas, his cadence improved the following week, and we stopped paying attention to this metric. But that didn鈥檛 stop him from anxiously stressing out over it, likely spiking his cortisol levels unnecessarily and compromising recovery.

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In this case, access to data led to perfectionism, which has no place in running. Because we鈥檙e not robots, our progress is rarely linear. We experience setbacks, plateaus, and minor blips in our training as our ability to recover varies over time and life stressors come and go.

If we attempted to increase our mileage with unwavering linearity, run perfect workout splits, have the correct cadence at every moment during a run, or negative split every long run, we would usually fail.

Measuring the performance of our bodies serves as a constant reminder that our biological systems do not behave as neatly as we鈥檇 like them to.

Data Makes us Perform (for Others)

The other major problem with the data our smartwatches provide is that they often cause us to train performatively. Instead of training appropriately and strategically, many will train in a way that will look impressive on platforms like Strava.

This happened to me just yesterday. Instead of running an easy five miles, I relied more on pace so that I would have a nice round number to show off on Strava. While my body wanted to run five miles at an easy effort, in about 38:45, I sped up over the last two miles so that the clock was an even 38:00 when I finished.

Almost any runner with a smartwatch has dabbled in this data overload, pouring over charts and graphs to find the signal in the Eras Tour-level noise. But ultimately, that result is meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Besides the physical disadvantage of running easy runs too fast, there鈥檚 also a psychological component to this problem: it makes us feel like we鈥檙e not training well. Our runs feel inadequate, especially when we fall into the comparison trap on social platforms.

Do Smartwatches Impede Long-Term Development?

There鈥檚 also another major problem with relying too heavily on your smartwatch: it may hamper your long-term development of interpreting your body鈥檚 communication signals.

This plays out in two different scenarios. The first and most common is pacing ability. GPS watches are now more accurate than ever at displaying your current running pace. That helps us fine-tune our effort during workouts, races, and long efforts. The problem is that we now must rely on a watch to fine-tune our paces. It鈥檚 becoming more and more difficult to intuitively understand how fast you鈥檙e running and how to adjust your pace in real-time.

RELATED: One Runner Followed His Watch鈥檚 AI Training Plans for a Month. Here鈥檚 What Happened.听

Certain GPS watches also provide runners with fitness and recovery scores, alongside specific suggestions on what workouts to run and how much recovery to take. This sounds great in theory, but over time it can erode a runner鈥檚 subjective judgment on their fatigue level and injury risk. Instead of listening to their body, they listen to their watch鈥攊nformed by proprietary algorithms鈥攁nd, therefore, are less able to learn what their body is trying to tell them.

This may keep you healthier in the short-term, but at the expense of better knowing your body over the long-term.

Three Smart Tips for Smartwatches

Despite this encroaching overreliance on our GPS gadget鈥檚 feedback, smartwatches can, of course, be incredible training tools. We now have the power to peer into the minute details of our physiology and performance to better guide our training. While misinterpreting or overanalyzing metrics is common, we can use these tools more effectively if we better understand them and our bodies.

1. Focus more on objective metrics than subjective metrics. The distance, pace, and overall time of your run is more important than an algorithmic 鈥渟core鈥� that tells you how many hours are needed until you鈥檙e ready for your next training session. It鈥檚 much more difficult to get those objective metrics wrong (and watch technology means these values are more accurate than ever).
2. Focus on trends over time rather than specific moments in time. Training is rarely linear, so don鈥檛 be upset if your cadence decreases temporarily, your heart rate variability is low one day, or your pace isn鈥檛 鈥渘ormal鈥� on a random Tuesday. Like Adam鈥檚 cadence discussed earlier, some 鈥減roblems鈥� are not actually problems at all; they鈥檙e simply reflections of the fact that you are a biological system, and variability is always going to exist.
3. Remember that subjective markers are estimates. Things like recovery scores, training readiness, or estimated finish times are simply guides and best guesses, rather than firm realities. Your watch does not know you better than you know you.

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Runners love talking about weekly mileage, and for good reason. Your mileage鈥攐r total running volume鈥攑lays a big part in your success as a runner. Personally, every single breakthrough performance I鈥檝e had occurred after a period of high-mileage running.

