I did an experiment with Zone training last week, which involves running slower than usual in order to keep my heart rate lower than usual.
Normal Heart Rate Zones for a 5K run
Normally when I do a 25 minute 5K my HR is up here:
Even though I'm mostly in zone five, that's only pushing usually for the last K, the first is easy the mid 3 usually getting gradually harder in terms of effort.
But that's not hard enough to leave me feeling done in!
Last week's lower HR zones...
I did my usual 5K running route twice early on in the week and took a good 10 minutes extra on both ocassions, and my heart rates for these two runs were as follows:
Run 1
This was 35 mins, with about 1K total of walking simply because I couldn't run slow enough comfortably to keep my HR below 150 which was my aim....
Run 2
By run 2, also 35 mins I was doing much better, a bit less walking and already my HR is much lower!
My third run...
Was a charity Santa run with another 250 people dressed up as Santa, around Hereford High Street and surrounds, ended up being a bit short of 5K, although I did start the Garmin a little late.
This was naturally slow as traffic meant you had to walk at bottle necks!
There was a faster section towards the end once the crowds had thinned out and we were able to go a little faster!
more of a mixed bag that one, nice balance! This was 30 mins for 4.5K
Zone running final thoughts
Obviously this is easier than my usual, the theory is that this is going to be most runs, with me increasing my number of runs per week, allowing me still to do a couple of hard runs...
The theory didn't really work in practice last week as I basically just ended up cutting out all of the harder runs, but, as I've said many times before, I got them in!
I think in the long run this strategy should improve my base heart rate which boosts the platform for more intense training... whether i get around to that intense training remains to me seen.
But for now, it's nice and easy!
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