Zone 2 sucks (Page 2)

I agree 100%...I wasn't real sold on the idea for the first 2 months, but now 4 months later I am runner fast than ever...I does work, but it takes a while to see results.

 I abhor Z2, It goes against everything I
stand for J, I am learning to deal with it, and have noticed a few
things.  I don’t feel the long runs the
next day, and my Z2 pace is my wife’s running pace, she gets her huff and puff
on, and I can stroll around in Z2.  I did
do some interval work the other day, and noticed my pace was ~:15 less than my previous
pace, and my HR didn’t climb that far into Z3.

You need to crank up the weekly mileage. You'll starting living in Z2 once you're running a fair amount of miles.

RE cadence, yes. Just take shorter steps. Many runners tend to overstride. My cadence is nearly the same (88-90, or 176-180, depending on how you count) everywhere between 10 and 6 minute mile pace.

As for Zone 2, you will appreciate it when you start doing intense bike and run workouts. For me, it's a welcome break!  I think for people who naturally tend more toward the endurance end of things, it comes very naturally. I could (and have) held a Zone 2 effort for 4-6 hours, in each sport (not on the same day, though) and really enjoyed it. For speedsters, it's probably more of a matter of forcing yourself to slow down. And you do have to swallow your pride in this sport--I mean, we run around half naked in tight spandex, ride with crazy-looking bikes and helmets, etc. What's so bad about running slowly?

To the Zone 2 gurus, a couple of questions:

1) What pace were you running prior to Zone 2 training?

2) How long have you been running prior to starting Zone 2 training?

3) How many months have you been training at Zone 2 now, and what is your mpm improvement in Zone 2?

4) What is your mpm improvement in a race distance (stand alone 5K, 10K, HM, etc) since starting your Zone 2 training?

5) In the 80% Z2/ 20%Z4-5 regimen, do you always keep a whole run in a given Zone, or do you have the same success if you do 80% of a run at zone 2 and 20% of the same run at Zone 4-5? (either once in a while or all the time)

6)  Do you Zone 2 swim and bike too?  Similar success?

I apologize for all the questions :)  Very interesting topic!

FWIW, I bought a bike trainer (KK road) and at first tried the HR program and didn't like it at all because of the lag HR has for the intervals.  I wanted something more absolute and switched over to power after making up a spreadsheet to use the KK published speed vs watts chart.  Then it's been great.

I apologize for all the questions   Very interesting topic!

Bingo

My motto is run in a way that you can run everyday.  I do speedwork or steep hills I get injured. Keeping in Z2 lets me run everyday. I've been closer to PR's from 10+ years ago that I thought wouldn't happen again just because of age

I really appreciate everyone who has responded to my litany of Zone 2 questions. This is giving me a more faith in the Z2 approach. 

It is interesting to me how many times I have read--and I believe it--that you can't become a fast swimmer without swimming fast sets, yet here we have many people reporting PR/PB running with doing very little zone 4 and little to no zone 5. What do you think accounts for the difference between swimming and running--maybe, just maybe, we have some fishes reading this thread, though I know the runners and fishes don't mingle much;)

When I run a 5K, I'm well into Zone 4 for the majority of it, and finishing at 5.  Those of you getting your PRs off of Zone 2 training, what zone are you in racing your 5Ks?

Racing all out at and above lactate threshold for a 5K.  So, Zone 4/5.

This last fall when I started my IM training my zone 2 for running was slow for what I felt to be good. 9:00-9:15 pace. Just yesterday after riding for 4:35 trying to stay in zone 2 I got off the bike and went for a 50 minute run in zone 2 at a pace of 8:23/mile. Last fall that wouldn't of ever happened.

Training in that zone to establish a good base will benefit you but you have to be patient with it. I only started seeing noticeable improvements in my speed once my plan started having me do speed work again. 

So zone 2 training combined with proper speed work will help to keep you injury free IMO and prolly in a lot of other people's opinions.

OK, I probably need to retest my LT.  I can hang out in what I have been thinking is Zone 4 for well over an hour running (absolutely can't biking or swimming), but I have been running >20 years.  The real bummer here is that probably means I've been "hanging" out in zone 3. shoot.

Your LT - and your zones - will differ in each sport.  Typically, it's highest for running, a bit lower for cycling, and lower still for swimming.  In unusual circumstances, like being highly trained in swimming and untrained in running, this may not hold.

Here's a little tip to make it "suck" less... something to take you're mind off the obnoxiously slow pace. Use a foot pod to focus/improve your cadence. The most efficient runners maintain a 180 cadence (midfoot strikes per minute) even during a Zone 2 effort.

In the beginning this will impede your ability to stay within Zone 2, but it will significantly improve your running economy. Every 3rd or 5th kilometer run at proper cadence for 1 km. In between efforts return back to your Zone 2 target HR. A few weeks of this and you will notice drastic changes to both your form and HR.

Jeff

Director, Kinesio Sport Lab

Halifax, NS

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