But like any skill, it takes patience and hard work to build over time, and that hard work is often viewed through the prism of total weekly volume.

An interesting recent study by Strava showed that those marathoners who qualified for the Boston Marathon ran more miles with more frequency. Here, the lesson is clear: if you want to run faster, it鈥檚 a good idea to .听But while so many runners love discussing mileage, there also needs to be an important conversation around the actual structure of that mileage:

– How many hard speed workouts are run per week?
– How are those workouts spaced throughout the week?
– When does the long run happen (and how does it progress)?
– When are rest days planned, in relation to other runs?

The answers to these questions will begin to inform the structure of your training. Let鈥檚 now discuss how those mileage levels should be planned throughout the week, so you know how to structure your training as you get ready for your goal race.

Golden Rule #1: Distribute Effort Evenly

Most of us understand that we probably shouldn鈥檛 run two hard workouts on back-to-back days (even adherents to the Norwegian model of double threshold training admit that this is advanced, risky, and only a smart idea after you鈥檝e covered all of the fundamentals).

But what runners often get wrong is properly distributing mileage, effort, and fun. Even heat adaptations. In short, everything must be distributed with intention.

Some days have to be mentally and physically challenging. Other days might be completely easy. You might have a fun but hard workout followed by an easy but mentally challenging cross-training session. And of course, we runners have to fit in some at some point, too (even though we鈥檇 rather be running).

RELATED: 鈥淐apacity Training鈥� Is the Key to Long-Term Running Endurance

All of this work has to be roughly聽 distributed evenly throughout the week, with priority put on your long run and faster workout.

These simple tips about effort distribution can help:

– Never run two hard workouts on back-to-back days unless you鈥檙e highly competitive and have discussed this strategy with your coach.

– Be cautious about running two very long runs on back-to-back days. It鈥檚 risky, but still an accepted practice among ultrarunners.

– Try to avoid two to three 鈥渂oring鈥� training sessions in a row (cross-training, treadmill running, or strength training). Fun is more important than you think; your motivation will thank you!

– Generally, overall mileage should be evenly distributed during the week, rather than front- or back-loaded (an obvious exception is if you鈥檙e running a very long run or have back-to-back long runs planned).

– More challenging sessions should ideally be separated by two or three days.

You can see here that we鈥檙e defining 鈥渆ffort鈥� very broadly. In these examples, it鈥檚 just a proxy for 鈥渄ifficulty,鈥� even if that difficulty is mental rather than physical.

Golden Rule #2: Prioritize What鈥檚 Important

I鈥檝e found that implementing a sound structure around a runner鈥檚 training leads to progress and improvement. It increases the methodical nature of training, helps with the progression of mileage, long runs, and workouts, allows for ample recovery, and takes out the guesswork of what to do each day.

But what happens when life gets in the way of your training? Most of us don鈥檛 run for a living and have family, professional, and social obligations that can easily upend the carefully planned structure of our running. In these instances, we must improvise. Adapting our training around our life is critical and is done so by having a clear sense of priorities. Every training plan is flexible and can be rearranged, shuffled around, and modified to fit your needs, so don鈥檛 think that changing a training plan means you鈥檙e not training well!

RELATED: Measurable Goals for Running Mobility, Strength, and Balance

First, remember the tips mentioned previously. These can help you change the structure of your running without putting yourself at an undue risk of injury.

Second, prioritize what鈥檚 important. Even if you can鈥檛 get in all your training, you can often accomplish what鈥檚 most impactful and still keep moving forward. For most runners, I would prioritize:

1. The long run (most of us lack aerobic development so I consider this to be the most important run of the week)

2. The faster workout (as a driver of overall fitness, the workout is the second most important run of the week. If you鈥檙e training for a 5K or shorter, it鈥檚 the first!)

3. The next longest run (to keep building endurance)

We can also make other modifications to our training that still allow us to gain the benefits of a training strategy while saving a lot of time:

– Strides can be incorporated during a run, rather than after a run.

– can become a shorter bodyweight strength session done at home instead of the gym, to reduce commute time.

– A short recovery run can be skipped altogether in favor of a complete rest day.

