Heart Rate Training

When I first started running, I didn't know what heart rate training was. Not until I worked with RunRelated (who are awesome by the way), did I have any clue about how to train using heart rate zones. It's a long process and I've only been training this way for 8 months, but I couldn't imagine using any other method now. When I post data progress pictures, the most often asked question I get is how to determine zones. I'm not a certified coach, so my advice is strictly given based on what I've learned. If you're looking for a coach, and you want to use heart rate training, I suggest making sure that coach offers workouts that are based off zones or heart rates. I also suggest buying either a heart rate monitor (HeartZones Inc has a great bracelet for the forearm called Blink 3.0) or a watch that has a built in heart rate monitor. I have the Garmin Forerunner 35.

Determining zones is tough if you're new at it and don't know much about heart rate training. In fact, 8 months ago I wouldn't have had the slightest clue on how to determine zones. Again, I'm not a certified running coach, but based on articles I've read, this one seems to be the most helpful when it comes to figuring out easy, hard, race heart rates. Another way to determine your recovery run zone (zone 1) is by taking the number 180 subtracting your age and then another 5 beats if you've been training for less than 2 years or you have had an injury in the past year. If neither of those apply to you, then using 180-age will be fine. This method was developed by Phil Maffetone, or MAF method. I use it for recovery runs, but for easy runs (zone 2), I use a range a little higher than that. Then, for zone 3, I use a range slightly higher than that. Zone 3 is not used very often. I usually use zone 3 for fast finishes from an easy run (simulates race day finish), tempos, or fartlek runs. Zone 4 isn't tapped into very often at all. I use zone 4 for speed work (short intervals) or at the end of a race. My former coach explained that no matter what kind of condition an athlete is in, your body cannot sustain zone 4 for more than an hour. So if you have ever experienced starting too fast in a race and then not being able to sustain that pace nearer the end (if it's a half or full marathon), then it's likely you tapped into zone 4 too soon. 5ks and 10ks don't really affect you like the other two longer distances do, because even if you're in zone 4 for the whole 10k, it's still more than likely less than an hour. 80% of my training falls in zone 2, with the remaining 20% doing recovery runs or speed work.

I want to make it clear once again, that all of this information is based off of my personal experience, but I've learned so much in the past 8 months and want to share the love! I have shaved about a minute off my recovery run pace, around 30 seconds off my easy run pace and have gotten much more efficient with speed workouts. So, my closing thought is to share that slowing down really does speed things up!

blink

recovery

speed work