How to Run Fast at a Low Heart Rate

[@mjrtensepian1727]

I've mastered the technique of running very slowly at an alarmingly high HR; lets see you tackle that!

[@JBTearney]

Same. My max HR was tested at 200. I started jogging recently after not doing anything other than occasional sprints for a long time and masically 1 mile of my absolute slowest jog i get to 180 BPM. I spend about 3 seconds in zone 2 lol

[@mjrtensepian1727]

@@JBTearney Ive never had Max HR tested specifically, but reason to believe its relatively high. That said, after a few weeks of regular running(the little i'm capable of), noticed peaking lower, staying in 160s for exteneded period, rather than drifting up. So...def responds to training.

[@JBTearney]

@@mjrtensepian1727 yeah I’m progressing but I keep running faster and so the heart rate just gets to that high zone anyway. I got to 190 today on a mile. Granted I beat last weeks mile pace by 2 minutes so I prob need to chill out and take it slower lol. I’ve started doing some 200 and 400 sprints also. I have seen a slight decrease in the rate when i lift weights already.

[@D-Khalid]

My RHR is 200. Beat that. I'll collapse everytime I climb 1 flight of stairs

[@questionauthority-f6i]

@@JBTearney Stop trying to set PRs everytime. I know that's tough

[@gardnerfamilytravels]

I only need to look at my running shoes and I'm 160bpm

[@skybiz4520]

Exactly I've been running for years and never see like 120 bps.. More likely 140-150 area.. WTF these guys smoking.. 80 bps that's heartbeat when you watching TV.

[@HaiLeQuang]

​@@skybiz4520 Agree. I'm in my 30s and quite fit but never be able to keep my HR at 140s zone after running more than 2km. Really jealous with these guys

[@Matwew21]

​@@skybiz4520 that's what I'm confused about. My resting heart rate is low, but as soon as I start running I'm at 130-140, and I don't feel tired at all I can sustain it

[@SWiSSlLiX]

And then there‘s me havin a constant heart rate of 170-180 for 10km

[@gardnerfamilytravels]

@@SWiSSlLiX same, I'm 160-170 whether it's a 8kph supposed zone 2 jog, or a steady 11kph on a 5k. Hearts just all or nothin

[@DavidBlack-ki5fc]

I have a cardiac pacemaker and had two heart attacks in 2023. I managed a 3:56 London Marathon run purely on heart rate not going over 130. It wasn’t easy, but it kept my chest discomfort at bay ! ❤❤

[@Kelly_Ben]

Congrats to you!! That's awesome. Stories like that keep me going. I had a minor heart attack at 42 years old due to a rare blood pressure issue. My cardiologists have signed off on my ultras specifically because I keep it low intensity, and the benefits far outweigh any risks. I can only hope for a pace like yours, especially at a low HR!!

[@DavidBlack-ki5fc]

@@Kelly_Ben thank you. I still do sessions in training and take the risk ! I’m aiming for a 4:50 mile this summer .

[@H0A0B123]

Is there an upper limit to the heart rate with a pacemaker? is it dangerous to do activities that require a high heart rate?

[@DavidBlack-ki5fc]

@@H0A0B123 generally no to both questions. A very low heart rate 20-30 bpm which I had carries a higher risk of a stroke. My max heart rate now is around 150. Heart’s recover well if people are sensible and take exercise increases incrementally

[@H0A0B123]

@@DavidBlack-ki5fc I see. our ranges are very different. For me an easy jog (~9km/h) brings my heart rate to 155. When I started I couldn't even jog without my heart rate going into the 180s. My max is around 205 bpm.

[@sheldonjanuary4058]

I think I speak for everyone when I say we miss the "Hello everybody, welcome back to the channel!!" intro 😆

[@michaelcaricoo]

Yes! I miss the "helloeverybody!"

[@Snerunseasy]

That's his signature,I miss it too "Hello everybody, welcome back to the channel".

[@emceenz]

Helloooeverybod-eeeeee! Agreed - It was such a wholesome intro!

