Running in the Zone
Yesterday I tried a 10K run working on heart rate zone. This is a first and the run feels better. I finished the 10K refreshed and with still plenty of energy left.
Typically, I just ran and tried to compensate energy on feel. But afterwards, feels totally empty. I think I am always doing an 80% to 90% effort for the past months. But yesterday, I tried incorporating Heart Rate Zone training, how to establish your zones and choose workouts on each of them.
Unlike before, I need to classify my run for a day, Slow Run, Fat Burning Run, Endurance Run, Optimal Conditioning and Speed, etc. And each corresponding Run equals a heart rate, thus working with the zones.
Yesterday my 1:15:00 hour run goes between Fat Burning/Slow Endurance Run at around 60% to 75% of my heart rate. Timex recorded my ran at an average of 160 bpm and peaked at 171 bpm.
At first, it’s a little awkward trying not to run too fast, because typically, I run at my 80% zone. Using a heart rate, whenever it goes below 157 bpm I tried to compensate my run, because I’m under training at that effort. Or when the watch displays 161, 162, 165, 170 bpm, I tried to slow down to just 160; because it tells me that I am giving above 75% effort.
After hitting around the 7K mark, I actually enjoyed it and got a feel of the run. It’s like maintaining a pace at the effort on how you you actually plan your run – and my goal was set to Fat Burning/Endurance Run.
After finishing a 10K at 1:15:00, I still feel fresh. Average heart rate is 160bpm and the peak is at 171bpm.
I cooled down with a 3.7km bike ride at 15 minutes. My experience with training using the Zone is a good one and I plan to incorporate different run and work out with the Zones again.
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