What to Do if Your Zone 1 and Zone 2 Paces Are Very Slow (and You Might Have to Walk)
When new runners begin heart rate training, they often find themselves needing to slow down significantly to stay within their Zone 1 and Zone 2 heart rate ranges. It can be frustrating, especially if you feel like you’re moving too slowly or even needing to walk. However, there’s no need to worry—this is all part of the process.
Why Slow Down?
When you’re just starting out, it’s important to stay near the higher end of your heart rate zone. For example, a runner with a maximum heart rate of 200 BPM would aim to keep most runs between 140-150 BPM. In the beginning, it’s okay to allow your heart rate to go up by an additional 5 beats if necessary, reaching up to 155 BPM.
Running on flat courses can also help you maintain a faster pace while staying within the correct heart rate zones.
My Heart Rate Training Journey
When I first started heart rate training, I had to slow down to an 8:00-minute-per-mile (5:00-minute-per-kilometer) pace to maintain a heart rate of 140-145 BPM. This was 2 minutes and 30 seconds per mile slower than the pace I ran in my marathon at the end of the year. It was tough, but I stayed patient and trusted the process. Mastering these lower heart rates is essential because, in the long run, it will lead to better results.
Should You Worry If Your Easy Runs Are Very Slow?
Don’t worry if your easy runs feel too slow—heart rate training is all about running at the right effort, not a specific pace. Your body doesn’t recognize the pace but it does recognize effort. Training at a slow pace recruits your slow-twitch muscles, improving your running economy over time. This will lead to significant improvements.
Is Heart Rate Training All Slow Running?
Many runners believe heart rate training is always slow, but that’s not the case. While you’ll have easy days, there are also workout days typically 2-3 times a week. These include threshold sessions, speed sessions, and endurance runs. On these days, you’ll practice running at higher heart rates, often in Zones 3 and 4, while the rest of your easy days should remain in Zones 1 and 2.
Your easy days should account for 65%-75% of your maximum heart rate, while workout days can push up to 85%-90% of your max heart rate.
What If I Don’t Hit My Goal Paces in Training?
It’s common to wonder if you should adjust your goal if your training paces don’t align with your race goal. For example, if you’re training for a 3-hour marathon, which requires a 6:52-per-mile pace, you might only be running 7:20 pace early in the cycle at your marathon heart rate. However, as your fitness improves over the weeks, your pace will get faster while maintaining the same heart rate.
Training by heart rate takes the pressure off hitting exact paces and allows you to run at your current fitness level. Trust the process—on race day, many runners find they hit their goal paces even if they didn’t consistently achieve them in training.
Should You Adjust Your Goal if You Don’t Run at Goal Pace in Training?
It’s important to remember that practice is not a race. The only pace that truly matters is on race day. One of the biggest mistakes runners make is trying to hit their goal paces too early in the training cycle. This forces your body to train against its current capabilities. Heart rate training ensures you train at the right effort, allowing your body to catch up to your goal paces over time.
Focus on staying within the correct heart rate zones during each training session. Every run is making you fitter and stronger, preparing you for the main event.
What’s One Thing to Never Do in Training?
Never push your easy days too fast or out of your heart rate zones. If you run too fast on easy days, you miss out on the crucial adaptations that occur when you stay within the 65%-75% heart rate range. These easy runs are essential for recruiting slow-twitch muscles, which are vital for distance runners. The more slow-twitch muscles you have, the better your performance on workout days.
There’s a strong correlation between easy days being for recovery and enjoyment and fast days for improving fitness. Balancing these is key to avoiding burnout and making consistent progress throughout a 12-week running cycle.
Final Thoughts: The Importance of Slowing Down
Remember, the purpose of easy days is not to run as fast as possible but to find a comfortable effort that allows you to enjoy your run and the surroundings. Typically, this is between 68%-73% of your max heart rate. Easy runs should be about enjoyment and maintaining a natural, relaxed pace.
Training is not about who can train the fastest; it’s about who can make the necessary adaptations to perform their best on race day. Slow down on easy days, trust the process, and know that each session is bringing you closer to your goal.