[@MattWarren100k]

The best time was when Sarah beat Ben to the intro 🤣

[@sheldonjanuary4058]

The people have spoken Ben 🤣

[@futtocksend8832]

Zone 2 done correctly takes time. Most runners today want results yesterday... Took me 3 months to see any gains which included LOTS of walking. Also volume and consistency is king. It definitely works and you can carry on improving for years, but it ain't going to work in 2 weeks. 90% of my runs are with a heart rate between 125-130. used to be 165 at the same pace. (age 64)

[@Riddick24able]

Thanks❤ i thought something is wrong with me, because of the slow progression

[@giovannasculli5073]

You're right, it takes an incredible amount of time to lower the heart rate at Zone 2. I've not reached the right heart rate of my zone 2 range yet and I'm running constantly three times a week since march 2024. I've been running for 11 years now but no results in this situation have depressed me a bit.....

[@rubarb1275]

Running in zone 2 and seeing improvements can take much longer than a few weeks. It does work, but be patient with it.

[@thegearboxman]

In the meantime, others who train at a higher intensity will be seeing the same or bigger improvements in a much shorter time period. People love to be told that they can reap benefits without working hard, which is why Z2 training has become so popular. It's applicable to elite marathon runners who train for several hours per day, not to the hobby jogger who does the occasional 10k or HM and runs for 2-3 hours per week.

[@MuchlovetheOne]

@@thegearboxman To be fair, if it helps people to be motivated to only run in Z2 for 10k, they'd still be healthier than not running, because it seems too exhausting for them^^

[@thegearboxman]

@@MuchlovetheOne That's a very fair point, anything is better than nothing, but my issue is that KZbin is awash with people selling Z2 as an easy route to get faster, and it's simply untrue beyond the world of elites who are actually running 150 miles per week as opposed to joggers doing 20 miles per week.

[@IarukaSkYouk]

@@thegearboxman so basically, best way to gain result consistently and efficiently is to mix in interval/sprint days, not just steady-state zone 2 jogging sessions right? I've been jogging a few months slowly and comfortably can do for 2 hours or so but I keep suffering at the 8min/km mark, my body literally can't do 7min/km.

[@thegearboxman]

​@@IarukaSkYouk First of all, plenty will disagree with what I'm about to say, but this zone-2 low intensity fad is not really applicable to most recreational runners who have progressed beyond the beginner stage. Zone-2 has it's place if you're doing very high volumes and need to avoid injury. It's also an essential starting point for absolute beginners. However, if all you ever do is zone 2 jogging then all you will get good at is running at that pace for longer. To run *faster* for longer (that's what we all want isn't it?) then you have to do sufficient training at higher intensity, and some of that training has to be at a pace that's faster than your target race pace. Running faster for longer requires a higher VO2max and, probably more importantly, a higher lactate threshold. Lactate threshold can be thought of as the point where your body tells you you can't go much faster without feeling ill. You're not going to push these two metrics by shuffling along at a snails pace. The body will not make the necessary adaptations to push LT unless it needs to, and if you don't push beyond the current limit then the limit will stay the same and you won't get faster. I'm not suggesting that every run should be flat out because that would probably result in injury, but several proper scientific studies have pretty much proven that higher intensity training results in bigger gains for less time. The key thing is the amount of time you spend training. If you have the time to run for a couple of hours every day (that excludes most people) then absolutely do most of it in Z2, but if all you have is 2 hours per week or less then spending most (or all) of that time in Z2 doesn't allow sufficient time at higher intensity and any gains will just level off after a few months. Consistency is also very important. There's no point in only doing a high intensity session every once in a while because that won't drive adaptations either, it needs to be a regular thing, at least a couple of times per week. As soon as you progress beyond the beginner stage (where big gains usually come quite easily after 2-3 months), then training to get faster becomes bloody hard and uncomfortable work, don't let anyone tell you that you can take a shortcut to speed. Different people also respond differently to training, and sadly some people don't really respond at all. It all depends on genetics, some people are naturally gifted athletes, even if they only find out later in life. For these people (I'm one of them) training brings bigger rewards because the training response is greater, and moving up a notch is easier compared to someone who struggles even at a slow pace. Good luck, but even if you don't get much faster, stick with it. Anyone who can even jog for 10 minutes without stopping is fitter than 95% of the population!

