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Can't run in Z2 - is it me or is it the Fenix 5X?

WalterRunner
over 7 years ago
I wanted to give the heart rate based workout plans a try and have signed up for the half marathon training (level 2). The first workout consists of running at an easy pace (in heart rate zone 2) for 35 minutes. Turns out, I can't do it. I ended up running in Z4 for most of the time, although I was going much slower than I normally would and could have gone on forever. I started to question the accuracy of the wrist based heart rate monitoring, but I am also wondering if I run in a particularly inefficient way? Anyone experienced the same or can offer comparisons to the chest?

I have attached a screenshot of todays workout (trying to stay in Z2) and an average run (not running at a maximum pace, but at a pace that I can't do forever).

I'm 26 years old, 173cm and 63kg. I'm in a good shape. Running is not my main discipline (I run about 5km every other day), but I do a lot of mountain biking and swimming. Garmin suggests the following heart rate zones:

Z1: 101-120
Z2: 121-140
Z3: 141-161
Z4: 162-181
Z5: > 181 ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1341927.png ciq.forums.garmin.com/.../1341928.png
  • 0 over 7 years ago
    I don't run but mountain bike. I find the watch sometimes (seems more often than not with newer version 8.0) takes a while to pick up on the actual HR. Once its gets it, it seems pretty spot on. That said, its not as accurate as my belt. That tends to pick up the subtle increases/decreases in HR with far more accuracy.
  • 0 over 7 years ago
    Assuming that the HR readings are correct:
    The inability to run at a low heart rate can be a sign of a weak aerobic system, which apparently is quite common among runners. They have done a lot of training at high heart rates, which has developed their anaerobic system, but not so much developed their aerobic system.

    The cure is to run at low HR for some months, hopefully watching your speed at that heart rate slowly go up as you develop your aerobic system. After some months mix in some (not much) high HR training so you again train your anaerobic system. Then you will probably be able to run faster than before, because the improvement to your aerobic system will also help you at high intensities.

    Or at least that is the theory.

    (Using myself as an example: I am after a few months able to run at walking speed while keeping my HR in my intended range of 120-130 BPM. When I started, I could only run at 2/3 of walking speed.)
  • 0 over 7 years ago
    Thanks for your feedback. This has been very helpful and I realize that I should have read more about this before starting the training. I used the calculator for the heart rate zones suggested above and they are bit different than the ones calculated by my Fenix, but it doesn't make a huge difference. I guess the most important thing is to accept, that I will have to start really slow in the beginning. I researched a bit more about this training method and it seems like it is a common challenge that when you first start with these exercises, you need to start really slow.
  • 0 over 7 years ago
    They have done a lot of training at high heart rates, which has developed their anaerobic system

    Not so. it's only possible to run anaerobically (ie without oxygen) for a maximum of a couple of minutes. Anaerobic capacity is developed from interval sessions in Z4 and/or Z5.

    Two main reasons why inexperienced runners struggle to run at lower intensities:
    1) As already noted, the heart zones are not correct.
    2) Breaking habits. Without HR training, most people will run much harder than most training programs suggest, then find it hard to run to a specific intensity, particularly lower intensities.

    For running, in fact I'd suggest for any training following an HR based program, I'd strongly suggest using a strap as wrist HR is well known to be less than accurate or reliable.
  • 0 over 7 years ago
    Not so. it's only possible to run anaerobically (ie without oxygen) for a maximum of a couple of minutes. Anaerobic capacity is developed from interval sessions in Z4 and/or Z5.

    My key point was: They were running at heart rates which were too high to effectively train their aerobic system.

    It is possible that this high heart rate hasn't trained the anaerobic system neither. But that was not really the point anyway.

    Two main reasons why inexperienced runners struggle to run at lower intensities:
    1) As already noted, the heart zones are not correct.
    2) Breaking habits. Without HR training, most people will run much harder than most training programs suggest, then find it hard to run to a specific intensity, particularly lower intensities.

    It is not just habit. It is measurable: When a runner who have only trained at high heart rates starts training at lower heart rate, his speed at a given, low heart rate will be very low. After some months of training, his speed at this heart rate will increase. This even happens to experienced runners (which I am not), so it is not just because they are untrained.
  • 0 over 7 years ago
    It is not just habit. It is measurable: When a runner who have only trained at high heart rates starts training at lower heart rate, his speed at a given, low heart rate will be very low. After some months of training, his speed at this heart rate will increase. This even happens to experienced runners (which I am not), so it is not just because they are untrained.

    All you wrote is truth. I started years ago.
    hafmarathon in 2012 AVG HR 162 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/163641220
    hafmarathon in 2018 AVG HR 123 https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2664514444
    From 2012 i am training this way https://philmaffetone.com/what-is-maf/