thoughts on zone 2 aerobic training

10 Jun, 2024

Zone 2 training—the latest craze in the running world. They say it's the secret behind long distance training. Run slower to run faster.

I won't go through the science behind zone 2. This post isn't for that. If you're curious, experts like Dr. Attia and Dr. Huberman are great. And there's this one vid by ¹ Shervin Shares that I think is pretty rad.

I'll focus more on how it feels to begin zone 2 training—especially for the untrained and uninitiated.

It feels unbelievably slow. If you've ever tried zone 2 training, you probably know what I'm talking about.

You excitedly buy your first HR monitor, or you try the 'talk' test.

You start strava and begin your first steps.

And while your literally still in walking pace, within a few minutes, you've already crossed the HR threshold.

You get back on social media and see monsters ripping at 6 min/mile paces all over Instagram, while covering unfathomably distances—bewildering.

You try to slam blast your next few runs—must've been something wrong with my last few runs right?

And when you attempt your next 1.5 mile dash or 3 mile jog, your HR already shoots past 160.

It takes time, a LOT of time. Have patience to allow your body to develop the necessary mitochondrial density needed. Trust in the science. You'll improve—but incrementally so.

You'll barely see a difference in a month.

But in a year, you'll be surprised how easy that 7min/mile pace feels—and you'll be glad. It's surreal what the human body can do.

Conclusion: trust da process.

I wrote this as a reminder for myself and as an advice to all my friends willing to start their exhilarating journey with running. The road is your friend.

#messays