[@m0e566]

back in the day I was so focused on zones and shit but i took the fun out of it for me, so i just started run how i wanted and started to enjoy my Easy and normal runs again. I improfed my HM PB by 5min and my 5k by 30s

[@АндрейДереза-и9л]

Totally agree, one should decide, wether he likes running or he likes figures.

[@roybrolsbeak]

So do you still use a watch or strap or nothing at all then

[@m0e566]

@@roybrolsbeak i always wear my runs but on my easy runs i don’t look at it and just run how i feel like, and for intervals i look at pace not HR

[@АндрейДереза-и9л]

@@roybrolsbeak nothing, I really don't understand why I need any data except my feeling

[@roybrolsbeak]

@@АндрейДереза-и9л thanks i feel the same. Its all marketing because we all need to buy those products

[@globalcityit]

I've struggled with this so much. The ego is dreadful! Thanks for this Ben...super, super helpful 👊

[@geakins11]

I started low hr running 5 years ago, went from 4h 25 marathon to 2.46 this year. At the start I was running 135 bpm at 10 min mile pace which was brutal but I persevered. I'm now running 135 bpm 6.45 mi mile pace. Find out your max hr then minus 60 bpm and that should be your easy pace and run 3 or 4 out of 5 of weekly runs at this pace with maybe a long run or tempo session in there. Trust me this is life changing training.

[@CL-dh2mf]

Thank you Ben! This really gives me hope. I tried MAF running for one year and HR got better, but not in the way I was hoping. Aged 38, my MAF heart rate was 142. But my max rate in a 5k was 201, averaging around 190...According to this method, I could go up to around 152 which is huge! Looking forward to this change. All the best from Germany, Stay blessed!✌️✌️✌️ Chris

[@teleroel]

Averaging around 190? How did you measure this? Just using your running watch, because these are not accurate enough.

[@CL-dh2mf]

@@teleroel Hi there, I used a chest strap. 192bpm was my average in this race. Even if that was not accurate, there was a 8k race 2 months ago where I averaged 188bpm. Also got a running watch that is not accurate. I used another chest strap before and it was pretty similar. Greetings! 😊

[@nahjustaverage]

Avg. Sleeping bpm: ~70-80 Current resting heart rate: 93 Easy pace: usually 180-190 Tempo: 198-203 I've been running cross country for 3 years now, 5k time is almost 16:00, my bpm is just high all the time.

[@Adam-hp5hj]

Bananas

[@sassproton]

16 is insane. what do you weigh and how tall are you?

[@nahjustaverage]

@@sassproton 113lbs (51.256 kilograms), 5'11" (1.8 meters)

[@nk-dw2hm]

​@@nahjustaverage have you ever had your blood pressure checked? That's a surprisingly high heart rate for an otherwise healthy person

[@petraalma29]

You may want to get checked out by a doctor. That’s all very high.

[@PROGuilherMETAL666]

Thanks for the video! I've been following this z2 thing for some time and I've seen MASSIVE improvements. I think the method you said about finding the zones is pretty accurate. I've done a lab test some years ago and I set the limits accordingly. Then as I watched the video, I calculated as you mentioned and the numbers were pretty much the same, with 1 or 2 bpm difference.

[@Magda-rz4wk]

At last someone has explained this in a clear way! Thank you! I agree 100% that the ego must be left behind.

[@danielborgogni6716]

Excellent video Ben! Truly brilliantly executed, the montage and editing is just great. You always had great content, but it is just so good to see your improvements in delivery over time, such an important part for competing on KZbin! And kudos to Sarah as well who is largely responsible for taking care of this side of the channel!! Again: BRILLIANT!

[@PrinceDavid]

The only way for me to go to Zone 2 is to walk. Once I start jogging a little I am in 3 and on my way up.

