Zone 2 training help

[Nursingadvice]

I’ve been running for a few months consistently starting with the couch25k.
I’ve just discovered the importance of zone 2 training but it’s causing me so much frustration. I can’t do it, my heart rate is almost consistently in zone 4 and 5.
Today I tried my very hardest to keep it in zone 2 and to achieve this I had an average pace 10:31 per km which is ridiculously slow. Even then it kept creeping into zone 3 and I’d have to walk for 10 seconds to let it come down.

what am I missing? Or is there something wrong with me?

First of all, check that your heart rate zones are set correctly.

I see you've already tried to slow down to bring your heart rate down, but I find that I can remain in HRZ 2 when I go for a run with a friend and we just chat, rather than push the pace.

I know that@brooksghost has had success with training at HRZ 2, so hopefully she'll be over at some point to give you some tips.

Same here, on my own I can’t stay in zone 2. I also seem to lose momentum when I slow down. I do zone 2 swimming or on my bike, or running with a friend while chatting.

I do 80% of my training in zone 2.
Yes it's hard to start with as you naturally want to run faster but I can only say, start slow and then run slower!
It will take time to build up your base but you will feel better for it...less fatigued after a run which allows you to do more if you want.
I do 3 runs a week- a long zone 2 run, a shorter zone 2 then a zone 2 with hard (zone 4 or 5) intervals e.g 1km reps or hill repeats.
My speed has increased within that zone 2 over time so I'm now running further in the same time.
In comparison, my 5km pace is about 2 min miles quicker than my zone 2. I've broken my 5km, 10km, 10mile and half marathon PBs this year...which at the age of 49 is quite good going!

The issue is more how slow I have to go to achieve it. My friend could not go that slow so I don’t think that would help.

The major obstacle to overcome is your desire to go faster. You really do just have to accept a slower pace and all the benefits that come with that. The other thing that helps is to walk-run. Don’t run the whole time, break it up with walking stints.

James Dunne has some helpful tips on his YouTube site on MAF training - working on breathing and running form and efficiency all really help.

Do check that your heart rate is accurate though - wrist monitors can be very unreliable e.g. picking up your stride rate.

You could try Jeffing (walk/run) and gradually change the ratio so that you run more/faster as your fitness improves? That way your average HR over say 5 minutes will be lower because of the recovery time but you'll be able to actually run at a good pace that you're happy with.
They have Jeffers at Park run once a month too.

Definitely make sure you've got your zones right.

www.220triathlon.com/training/run-training/beginners-guide-to-zone-2-running
This has a great guide. I'd avoid the 220-age though and use a steep hill or parkrun at max to get max HR.

It does take time to get used to it but then benefits are excellent.

New runners tend to have higher heart rates than experienced runners. Mine's come down over the years, roughly by about 10bpm.

My body seems to bypass the zone1- zone2 on my Garmin. If I'm walking, it doesn't register as exercise unless I really push hard/ go uphill. If I start running gently, it rapidly settles into zone 3 or 4 if pushing the pace.

Rather than worrying about numbers of slightly dubious accuarcy, focus on keeping the pace conversational, that way you're not pushing too hard. It can take patience to get to that stage.

Run/ walking is another way to keep it down. The only zone 2-3 runs I've managed were marathon training with running 60-90s/ walking 30s where the running was a gentle pace and walking was brisk.

Have a look at "jeffing" (google it) - you go very slowly. But as PPs say, Zone 2 training is about going slowly & then for fairly long runs.

You could look at Lucy Davis's most recent YOUTube thing on beginning running. She talks about 10 k "easy runs" - that is, Zone 2 runs.

The fitter you get, the faster you can go.

But I feel your pain @Nursingadvice I like to go fast! but I'm knackered after 20 or 30 minutes. I do a lot of interval training in the gym, so am comfortable at max HR for 20 minutes. Less comfortable at my Zone 2 rate - go figure.