Is Zone 2 Running for You? | REI Expert Advice | REI Expert Advice
We asked a group of experts if the everyday runner should buy into the hype of Zone 2 training. In learning about Zone 2, it’s easy to get lost in the weeds of all the metrics and methods: One moment you’re calculating percentages and ranges, then suddenly you’re trying to understand the purpose of lactic threshold and fartlek interval workouts. This information overload can be especially overwhelming for novice-to-intermediate runners.We set out to get a better sense of what Zone 2 training means on a practical level for our bodies and our psyches, and how novice and intermediate runners can reap its benefits. For this, we consulted experts including renowned sports cardiologist Dr.Benjamin Levine, director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine in Dallas, Texas; certified run coach and running educator Elisabeth Scott; and running coach and long-time friend of REI, Malcolm Dunn. Read on for the full article or click on the links below: ... Broadly speaking, zone training is a way to break-down running into five levels or zones.Metrically, these zones are defined by your heart rate at different degrees of exercise intensity ranging from rest to maximum. You are technically running in Zone 2 when you’re at ~65-75% of your maximum heart rate, which you can determine using a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker and completing a high-intensity workout within your ability level.