[@WenWuerdestDuVernaschen]

Its pretty common for new runners, it takes more than several months until your HR goes down while running.

[@christopherpalmer4243]

Just fitness at first

[@nosirrahm]

This is definitely going to be a focus for the next year for me. I’ve given up sooooo many times over the years and not given it a real chance.

[@audio.paisajes]

even being spanish my native language, i should say CONGRATS for your skills of expressing this knowledge on a simple and efficient way... Thanks and greetings from Argentina

[@jason.rams4]

I used your Half Marathon beginner plan for my first Half Marathon and did great! So for that, thank you! So today, I just purchased your level 2 improver plan for my second Half Marathon in October. Let's hope I "improve" lol 👍🏽

[@martinderbastler]

I love your videos, your sparkling energy as well as your expertise. Always a joy to watch!😊

[@tinaT2023]

Helpful vid! My HR was high after my first ultra for quite a while. It was a good sign of my recover

[@ricsvlog]

Fai bene a dire queste cose! Ognuno corre a suo modo e per le sue ragioni: io adoro correre e scoprire posti ignoti in giro per il mondo! 🌏 Non c’è un giusto o sbagliato, ma solo un perché ed è proprio quel perché che é giusto seguire e vivere fino in fondo! La vita è una continua scoperta e la corsa è anch’essa una scoperta di noi stessi e del mondo che ci circonda! Siate curiosi e fate sempre solo le cose che vi fanno stare bene! Godetevi la vita sempre! 🙏🏻❤️🤙🏻

[@bradmyers5998]

Thanks Ben that clears up questions about what my zone 2 should be, which I’ve been wondering about forever.. also got the 3 running hats I ordered and they are all wonderful, your gear really is top notch!

[@chakalaka3960]

I used to battle with mine in the 180s all the time until I started doing strength stuff for running and fixed up my diet. Processed, inflammatory foods wreak havoc. I now hardly ever exceed 170bpm

Same here. Diet works wonders.

[@qPHJ270]

omega 3 capsule work wonders for your heart

[@kayleetodisco7503]

Some equations that can help predict these numbers if the physical tests aren’t available to you! Age predicted HR max: 208 - (0.7 x age) * if taking beta blockers (meds ending in -lol): 164 - (0.7 x age), this is bc beta blockers cause blunted heart rates! Also, when trying to measure exertion while on beta blockers, HR won’t be the best measurement (bc of the blunted HR), use the RPE scale, from 6 (basically resting) to 20 (the absolute hardest thing you’ve ever done, maximal exertion), a sweet spot is a 13, hope this helps!

[@John117M63]

Im a big guy (280lbs), it used to take me 18 mins to "run" a mile which was more of a walk/run. I decided to follow almost everyones advice to run slow. So i kept a pace of 15 min mile instead of running as fast i could, and walking for minutes. One day i decided to run a little faster at a 12 min pace, and it was a great feeling when my heart rate got stuck at 135 and i wasnt out of breath, as opposed to before when i was doing 160bpm and out of breath

[@NicolasWollesen]

Fantastic to see this type of content again! Don’t get me wrong Ben, I’m a big fan of your reviews and often rely on them. But I’m an even greater fan of your vlog type videos (tips and tricks, race videos and your training updates) so here’s me hoping for more of that 🙏🙌

[@andorkish]

Zone 2 is the hardest zone to run in hands down.

[@StarBattle08]

Yes, this!! 😂 you think you're running easy, but your heart rate says otherwise

[@SuperCrabCraft]

Depends on your HRR 😅 mine is 150, 155 bpm Is still zone 2 training for me 😂

[@hiking2511]

​@@SuperCrabCraftso you have over 200 bpm max?

[@SuperCrabCraft]

@@hiking2511 yep, 203

[@chemicalfrankie1030]

nice Ben! but what about breathing?! you can literally modulate your heart rate via the correct beathing approach

[@annab3835]

Thank you for this easy and nice overview ☺️

[@deshkanagrikhoon]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I would suggest put on the hrm strap but don't look at the data while running, just run by feel. Look at the data after the run.