These minor alterations end up saving you a lot of time when life gets in the way of your running, and the good news is that they barely take away from your fitness.

Example Training Weeks

Creating your own training plan, internalizing all these 鈥渞ules鈥� (which are meant to be flexible), and knowing how to modify a plan takes a certain level of expertise and trial-and-error. There鈥檚 no doubt that if you stay in the sport long enough, you鈥檒l be able to 鈥渟ee the matrix鈥� and do this yourself.

Here are聽 a few example training weeks to help structure your running:

30 Miles Per Week

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 5 miles + strides
Wednesday: 7 miles (workout)
Thursday: 5 miles + weight training
Friday: REST
Saturday: 10 miles (long run)
Sunday: 3 miles + weight training

40 Miles Per Week

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 6 miles + strides
Wednesday: 10 miles (workout)
Thursday: 5 miles + weight training
Friday: REST
Saturday: 14 miles (long run)
Sunday: 5 miles + weight training

50 Miles Per Week

Monday: 8 miles (workout)
Tuesday: 5 miles + strides
Wednesday: 9 miles (workout) + weight training
Thursday: 5 miles
Friday: REST
Saturday: 16 miles (long run)
Sunday: 7 miles + weight training

Of course, there are nearly a limitless number of ways that you can structure your week of training. But these examples show you a sound, methodical approach that evenly distributes effort overall, allows for sufficient recovery, and challenges you just enough on your quality training days.

Structure your running a bit more strategically and you might surprise yourself with how good you feel, how quickly you improve, and how much faster you race!

Jason Fitzgerald is the host of the Strength Running Podcast and the founder of聽. A 2:39 marathoner, he鈥檚 coached thousands of runners to faster finishing times and fewer injuries with his results-oriented coaching philosophy. Follow him on聽听辞谤听.

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At some point in every runner鈥檚 career, they stop improving. Their race performances begin to stagnate, and it becomes more difficult to set a new personal record (PR).

These performance plateaus are common. They often happen after three to four races without improvement, despite great training. While all indications point to improvement, it simply doesn鈥檛 occur.

Thankfully, a performance plateau isn鈥檛 a good reason to quit the sport. If you can identify the 鈥渞ed flags鈥� in your training (best by reviewing your ) that often lead to flatlining finish times, you鈥檒l know how to correct your running and start thriving again.

But before we begin, it鈥檚 important to quickly cover many common training errors that generally slow progress. Whenever you鈥檙e training hard, or prioritizing a PR, it鈥檚 ideal to avoid these mistakes so that your fitness will keep growing:

– Lack of sleep (thereby reducing recovery and adaptation to your workouts)

– High levels of stress (work, family, or relationship stress can release stress hormones that reduce your ability to recover from hard training sessions)

– Low energy availability (not eating enough calories can predispose you to RED-S, bone injuries, a lack of energy, and poor recovery)

If you鈥檙e sleeping well, not overly stressed, and eating enough, you鈥檙e ready to train hard. So then, our next question becomes: How do I keep the ball rolling and prevent a performance plateau?

1. Your Mileage Isn鈥檛 Progressing

If you want to keep improving in races, your training must keep progressing over time.

One of the major red flags I see in my coaching practice is a lack of mileage progression. Runners will spend years running about the same mileage level, with only modest increases for a few weeks during peak training. Too often, they鈥檙e afraid of 鈥�.鈥�

That means every training cycle looks almost the same: very low starting mileage that increases gradually over the course of a 16- to 20-week season and ends at about the same level that they did the prior cycle.

If runners want to finish races faster than they ever have before, they must train like they never have before. That usually means running more, so that you have for endurance. As long as increases are gradual and you鈥檙e healthy, it鈥檚 safe to assume that more mileage is a good thing.

2. Injuries Are Preventing Your Consistency

Unfortunately, injuries are a common and inescapable part of this sport we all love. In fact, , depending on the study.

If you鈥檙e the type of runner who seems to be managing an injury every season, this is a major factor in your inability to continue progressing. Solving this injury problem will unlock new levels of fitness when you鈥檙e able to train more consistently.

That鈥檚 because there鈥檚 no 鈥渟ecret ingredient鈥� to being a successful runner. If there were, it would be consistency over time. No other training goal can be completed without consistency.

