What's up legend - Can you believe that we're already one week into October?
I don't know about you but September seemed to have come and gone again in a flash!
Hardly ideal considering I've got my toughest challenge to date coming up VERY soon.
On Oct 19th I'm competing in a 21km obstacle race that includes 30 of the most joyous obstacles you can find.
I feel prepared and I'm buzzing for race day, but I won't lie, I thought I had more time,
Specifically when it comes to my running.
For the last 6 weeks I've replaced my usual long run on a Saturday, with a Zone-2 focused run.
What is zone-2 you ask? Why I'm glad you asked...
The Missing Link To Longevity and Performance?
I've been consistently running a few times a week for about a year now, and it's been going great so far.
I've entered my first 10km road race, I did 2 spartan races in the space of 4 hours, and I ran my first half-marathon on a random Saturday afternoon.
Cardiovascular wise, I've NEVER been fitter!
But even though I've made massive improvements over the last year, there are still some gaps to fill,
And one of those gaps is endurance.
Now, you may be sat there scratching your head thinking - what the hell is he talking about, he's ran a half-marathon?
Yes while I did run 21km without stopping, it was HARD!
My legs felt great throughout (thanks strength training), but my heart rate was way too high for my liking.
The thing is, I knew this would be the case.
My goal was to first hit certain distance milestones (10-21km), and then to focus on improving my performance.
This is where zone-2 cardio training comes into play.
First of all, what is zone-2 cardio training?
👉🏻 This is cardiovascular specific training where you keep your heart rate between 60-70% of your max hear rate (MHR) for a prolonged period of time, typically 45-60+ minutes.
Zone 2 training boosts your athletic performance on the cellular level. It improves your ability to utilize fat as a fuel source, which improves your bodies endurance and ultimately allows you to perform for longer (1).
In Lehmans terms, by going slower you are building up your bodies ability to effectively perform for longer durations.
The more you keep doing this, the more efficient your heart and body will get.
Zone 2 training is well and truly the new HIIT training, it's the sexy new thing in the fitness industry and for good reason!
If you want to perform better, and live for longer, then it needs to be pat. of your training program.
If you neglect it you're leaving both performance on the table, and maybe some life years as well.
As it requires the heart rate to be between 60-70% of your MHR, it involves doing one thing in particular...
Going slowwwwwwww.
Which believe it or not, is where things can get tricky.
You would think that going slow would be easy, which from an effort point of view is certainly true,
But from an application view point,
It can actually prove quite tricky.
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I'm going to use running as my example but you can apply this to any form of cardiovascular training, such as rowing, incline walking, or cycling.
Ok, so when I was doing my long run on a Saturday, my objective was distance.
The goal was to get to the end and complete the distance I had set.
As I was pushing myself to run as fast as I could during that distance,
My heart rate would be sky high for the vast majority of it, averaging around 170 bpm for the duration of the run.
That's well over 80% of my max heart rate of 187 bpm, which is zone-4/zone-5 territory.
If I want to train zone-2, I've got to run a LOT slower!
This is where it proves tricky.
Keeping your heart rate low enough means you have to put much less effort in, which is great in one sense,
But if you are used to training hard, it's more difficult than you would think.
Now I've tried running slow out on the road, which for a guy of my stature and physique,
Looks comical to say the least 😂
Mentally as well it's tough.
Watching literally everyone and their grandad run past you can be pretty demoralising ha.
I went from a 5 minute kilometre, to something like 8+ minutes.
The other tricky part is actually monitoring your heart rate.
You have to keep your heart rate between 60-70% at all times, which results in you constantly checking your watch.
Now, this is totally doable and it's a bit of a first world problem, but the whole thing just annoyed me.
So my solution?
Run on a treadmill.
While it's not the same as running on the road, my goal at the moment isn't to condition my legs for long distances,
Rather it's to condition my heart for long distances.
The treadmill is perfect for just that.
Since late August I've taken my long Saturday run indoors so I can focus solely on zone-2 training - building up to 90-minute runs.
The treadmill makes it very easy to adjust your speed, which of course impacts how hard you have to work,
Meaning it's easier to keep your heart rate where you want it - between 60-70% of MHR.
These days you can link your heart rate monitor to most treadmills, or you can simply keep your phone open with your heart rate displayed.
Of course it's pretty boring and it doesn't compare to running outside, but my goal is important to me and so it gets done.
I know my endurance will definitely be better when I do this race on the 19th, and hopefully I'll be able to prove it with a lower average heart rate.
A few things:
- You need a heart rate monitor to effectively train at zone-2. I use a polar H-10 strap that is linked to my Apple Watch. You can also use any smartwatch that has a built in HR monitor, but the accuracy just isn't as good.
- Zone 2 requires you to train for longer durations, so aim to complete 45-60 minutes at a time. The more you do, the better!
- To calculate your zone 2 heart rate range, first you need to find your max heart rate. Simply take your age away from 220, so for me that's 220-33 = 187 MHR. Then calculate 60 and 70% of that MHR, which again for me is 112-131 bpm.
I'll keep training like this until the end of the year and then I'll swap them out for long distance road runs instead.
I'm really excited to feel the difference in my endurance come the new year, no doubt it'll feel like a bit of an engine upgrade.
If you have any questions on Zone-2 training, pop me a reply and I'll happily answer your questions.
It may seem counterintuitive to go slow, but I guarantee you that it'll change your life!
Quote for the day
"The best way to predict the future is to create it"
- Peter Drucker
Want a better business?
Then build it.
Want a better body?
Then build it.
Want to feel great at 80?
Then create that future for yourself.
Have an awesome week!
- Mark
P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s a few ways I can help you:
References
1. Seiler, S. (2010). “What is Best Practice for Training Intensity and Duration Distribution in Endurance Athletes?” International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 5(3), 276-291.
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