[@adityayulla]

Remember 20% is for tempo. If u always 100% at zone 2 the improvement is far far away

[@_Seppixx]

I did a analysis in the lab with lactat and everything and it was an crazy experience :) Now I am way more confident and can calculate everything by watching my HR and splitting my training much more to get faster and to push my VO2Max as well as my levels. My problem is that I am not really slow at my long runs in zone 1-3 :D

[@AndreasKriswanto1989]

That's great to hear! Slow/fast is completely relative to one's level of fitness, lots of elite runners run 'slow' at 3:40 min/km :D

[@jimblack8104]

Which lab?

[@_Seppixx]

@@jimblack8104 I dit it in a lab that was recommend by a friend of mine. I am from germany so it is probably not really helpful to tell you the name :D

[@Marsubleu]

The weather impact is massive, especially here in Asia where summers are hot and humid. I got things relatively well tuned after years in Japan, but now I'm struggling in Hong Kong, where it's even more humid and the elevation profiles are brutal. Super difficult to run in Z2!

[@janetscott6181]

Thank you love this as pace and heart rate is what I'm working at.

[@adilahsan9157]

Well put together. Thanks Ben!

[@danw7864]

One thing that is very tough with this for me is heat and humidity.

[@amicoderozer19]

Yes, I live in Italy and in summer it's crazy hot. Like 38 degrees Celsius and 80% humidity. I have to walk a lot to be in zone 2.

[@danw7864]

@@amicoderozer19 yes tough. I live in North Carolina and it’s similar. Used to live in Phoenix and it would be 118 F. Love the mindset if still trying to do it in bad conditions but also gotta not die.

[@peterthomas9440]

Rocking those Superblast 2 Paris! Finally got a pair in my size today after seeing your last video on them - supply issues doesn’t come close to describing the problem. Great video and always have based taking 220-age = max HR 😅. Also used your previous zones video to reset my approach to run slower. Resting HR should be low 50’s or high 40’s if relatively fit. Garmin spanked me for months when starting out however now running longer at zone 2 than ever before. Distances have increased and defo seeing improvements.

[@ianwarner1429]

Thank you for being the only KZbinr to say the new wrist HR technology is very accurate. It is. Go England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@NERunner]

Some good useful tools you've linked to there, Ben. Thanks :)

[@purpleslowbro4719]

This is what people should be focusing on!!

[@Jonathan-teamslgr]

As always great advice and ideas to improve our running

[@EthanRuns]

Love the advice! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@jousis_]

Thanks for the video ! Very helpfull. Currently trying 3x 10K easy runs and 1x 10K intervals. On my easy runs, I get passed by children going to school 🤣 My problem with easy runs is that my knees hurt much more than when I do intervals / higher cadences. It doesn't seem too "natural", I'm basically bunny hopping in the summer (32-38C). (I am tall & have some knee issues due to surgeries from prior "athletic" endeavors)

[@elizabethcole5582]

Excellent video on Low Heart Rate running!!

[@kennyewan1602]

Great video Ben, as always👍🏻 I started out always running hard and thought that’s how it was done to improve so this type of content helps a lot, thanks ❤

[@99cya]

since i have started my ironman training, where endurance is key, i immediately spot the good runners. its those looking fit but jogging slow ;-) thats the mighty ones.

[@LongoJL]

Thanks for the video!!🙏🏻it helps me a lot!!

[@MichaelOwenUK]

Great video (as always)! I find it difficult to balance Zone 2 heart rate with a higher cadence. It’s either one or the other for me at the moment

[@gourijc9689]

Same here. Even if I keep my pace the same and small steps to increase cadence, my HR picks up above Zone 2. I've been trying for three months now. I think my efficient cadence might be low😂

[@PNn-v5o]

Hi Ben, Would it be possible to have more videos with Sarah as well? I miss her terribly 😭 It's been so long since we last saw her, she's also an excellent runner who deserves to be seen more often. It would be nice to have videos of her races and also of the running shoes and accessories she uses. Thank you so much for your advice and your videos ❤️"

[@PNn-v5o]

And her training of course!

