The second of the heart rate training zones.

"Watch out for the quality junk miles"

Zone 2 - "Quality junk miles". Between 70 and 80 % of max heart rate.

Quality junk miles means the following : You feel good. You run fast enough to feel some tiredness. Slow enough to not really push yourself.

For our runner with a maximum heart rate of 200, that would mean a heart rate between 140 and 160.

Problem with Zone 2 training is that you do not recover properly. At the same time, the training effect is minimal as compared to Zone 3 or 4 training.

The result ?

Because it eats into your recovery after the harder work you run a major risk of injury. Over and over again I see runners go right into the Zone 2 trap.

I have been there, done that mysel.

Even at an Olympic level, this trap is hard to stay away from..

The results is often a long distance knee (pain on the outside of the knee from the insertion of the outer quad muscle)

This goes especially for beginning marathon runners.

This is not a training zone to include much in any marathon training schedule. Sadly enough it is often included to a great extent ; or runners are not made aware of this downfall.

Hit the "fun zones" instead of the zone 2 trap.

See, running is fun when you hit "your zone" and you feel great on every training session.

But it takes planning - and just a little bit a discipline to keep out of training zones like Zone 2.

It is much, much better to hit Zone 3 ; which is around your marathon pace.

So...

Ready to read about Zone 3 ? This is the main of the target heart rate training zones, where most of your quality training should be.Click here.