3. Speed Training Isn鈥檛 Your Priority

Speed training鈥攚hich I鈥檒l define loosely as any type of structured, faster workout鈥攈as many more benefits than simply helping you race faster. Faster workouts can:

– Improve your running economy (so you can run the same effort with less energy)

– Increase the pace of your maximum aerobic pace (so you can run faster without going into oxygen debt)

– Improve your ability to produce force (so you can literally sprint faster)

Even ultramarathoners will benefit from strategic, well-dosed speed training. A great example is Jack Daniels-inspired 鈥淩鈥� or repetition-training. These workouts include short repetitions at a very fast speed with full recovery that build cardiac output, improve stride mechanics, and increase running economy.

No runner will achieve their potential without completing faster workouts. They help runners sharpen their fitness while providing a strong stimulus for improvement.

4. Your Long Runs Aren鈥檛 Consistent

Every endurance runner presumably wants more endurance. It鈥檚 one of our most prized physical skills. That means we should prioritize the one training session that builds the most endurance: the long run.

Long runs form the cornerstone of our endurance training because they provide us so many benefits:

– Denser capillaries (better for transporting oxygen to hard-working muscles)

– Stronger muscles (yes, running for a very long time does increase strength!)

– Better mechanics (your brain learns through practice how to subtly improve the efficiency of your stride)

– Mental toughness (get psychologically comfortable running for two to three hours and races will seem short in comparison)

– Improved fuel efficiency (you鈥檒l get better at sparing muscle glycogen and burning more fat as a percentage of overall calories burned)

Let鈥檚 also consider that middle-distance races are still fueled primarily by the aerobic system. So if you鈥檙e targeting a 5K goal race鈥攚here 90 percent or more of the energy needed is supplied aerobically鈥攍ong runs are a key staple of your training program.

5. You鈥檙e Not Racing Enough

Racing is a skill, one that can be developed, refined, and perfected with practice. If you鈥檙e not racing regularly, this is your call to action!

My bias as a coach is to encourage more racing at shorter distances. Perhaps it鈥檚 because I have a cross country and track and field background, and that I personally prefer events at the half-marathon or shorter distance.

Now that my bias is on full display, I also want to note that races at the marathon distance or longer take more out of your body. They require additional recovery time, and you simply can鈥檛 race as frequently when your attention is on these distances. That means racing is necessarily more infrequent. Marathoners and ultra runners have to put more eggs in fewer baskets if they want to race well and avoid injury. It鈥檚 a necessary compromise for these incredible feats of endurance.

But if you want to keep improving, we have to keep improving across the board in all events. Speed begets speed, and you鈥檒l be in a better position to improve if you鈥檙e already improving in other events.

You鈥檒l also speed up the learning curve. More frequent racing will teach you about your limits and capabilities as a runner. It鈥檚 easier to 鈥済o to the well鈥� and run at 100 percent effort during a shorter race, making it a better learning tool.

So while plateaus in performance happen to every runner, there are usually a variety of training 鈥渞ed flags鈥� that we can identify to change course. Analyze your training journal, see if you鈥檙e making any of these mistakes, and you can break through your own plateau soon.

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What makes a good endurance runner? There are many skills that help endurance runners perform at their best, like:

– Power (the ability to produce force quickly)
– Mental toughness (the ability to psychologically endure discomfort)
– Economy (the efficiency of your stride)
– VO2 Max (the maximum amount of oxygen you can process)
– Speed (a high maximum velocity)
– Endurance (the ability to withstand fatigue at high workloads)

But of all these skills, endurance is the most important. And fortunately, for us, it鈥檚 one of the most trainable skills.

But聽what exactly is endurance? At its most fundamental level, endurance is the ability to run in an aerobic state (when our bodies are using oxygen as their primary source of energy) while withstanding fatigue. It鈥檚 having a highly developed aerobic energy system.听 Runners who can seemingly run forever have exceptional endurance.

Think of your training as a pyramid. Everything you do鈥攆rom lifting weights, running hard workouts, using a foam roller, or completing a series of strides鈥攆orms your training pyramid. Easy running helps us gain endurance the most, and it forms the base of the pyramid.