[@Snerunseasy]

Another great video Ben, thanks a lot.

[@michaelhatch1994]

For older runners (65+) Zone numbers get a bit strange.

[@saikame5833]

It's probably just my unique situation but I've had to start doing intentional running training to shift my striking pattern from mid-heel to mid-forefoot. This is due to many knee injuries in High School/College, ACL Tear and Meniscus Tear specifically. Now that I am older, if I start to heel strike my knee ends up super flared and just is angry. So I've had to dial back a lot on pacing just to retrain my striking pattern. It's a very interesting process if I am being honest.

[@Fanos_Life]

Definitely needed to hear this, the fact that you walked sometimes as well and leave the ego... started my running journey six months ago... hate cardio but actually getting the hang of it. Had to quit running after a few minutes at first recently ran 34 minutes straight at a slow pace. ● question tho' I have the garmin epix pro, do you still recommend a heart rate band? Thanks!

[@Enoch-Root]

Impossible for me to run at a low heart rate, it's above 35° where I live. During winter though it's incredible how easy running at a low heart rate becomes.

[@ingofischer8229]

Even in Germany it its up 40* in summer. If you want to improve go as slow as it is needed to be

[@paoloiozzo934]

Great info Thanks

[@Bubbiccek]

my Zone2 is nov 6:45 minutes/km. half year ago was 7:30-7:45 :)

[@Kovman9]

Thank you! ❤

[@ew98]

thank you for the information. on an unrelated note, i think you might have an anterior pelvic tilt

[@wildwaysfarm1450]

Great vid. Really helpful thanks!

[@domodoeslife4741]

For those with ego, title your strava runs accordingly so people can see what type of run you're doing...like "Zone 2 long run"

[@amicoderozer19]

Or don't use Strava at all

[@deshkanagrikhoon]

the most tricky runs are the runs with heart as the primary stat on the watch while running.

[@idontakepictures]

Do you have any breathing techniques?!

[@barryalexander2909]

Steven Seiler, the pioneer of Low HR training recommends that if you cannot bear the thought of being seen running slow, that you run in the dark or go somewhere that nobody knows you. I've had people say nasty comments about my running slowly, but I just remind myself that they don't know or understand the science behind it. The biggest damage that I see military people doing to themselves is *still* believing that they have to thrash themselves on every session to get fitter. In my fifties and able to run 6-7 days a week because of the lower impact on connective tissue that results from low HR training.

[@andremodesto]

Im glad my current resting heart rate is 49. My max one is around 185. I'm a 43 man, so I'm happy with that

[@Pranjalchoudhary100]

Just the video i was looking for. Have started jogging on treadmill for a month or so. Where I jog at a constant speed of 9kmph for 4/5km. But my heartbeat goes straight to 175+ as soon as i start running and usually stays in 177-188 bpm range for rest of the duration. I do think my heartbeat is way too high for someone who's 28. I do slow down or even stop if it crosses 190 though.

[@karlbratby4349]

Great advice benny boy…. 🎉🎉 watched another channel a few days ago with a similar narrative and their advise was so far off the mark it was just plain misleading and they have many many followers. ❤

[@Hollym1975]

I find that when I run slow enough to stay below 135 I can barely run further than 9k as my knees are in bits. But I can run a half marathon at a regular pace with ease 🤷‍♀️ to run slow enough in basically not moving my legs

[@Thezuule1]

I used to beat myself up for not being able to keep my HR under 140 until I realized my zone 2 goes up to 165. That was a bit of an eye opener. This whole 220 - your age or the numbers you get from a smartwatch are just not terribly accurate for someone like myself.

[@owen-trombone]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to maintain low HR while increasing cadence? As soon as I start upping my cadence my HR starts to shoot up. I don’t get how you can increase cadence without also increasing HR.

