Training with the HR zones

I don't believe you are meant to run in Zone 3!

CW

Zone 3 is essentially upper-aerobic which is above the Lactate Turn-point but below the Lactate Threshold.

I spent approx. 40-50% of my time running in this zone for my London Marathon Training (Zones measured via an actually blood lactate test) and ran a 2:50, running 75%-ish of the marathon in this zone.

I don't believe you are meant to run in Zone 3!

CW

Who says?

I'll expand on my answer I bit. I agree, during a race zone 3 is definitely involved in a marathon. For training I'd only expect the MP bits to be in that zone (depending on how long you stay at MP). Recovery in Zone 1, LSRs would be in Zone 2, with tempo typically in Zone 4 and VO2Max in Zone 5.

I am not a coach by the way!

CW

here's an article which expresses what I was trying to get across http://www.active.com/running/articles/training-with-the-zone-3-syndrome.

"Although there is a time and a place for zone 3, generally speaking, it is not considered hard enough to cause a desired physical adaptation. At the same time, it is too hard to allow for proper recovery. Therefore, you don't want to be spending the majority of your time there. Remember the old adage: When you go fast, you should be going really fast. And when you're going slow, you should be going really slow."

CW

Conversely I spent a huge amount of my time there, knocked 10 minutes off my 3:00 marathon time and Id say is down to the Z3 running.

People are big advocates of Z3 'Sweet Spot' training with power on the bike so why not similar for running? Although some might argue it is too hard for recovery and not hard enough for the fast stuff I' say its excellent in that its fast enough without being too damaging from very hard running. Its easy to frequently do Z3 running every other day and even multiple days in a row without breaking down where as most will struggle to fit more than 1-2 Z4 runs in per week!

Some might find the 80/20 rule works well for them, some might not. If something is working well for you, stick with it. If it isn't, try something different

*Also not a coach.

I quite like doing some runs at level 3 - probably the level would do a continuous run for at least an hour/10 miles at marathon pace (MP). I also refer to it as "tempo" effort.

In fact looking at my last marathon in which kept up a pretty even pace and did a similar time to Tommy I was mostly in level 3 averaging 136 for the race as against current max of 162. I only crept into zone 4 towards the end.

For me (and seemingly Tommy) a key part of marathon training is getting used to the pace you want to race at. That said I wouldn't personally do anywhere near as much as 50% in level 3 as MP is quite demanding but certainly would want to do at least one run a week in it and usually a run where am specifically aiming for MP. I would do most of my running in level 1/2 but again like to do at least one session a week in either level 4 or 5 - either longer intervals (say mile reps) around HM pace or shorter ones faster still.

In short then I would normally do some running in all zones. Some runners only ever run "slow" or "fast" but then try and race (or end up) somewhere in the middle. That does not make a lot of sense to me.

here's an article which expresses what I was trying to get across http://www.active.com/running/articles/training-with-the-zone-3-syndrome.

"Although there is a time and a place for zone 3, generally speaking, it is not considered hard enough to cause a desired physical adaptation. At the same time, it is too hard to allow for proper recovery. Therefore, you don't want to be spending the majority of your time there. Remember the old adage: When you go fast, you should be going really fast. And when you're going slow, you should be going really slow."

CW

Whilst I agree with that article it is about cycling not running. Key difference I find with cycling (at least outdoors) is that you can end up doing all levels in one ride especially if it is hilly or windy and that can make "easy" rides somewhat harder than they are supposed to be. That does not really happen with most runs as even downhill you still need to run (not "freewheel") and so HR does not drop off anywhere near as much as cycling. Similarly HR will go up running uphill of course but easier to control the effort. And then, as the article suggests, you don't to sprint for lamp posts or try and latch onto riders that pass you when running although am "guilty" sometimes of upping effort for a Strava segment.

Is there a consensus about how to setup training zones? The watch gives three options: %Max HR, %HRR, and %LTHR. I like paying attention to my heart rate when training, but after all these years I'm still not certain of the best way to setup the zones. I generally use %Max HR, because it's more straight forward.

Is there a consensus about how to setup training zones? The watch gives three options: %Max HR, %HRR, and %LTHR. I like paying attention to my heart rate when training, but after all these years I'm still not certain of the best way to setup the zones. I generally use %Max HR, because it's more straight forward.

The fact you get 3 options suggests there is no consensus.

I tend to prefer %HRR but really these days I just look at the number and if that is in the ballpark of what I am trying to do.