This 鈥渢raining pyramid鈥� has easy runs, long runs, and aerobic workouts as its foundation. They are the most fundamental building blocks of our capabilities as endurance runners. And that鈥檚 because these are capacity-building runs!

What Is 鈥淐apacity鈥� Training?

鈥淐apacity鈥� training is the key to being the best endurance runner you can be. Examples of capacity training are the runs and workouts in your program that build long-term capacity for endurance, like:

– Easy runs (which should make up approximately 80-90 percent of your training volume)
– Long runs (my personal favorite endurance-builder)
– Aerobic workouts (lactate threshold, half-marathon, or marathon pace workouts)

These training sessions improve your long-term potential by creating structural adaptations within your body. Quite literally, you鈥檙e changing how your body is structured to benefit your highest endurance potential in three main ways:

– Mitochondria (the energy factories in your cells) become denser and more numerous
– Capillaries grow, allowing for better distribution of blood flow and oxygen
– Heart grows stronger and bigger, pumping a larger volume of blood to working muscles

These adaptations allow your body to complete a higher workload (i.e., train more) while becoming more efficient over time. Now let鈥檚 compare capacity training to its counterpart: utilization training.

Think of 鈥渃apacity鈥� like your bank account. It represents your spending ability. Utilization is like your credit card statement in that it represents how you鈥檝e used your spending ability. Utilization training fine-tunes capacity. It improves your utilization of the fitness you already have.

Short, fast repetitions and hard VO2 max workouts represent utilization training. They鈥檙e necessary, but they don鈥檛 really build additional fitness or improve your capacity for endurance. These types of workouts also naturally have more risk for injury or over-training, so they must be completed strategically and less frequently than capacity-building sessions.

For that, we have to include the building blocks of capacity throughout the training cycle.

How to Prioritize Capacity

When asking yourself what types of running can build your long-term capacity for endurance, think 鈥渂ase training.鈥� The focus of base training is the same as capacity-oriented running: general endurance and aerobic strength. We could easily rename 鈥渂ase training鈥� and call it, more accurately, 鈥渃apacity training.鈥�

Here are the three capacity-building run types:

1) Easy running
2) Long runs
3) Aerobic workouts

Each one has its special place in your training so let鈥檚 make sure we understand each.

Easy Running. Easy running forms the cornerstone of every endurance runner鈥檚 program. In fact, 80-90 percent of your total mileage should be at an easy effort. But how do we know if we鈥檙e truly running easy?

There are three ways to figure out if you鈥檙e running at an easy effort:

1) First, rely on perceived effort. If your run is comfortable, controlled, and conversational, it鈥檚 likely an easy effort. Simple.

2) Second, use a pace calculator. Plug in a few of your race Personal Bests and you鈥檒l be given a range of what is likely your easy pace. This is usually accurate and a good starting point.

3) Finally, heart rate is another good option for determining your easy pace. Once you know your maximum heart rate (ideally by wearing a chest heart rate strap during a short, intense race), you can run at approximately 60-70 percent of your maximum. This is commonly known as Zone 2 training.

When in doubt, just run a little slower. Your body will barely know the difference and you鈥檒l still be gaining all the benefits of easy running.

Long Runs.聽While there are many types of a runner can do, the simplest tactic is just a longer easy run. It鈥檚 the longest run of the week, typically 20-40 percent longer than any other run. And, much like other runs, long runs are run at an easy effort.

Most runners should aim to complete a long run every week, with a cutback distance every 4-8 weeks depending on fatigue and training goals. A cutback long run is simply a shorter long run where the distance is reduced by 2-5 miles to make it easier.

Aerobic Workouts. Aerobic workouts are the last strategy we have to continue building our capacity for endurance. These are faster training sessions run at any pace at or slower than lactate threshold (commonly known as 鈥�.鈥�) That includes a variety of efforts. Here they are in order of fastest to slowest:

– Lactate threshold (the fastest you can run while still working aerobically)
– Half Marathon Pace (sometimes called steady-state pace)
– Marathon Pace (the pace-per-mile from your fastest marathon)

If you鈥檙e running a workout at these slower efforts, you鈥檙e running an aerobic training session.