[@anniwilson2534]

Go with rate of perceived exertion. Nasal only breathing is another method. Some wrist-based smart watches are actually accurate for heart rate - eg in hospital my husband’s Garmin showed exactly the same heart rate data as the monitor he was hooked up to.

[@Raucherbeinknacker]

An important factor also: Iron. Lacking iron will prevent any improvement. I experienced it in 2017, could not run more than 5km. After supplementing iron next run was 10, later 15 and 20 again. I tried hard, but befor taking iron there was sth like a barrier. Even with no lack you can take Iron after intensive VO2max training also. But be cautious not to overload your body with it, this can be harmful.

[@tellef70]

The results from the calculator differs a lot depending on what metode I use. When using only age, THR at 70% intesity is 116 bpm. When using MHR and RHR the result at 70% is 127 bpm, even though MHR is exactly the same. I have a rather low RHR at 35. If I tell the calculator that my RHR is 90, which is rather high, THR is supposed to be 143 at 70% intensity. So the Karvonen Formula gives a much higher THR than the Basic Formula for everyone

[@satareppe]

I got a problem in fact when i am running Zone 2-3 my cadence is much lower than doing strides or faster runs in general. I find it difficult to run slow AND to make sure that my cadence is above 170. Any advice on this subject?

[@Bbill2k2]

A jack daniels calculator means something very different to me

[@idiamina8584]

excellent great Ben

[@MrWiggenhammer]

Interesting, your calculation (i feel like my numbers are close) puts zone 2 where Garmin says zone 3 is

[@muhammadangginta930]

how many hours in a week do we run and how many hours in 1 run?

[@EverythingWasGreat]

I have the opposite issue. I need to run so fast to get to different thresholds that i tend to get injured easily.

[@wemorgan]

Or run with power as it allows for hills and has little lag and no drift.

[@g.t.1012]

What should I do if I can't run in zone 2? I'm comfortable in zone 3, where I can still talk and run for hours. But when I try to run in zone 2, it feels much harder, unnatural, and too slow

[@jamesmyles2009]

Initially when giving calcualtions you don't mention adding the resting HR back on - freaked me out when I calculated Zone 5 starting at 121. Adding RHR back on makes sense - but video confused me.

[@TN-cx4qi]

I need to improve my cadence. It’s stuck around 140. Doesn’t matter if I run slow (12 minute pace) or fast (6 minute pace) it all comes out to the same cadence.

[@TomsIRL]

I spent over 1 hour in my first half marathon at 185 BPM. The entire second half of the race. Max HR reached in the race was 196 at age 30. Unsure what my absolute max HR must be but I would guess it has to be minimum 205. I think my zone 2 is between ~145-155 BPM.

[@Squeeze718]

I just want to know where was that you were running with the mountains behind you?!

[@MrStabekk]

@Ben Parkes: Thanks for a great video! Are you saying at approx 9:55 that the average HR should be below 70 % or the peak HR should be below 70%?

[@JohnO66]

Lots of good advice to try to stay in that infamous zone 2....and now I have to go and lose my ego😯😊😊. Well spoken video, loved it!!

[@Matwew21]

I have a question. What's the point of running zone 2 ? I started running a month ago so I'm slow, 55mins 10k, 26mins 5k, 2h30mins 21.1k. I'm always much higher than zone 2 in terms of heart rate, but i dont feel tired or out of breath at all, it feels easy but according to my HR I'm going almost all out as soon as i start running. Zone 2 would be speed walking for me, but i prefer actually running and can sustain it for a long time and I am improving doing that. So is there a point to Zone 2 running when you're a beginner if you can sustain higher zone for a long time?

[@Егор-ы1ъ4м]

That was me, mate. You need a lab test to recheck your zones. Garmin and formulas told me that z2 max is 128 bpm, lab test showed that it is 145. Made so much sense for me ,improving ever since.

[@tellef70]

I belive that for a beginner, running 2-3 hours per week or less, you should not think about heart rate nor zones at all. Running never becomes easy, but the pace will improve!

