INTRODUCTION
I firmly believe that building a highly refined aerobic engine and monstrous running capacity is not difficult for any truly self-motivated athlete to achieve. Of course, it takes time and a lot of it (years and years, in fact), but any athlete with enough education, strategic planning in training, and personal resolve can truly build themselves to a point where they fully reach their genetic potential in the sport of running. Obviously, I can’t help with any one person's determination or resolve to improve (I’ve tried and failed with too many amazing but unmotivated athletes to count), but I can teach the fundamental concepts of endurance and provide ways to help any athlete strategically plan so that they may gain the most significant results that will (over the long term) refine and build your engine into something you would never imagine. To begin our first lesson, we will cover the great importance that ZONE 2 training will have in your training program, discuss the associated benefits, and you will learn how to calculate and implement it strategically into your own training program.
A quick disclosure for those skeptical of this training method: I would argue that for most people worldwide, it is a ludicrous idea that running slow and easy could lead to significant gains in running performance. The skepticism of this large population may seem odd for people entrenched in the endurance world, as the majority know ZONE 2 training as a fundamental principle for performance. Still, in my opinion, this skepticism is entirely valid, especially when considering the prevailing thought process embedded in most young people in schools and sports clubs worldwide. The prevalent notion of “No Pain, No Gain” taught to us repeatedly during our early years and continued through primary school is so deeply entrenched that when many people are introduced to the conceptual framework of ZONE 2 training or ‘easy’ training, they dismiss it as useless due to this ingrained and eerily mistaken ideology. If you are one of those people (as I once was), I ask that you allow me to sway your opinion and have an open mind over the coming paragraphs.
ZONE 2 RUNNING
Firstly, let's define ZONE 2 training in terms of our running performance: ZONE 2 running, also known as aerobic or low-intensity training, is an essential component of endurance training that targets your aerobic energy system. This training zone typically corresponds to a heart rate range of about 60-70% of your maximum heart rate - However, with this being said, we will be using a much more streamlined version to calculate your ZONE 2 heart rate, known as the Maffetone method (180-AGE).
The Benefits Of ZONE 2 Training
1. Increase in mitochondria:
a. Definition: Mitochondria are cellular organelles that play a crucial role in energy production. In the human body's cells, mitochondria are often referred to as the "powerhouse of the cell" because they are responsible for generating adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
b. How This Improves Performance: Running is an aerobic activity, meaning it relies on the utmost efficient utilization of oxygen. Mitochondria play a central role in the aerobic respiration process, where oxygen is used to break down carbohydrates and fats into ATP. In the simplest terms, the more mitochondria we have to utilize as athletes, and as we complete more ZONE 2 training, the more mitochondria we craft and the better the endurance will be for any given runner.
2. Increase in mitochondria efficiency:
a. Definition: Mitochondrial efficiency refers to the ability of mitochondria to generate ATP with minimal waste and optimal utilization of its resources. Over the long term, ZONE 2 training vastly increases our mitochondrial efficiency, allowing us to utilize ATP better and run further, faster, and longer.
b. How This Improves Performance: Increasing mitochondrial efficiency positively impacts running efficiency by optimizing energy production. These adaptations contribute to better endurance, reduced fatigue over the long periods of a race, and an overall enhanced running performance.
3. Increase in metabolic flexibility:
a. Definition: Metabolic flexibility refers to the ability of your mitochondria to utilize fat and glucose as an energy source; ZONE 2 training increases your metabolic flexibility and your ability to use fat as a primary energy source.
b. How This Improves Performance: Mitochondria play a crucial role in breaking down fats for energy. Flexible mitochondria can effectively utilize stored fats as a fuel source, sparing our highly sought-after glycogen reserves. This is particularly important for endurance runners, as it helps delay the onset of fatigue by preserving the body's carbohydrate stores.
4. Lactic Threshold Improvement:
a. Definition: Lactic threshold, also known as anaerobic threshold or lactate threshold, is a critical concept in running performance that refers to the exercise intensity at which lactic acid (lactate) begins to accumulate in the bloodstream faster than it can be cleared.
b. How This Improves Performance: ZONE 2 training involves working close to, but below, your lactic threshold. This allows your body to adapt to the physiological demands associated with this threshold. Over time, as your aerobic capacity improves, it also brings up your lactic acid threshold; namely, you can sustain higher intensities before reaching the point of significant lactic acid accumulation (the point where you will be unable to remain at the same running pace and will be forced to slow down).
5. Injury Prevention:
a. Definition: Training at your ZONE 2 heart rate has many associated benefits, especially when considering the reduced risk of injury. In the simplest terms, running at our ZONE 2 is much less taxing on our joints compared to tempo runs or lactic threshold running workouts, leading to a significantly reduced risk of overuse injuries and physical burnout.
b. How This Improves Performance: Less injuries means more miles done and more time to improve all aspects of your running performance. While this may seem like the least attractive benefit of ZONE 2 training, it becomes an essential factor, especially when there are so many runners who are faced with chronic injuries and fatigue across the world. In the simplest of terms, if you are constantly injured or tired, you will never be truly able to gain the mileage or ‘time-on-feet’ needed to reach your full genetic potential.
OUR METHOD TO CALCULATE YOUR ZONE 2 MAFFETONE HR RANGES (SHOWN THROUGH THE USE OF MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE):
AGE: 26
1. 180-26 = 154BPM
2. ZONE 2 MAF RANGE = 144BPM-154BPM
3. RECOVERY RANGE = 134BPM-144BPM
4. THRESHOLD RANGE = 155BPM-164BPM
5. MAX EFFORT RANGE = 164BPM – MAX HR
HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD YOU DO ZONE 2 TRAINING PER WEEK?
Ideally, as an athlete focusing solely on running, you should complete AT LEAST three mid-long endurance ZONE 2 efforts each week to reap the full benefits of this highly lucrative training methodology. Knowing this, I would recommend that each athlete wanting to implement ZONE 2 heart-rate training should choose three days per week (ideally with days between set aside for threshold training and recovery training) that are used for these mid-long efforts to elevate your aerobic capacity.
For example, I (who has been doing ZONE 2 heart-rate training for quite some time) complete mid-long efforts (from 10-15 miles per week) three times per week within my designated ZONE 2 heart-rate range and one long ZONE 2 effort (15-20 miles per workout). Currently, for me, these workouts are done on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, with one day (Tuesday) entirely dedicated to short mileage lactic threshold training and one day (Thursday) dedicated only to low mileage recovery miles that help prime my body for my long effort on Saturday.
CONCLUSION
In the end, ZONE 2 training should absolutely be a staple in your workout regime if your goal is to maximize your endurance potential – it's simple, effective, and has way too many associated benefits that NOT focusing on it within training is in and of itself a disservice to you as an athlete. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. I love and want to teach ZONE 2 to as many people as possible, as I think it's one of the most significant ways to advance your performance and something I WISH I had known growing up. If you did learn something or discovered ZONE 2 training from this article, I would ask that you follow along (@hybridfitnessify on Instagram) for more accessible and beneficial content such as this. If you are already following, if you were to share this article with a running buddy, I would be incredibly grateful.