Bonus Strategy: Cross-Training.聽For those athletes who might be injury-prone, we don鈥檛 have to exclusively rely on running to build our endurance capacity. If higher mileage (i.e. more easy runs), longer long runs, and aerobic workouts present an injury risk, we can use cross-training to bridge the gap.

Aerobic cross-training like cycling, pool running, power hiking (especially uphill), or the elliptical can help athletes build more endurance without the added injury risk of running.

While cross-training is not running (and we should not expect to harvest carrots after planting potatoes), fitness does indeed carry over to your running. It can be helpful to estimate about 15 minutes of cross-training is aerobically equivalent to a mile of running.

So, if you鈥檙e a runner who is worried about running more (or doing too frequent workouts) because of over-training or injury fears, cross-training can help you add extra endurance without the risk.

Achieving your potential as a runner takes a long-term, patient approach that prioritizes the fundamentals. A consistent focus on training your capacity through lots of easy running, consistent long runs, and aerobic workouts will help get you there.

Jason Fitzgerald is the host of the Strength Running Podcast and the founder of聽. A 2:39 marathoner, he鈥檚 coached thousands of runners to faster finishing times and fewer injuries with his results-oriented coaching philosophy. He writes the Trail Runner. Follow him on 听辞谤听.

The post 鈥淐apacity Training鈥� Is the Key to Long-Term Running Endurance appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

About a decade ago, I was coaching a new runner who was formerly a sedentary, pack-a-day smoker. Nonetheless, she was talented. Her first few races indicated a lot of talent, in fact, and I was excited about helping her achieve her potential.

But as we continued working together, I realized that her heart rate was abnormally high during easy runs, hovering near a lactate threshold or tempo effort for almost all of her running鈥攅ven during her easiest recovery runs.

Needless to say, I was concerned. When heart rates are persistently high over long periods of time, the risk of over-training syndrome or suffering a running injury increases. Plus, having a heart rate approaching an anaerobic zone most of the time is just not effective for long-term improvement. It could also be the sign of bigger health concerns.

This was a new problem for me to solve as a coach, and I realized I had to learn more about the physiology of beginner runners who previously lived sedentary lives. My background as a collegiate track and cross-country runner did not help me understand this unique issue and how to train through it.

As I educated myself on heart rate and performance, I discovered that my athlete was most likely suffering from something called Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome. It can be common in some new runners. And thankfully, it鈥檚 something that runners can work through and grow from.

What Is Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome?

Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome can be simplified as a lack of aerobic fitness. For sedentary folks, or even athletes in power-based sports鈥攕ay, softball or wrestling鈥攖heir aerobic metabolism is under-developed and struggles to provide oxygen to hard-working muscles for lengthy periods of time. The result is a skyrocketing heart rate, even for low intensities.

Athletes in sports that require anaerobic fitness, power, and strength鈥攂ut very little aerobic development鈥攐ften have anaerobic systems that are highly developed. These folks (like some CrossFitters or HIIT enthusiasts) are doing very little easy, aerobic exercise but a high amount of anaerobic exercise like VO2 max efforts, sprints, or very heavy weightlifting.

RELATED: How to Achieve Your Running Goals? Become an Aerobic Monster.

If our hypothetical new runner is either previously sedentary or a power athlete, their aerobic metabolism will not be efficient. It will struggle to deliver oxygen during easy exercise that would be a simple Zone 2 effort for most experienced runners. The aerobic system just isn鈥檛 up to the task because it鈥檚 rarely been asked to perform this task before.

Thankfully, this is not a career-ending problem for aspiring runners. Even if you鈥檝e spent all of your training time in Zone 3 or above, we can reverse this trend and make you into an aerobic powerhouse.

What to Do If You Have Aerobic Deficiencies

Once we understand that persistently high heart rates are usually caused by Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome, we have the solution to this problem: a massive amount of easy, low-intensity aerobic exercise.

Because the aerobic system is under-trained in athletes with Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome, we must train it by doing all the things that boost aerobic fitness:

– Easy and recovery runs

– Cross-training that mimics the demands of running (like cycling or pool running)

– Long runs

The key to these training sessions being productive is the intensity. It must be kept to a Zone 1 or Zone 2 effort to build the aerobic base without overly stressing the anaerobic system. The more of this easy, low-intensity work that you can do, the better.