[@Matwew21]

@@Егор-ы1ъ4м thanks mate, this would make sense since I shouldn't be able to sustain these higher zones for that long, so it's probably lower than I think. I'll look into it

[@Matwew21]

@@tellef70 I run around 5-6h a week for now, two 5k, two 10k, and a long run between 20-30k. I didn't care much about heart rate but I kept hearing about zone 2. I'll keep going until I reach a ceiling and maybe after a while it'll make sense.

[@MrKevinSweet]

I'm at this super weird point where I'm too fit for the elliptical but I've never really bothered with running before so I don't have the right muscles developed. So I can use machines at high intensity for a long time, zone 2 for a very long time or I can jog for small intervals. Slowly but surely

[@thomasmccarver2556]

I'm 40 and I can run a mile in about 7:49 heart rate 180bpm lol now I can jog slow and my heart rate is at 180 lol. I can spar in jiu jitsu and heart won't go over 150bpm. Body just don't like running feels like death the entire time.

[@98spar]

Zone2 running is much slower than you feel. But you must keep going.

[@hannaniakurkos8468]

Zone 2 is hard to run consistently .. like 80% of your runs , yesss i know it takes time but it’s to slow dude 🥴 my last run I saw a grandma passing me 🤣

[@jimblack8104]

The granny was doing zone 2 as well

[@rapssss]

I don't mind running slow. Don't look on other pace just keep on traning and see that your results are quickly better just like mine :)

[@christopherpalmer4243]

I do my slow long runs in Zone 1

[@seven_curses]

I'm 39, 6' and 250lbs trying to get into running but can't ever seem to keep my heart rate low. Last night I ran at an 11'18"/mi pace and my heart rate average 173. It feels like I'm running as slow as I can but it just doesn't lower. I've done the jog/walk splits to lower my heart rate in between, but those are almost harder because I lose all momentum to keep going when I'm constantly stopping jogging. Working on the diet to lower how much I'm dragging around on these runs, but it's been tough.

[@andrewdhome]

@seven_curses just take it easy - building up fitness takes time. Have you considered doing something like a couch to 5k / couch to 10k course? They can be great for building up base fitness in a well regulated manner, without overstretching yourself. They do involve a mixture of walking and running but that's a brilliant way to get into it. Don't worry about just being able to run, it will come with time.

[@seven_curses]

@@andrewdhome thanks for the comment. Yeah I've tried those with some good and some mediocre results. Last time I got into a decent spot I got wiped out by covid and it was like starting from zero. Definitely just lacking some of the patience on it to be sure since I've tried it a few times and it feels like I “should” be further along. A valuable reminder though to cut myself some slack.

[@andrewdhome]

@@seven_curses it's really important not to overdo it and, as you say, cut yourself some slack. Doing too much, particularly after illness, will just lead to injury. Take it slowly, literally!! As an example - I'm an older runner but can just about make a 3:30ish marathon - that said, I've been ill for a couple of weeks and have just finished my first slow run - and struggled to manage 10k. My heart tells me to go out again tomorrow and try harder - but that is an urge which must be resisted. Take time, you'll get there BTW, if you have a friendly running club nearby, consider joining - they can offer great support. Good luck!

[@benpearce4313]

I’ve been running in z2 80% of the time for 11 months now having calculated my hr zones as this video shows and using a HRM but my z2 pace has gotten slower not faster 😢

[@tobcio]

How would you run at 50% of heart rate reserve in your example? This would be as high as the resting HR? 🤔

[@LamelKendrick]

be in phenomenal shape?

[@teacher1336]

My conversation pace has HR of 160 bpm😢 that’s after a couple of years, long runs once a week (15-25 k), half marathon. Now can’t jog to end of the street without feeling detached from my legs and chest like it’s gripped by a giant

[@Muktited]

I am 160 cm tall and weigh 64 kg. When I run at a slow pace of around 9/10 my heart rate immediately rises to around 155-165 or zone 3&4. Should I start from walking first? because when I walk fast I got in zone 2

[@jimblack8104]

Any links for the lab?