You may also learn that you need to incorporate walking breaks into your running to maintain a lower heart rate. That鈥檚 OK! Our focus is on heart rate so that鈥檚 a viable strategy to continue building aerobic metabolism.

Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome Q&A

You might be asking yourself how long this process will last. Truthfully, there are no shortcuts, and it may take several months for you to build an endurance foundation sufficient to support higher intensity training. Just be patient and trust the process.

Earmark a two- to three-month period that focuses on base training. The goal is volume and a focus on easy running with little to no workouts. If you do decide to run faster workouts, keep them to a weekly basis and make them shorter than what you鈥檇 normally run. You can still maintain foot speed and coordination by regularly running strides.

RELATED:

If you have some running experience and don鈥檛 want to give up on the race that you might be training for, you can still continue training for the race (and even keep doing some higher intensity workouts).

In this situation, try to鈥�

– Add more Z1 and Z2 running or cross-training to your program to continue developing the aerobic system.

– Reduce the pace of easy runs so that they are truly easy (Zone 2 FTW!). Don鈥檛 be afraid to walk if that鈥檚 what it takes.

– Reduce the intensity of most workouts so they鈥檙e easier: lactate threshold efforts can be run at half marathon pace, half marathon efforts can be done at marathon pace, etc.

– Consider eliminating very hard workouts with long reps at VO2 Max intensities (like 5脳1,000m at 5K Pace).

Even with a reduction in workout intensity, you may achieve a faster race finish time with this approach because of the additional development of your aerobic metabolism.

For most runners, this is far more advantageous than more anaerobic training (even if you don鈥檛 have ADS), since middle-distance and long-distance events are mostly powered by the aerobic metabolism anyway.

Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome can be common in new runners depending on their athletic background. If you find yourself struggling to run at an easy effort and your heart rate is consistently higher than what it 鈥渟hould be,鈥� then consider a season dedicated to base training. You鈥檒l not only reduce your heart rate, but you鈥檒l also build an aerobic engine that will carry you through your next running season.

The post How to Spot鈥攁nd Correct鈥擜erobic Deficiency Syndrome appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Right now in the fitness community, the hottest topic is Zone 2 training.

Everywhere you look, both coaches and runners are extolling the benefits of running at a Zone 2 effort, while advising runners to be wary of running too hard on easy days.

Make no mistake: there are great reasons for running most of your mileage at an easy effort around Zone 2. No coach worth her salt will tell runners that easy running isn鈥檛 advantageous. In fact, a lot of easy running is the key to racing faster and building a strong body that鈥檚 resilient against injuries.

But with all this focus on Zone 2, are we ignoring other zones? What about Zone 1? Or what about Zone 3 (which seems to have become the boogeyman of running efforts)? Despite the baggage of Zone 3, and most athletes ignoring Zone 1, these zones still have value.

In fact, every zone has a place in a well-designed training program. Let鈥檚 get into the weeds, explore the nuance, and discover each shade of gray about zone training.

What is Zone 2 Running?

Zone 2 running is best defined as easy running where you鈥檙e still able to hold a conversation with a friend. The effort usually corresponds to about 60-70 percent of maximum heart rate.

This zone is part of the 5-zone system:

– Zone 1: very easy intensity that is considered 鈥渓ight exercise鈥� with a heart rate of 50-60 percent of maximum

– Zone 2: easy intensity that is within about 60-70 percent of maximum heart rate

– Zone 3: moderate intensity that is within about 70-80 percent of maximum heart rate

– Zone 4: difficult intensity that usually corresponds to lactate threshold or 80-90 percent of maximum heart rate

– Zone 5: very difficult intensity that requires very hard exercise to reach 90-100 percent of maximum heart rate

Zone 2 is often considered the lowest intensity that produces meaningful training adaptations. It鈥檚 receiving a lot of attention in the running community because it has a lot of benefits with very little risk of over-training or injury. But this is not new. Runners have been married to the idea of easy running since the 1970s, when US marathoner Bill Rodgers was winning major marathons while running up to 180 miles per week鈥攏early all at an easy effort.

We鈥檝e called long runs LSD (鈥淟ong Slow Distance鈥�), short runs 鈥渞ecovery jogs,鈥� and bemoaned our training partners for not running at 鈥渃onversational pace.鈥� In Boulder, Colorado, there鈥檚 a weekly 鈥渇un run鈥� at such an easy effort it鈥檚 called 鈥渟oft hour.鈥�

Runners know and understand the value of easy, comfortable running. It鈥檚 just currently being rebranded into something new called 鈥淶one 2 training鈥� (just like, a decade ago, we heard all about High Intensity Interval Training鈥攐r hard track workouts).

Zone 2 is Just One Piece of the Puzzle

There鈥檚 no denying that Zone 2 is a key pillar of any endurance runner鈥檚 training鈥攊n fact, it鈥檚 likely the most important intensity zone for every runner鈥攂ut that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 the only actor in the play. While it鈥檚 vital, it鈥檚 just one piece of the puzzle.

Zone 1 running can be enormously helpful for base building, especially with longer efforts that last multiple hours. A four-plus hour fast hike at altitude up a mountain is a good example of beneficial Zone 1 training.

However, Zone 1 isn鈥檛 as productive at producing endurance adaptations, so it鈥檚 usually reserved for cross-training, very long efforts, or just parts of certain runs (where most of the effort is Zone 2). A good example is a short recovery run where the first 10 minutes might be at a Zone 1 effort before gradually transitioning to a Zone 2 effort.

And while Zone 3 is often presented as a 鈥渄anger zone鈥� or the 鈥済ray zone鈥� of training, it also has its place. High-level, competitive athletes have the talent to spend more time during an easy run at these moderate intensities. And beginners who are running low mileage can also do a fair amount of Zone 3 running because their volume is low, and they likely won鈥檛 make as many adaptations without it.

Just be careful with too much Zone 3 running: if more than 40-50 percent of your mileage is at this intensity, it presents a higher injury risk due to additional mechanical stress and less recovery due to higher intensities.

Of course, any performance-oriented runner with goals of running a certain finish time will want to spend time in both Zones 4 and 5, too, which we can consider 鈥渨orkout zones.鈥� Race paces of 10K and faster fall into these zones and can be used for structured workouts for approximately 15-20 percent of total weekly volume.

An example week with mileage levels, workouts, and zones illustrates this concept:

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 4 miles (Z1 and Z2)
Wednesday: 7-mile workout (3 x mile at 5K pace/Z5)
Thursday: 5 miles (Z2)
Friday: REST
Saturday: 4 miles (Z1 and Z2)
Sunday: 10 miles (with 3 miles at marathon pace/Z3)

In this example, the athlete is running 80 percent of their total weekly volume at a Zone 1 or Zone 2 effort, 10 percent of their effort in Zone 3, and 10 percent in Zone 5.

As we think about the complete training program over the course of a season, we can see that many intensities (like Zone 2) will remain constant throughout the season. Some intensities will have a stronger presence during the base phase, like Zone 1, while others will be prioritized late in the season (like Zone 5).

Just like a delicious soup, every ingredient has its place.

The Bottom Line

Clearly, I鈥檓 a Zone 2 stan. It鈥檚 an integral intensity zone for any runner, whether you鈥檙e a professional track and field athlete, frequent half marathoner, or a first-time ultramarathoner. If I was forced to choose the single-most important zone for running, I鈥檇 choose Zone 2.

But it鈥檚 not the only party in town. Every runner should strive to be a well-rounded athlete who鈥檚 capable at every intensity zone. Simply put: Zones 1-3 build capacity while Zones 4 and 5 sharpen your existing fitness. Any good training program should include a healthy mix of all zones because these energy systems all contribute to an athlete鈥檚 ability.

Ultimately, good runners have range at a variety of distances because they don鈥檛 ignore any zones or over-prioritize a specific zone. And that range鈥攖he ability to run well at the 5K, half-marathon, and ultra distances鈥攊s a testament to preparing every energy system during training.

Jason Fitzgerald is the host of the Strength Running Podcast and the founder of . He writes column for Trail Runner.听

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