A beginner’s guide to zone 2 running

The benefits of walking 5,000 steps a day heart rate-based training to maximise their running potential. This method includes working at five ‘zones’, where your heart is beating at a percentage of its maximum capacity.

In zone 1, you’re warming up for a run, while in zone 5, you’re at an all-out sprint. Recently, though, zone 2 has gained MVP status among the five zones, thanks in part to longevity gurus like Peter Attia, who calls zone training one of the four essential ‘pillars of exercise’ for staying healthy as we age.

The following guide teaches you everything you need to know about zone 2 running – and how to capitalise on its benefits.

Zone 2 running means staying within the second of the five heart rate zones, which equals about 60-70% of your maximum heart rate.

For runners, zone 2 training calls for sustained efforts at a comfortable pace and it’s a key component on any training plan. ‘Zone 2 running is the foundation of long-distance running and helps to prepare the body for tackling races ranging from a 5K to a marathon and beyond,’ says running coach and personal trainer Marnie Kunz.

When you see easy runs on your training plan, you’re meant to run them in zone 2, along with most of your long runs.

Zone 2 training is how runners build aerobic fitness, which is essential for improving speed and endurance for race day. ‘It’s a foundational pace that helps to build your aerobic engine, so that more difficult paces are more manageable,’ says running coach Jason Fitzgerald, who founded Strength Running.

‘Technically, zone 2 is a physiological zone where blood lactate levels are stable,’ he continues. At this easy pace, your body has enough time to clear lactate – a leftover substance in muscles following energy creation – from your blood.

Once your blood lactate levels begin to rise, you shift into higher training zones, which begin working a different energy system. At lactate threshold, or anaerobic threshold, ‘this is the point where your blood lactate levels begin rising so quickly that you’re in an unsustainable state,’ says Fitzgerald. ‘You’re producing so much lactate that you can’t clear it.’ This reaction creates a burning sensation in your legs that eventually creates too much fatigue for you to continue at that pace.

Higher effort runs boost your body’s ability to clear lactate, which means that you can handle faster paces. However, adequate zone 2 training helps you to maximise the benefits of more intense runs.

That’s because zone 2 training increases the number and size of mitochondria in your cells, explains Fitzgerald. Mitochondria are sites within cells that create the energy – also known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – which your muscles use when running. With more mitochondria comes a more robust supply of energy, enabling you to run longer without tiring.

Having more mitochondria helps you to maximise the results from harder sessions done in zones 4 and 5, like VO2 max-boosting interval training. ‘A VO2 max workout will make those mitochondria work more efficiently,’ says Fitzgerald. In other words, the more mitochondria you have that are working efficiently, the greater your capacity to improve your pace.

‘Zone 2 running also offers the benefit of being less hard on your body, making recovery time faster than higher-intensity workouts like speed training,’ says Kunz. ‘This allows you to run more frequently than you could if you were training in higher heart rate zones.’

Finally, practicing zone 2 running helps you to become more efficient at using fat as fuel, which takes longer to burn and can also help you to go for longer.

There are a few ways to determine your zone 2 pace. If you’re a tech-focused runner, use a smartwatch or another device to check that your heart rate stays within 60-70% of your maximum heart rate for zone 2 training, says Kunz.

You can also use different formulae to calculate your maximum heart rate, with ‘220 minus your age’ being the most common one. However, Fitzgerald notes that there’s often too much individual variability for the calculation to be accurate. Instead, he recommends tracking your heart rate during an all-out workout and using your highest heart rate to determine your maximum. You can then estimate your zone 2 range from there.

If you prefer not to watch your heart rate while you run, keep tabs on your effort. ‘Zone 2 is a comfortable, controlled, conversational effort where you can speak in mostly full sentences,’ says Fitzgerald.

Using the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale – which is a method of measuring how hard that you feel your body is working during physical activity – can also be a useful tech-free method. The scale runs from 0 to 10, with 0 equaling no exertion and 10 meaning pushing yourself to the maximum. Kunz says that you should stay around a 4 out of 10 on the RPE scale to tap into zone 2.

According to Fitzgerald, most runners should spend 80% of their total mileage in zone 2, while newer runners may benefit from dedicating 90% to zone 2. The remainder of your training should be conducted in zones 3 to 5.

As mentioned, you’ll see zone 2 runs on your training plan in the form of easy runs and long runs, which typically make up most of your mileage for the week.

One drawback to zone 2, however, is the time commitment. ‘You need a higher volume of zone 2 stimulus to see results,’ says Fitzgerald.

The ideal zone 2 session length depends upon your fitness level and training goals. ‘If you’re training for a 5K, a 25- to 35-minute zone 2 session will be one of your most common workouts. If you’re training for a longer race, like a half marathon or marathon, your zone 2 runs may be 40 minutes and more,’ says Kunz.

Generally, Fitzgerald says that you’ll start to see positive adaptations from consistent zone 2 training in Best Garmin deals. However, it may take a little longer to see results if you’re well-conditioned.

‘Aerobic training is one of those things where you’ll continue seeing results even 10 years after you’ve started running,’ adds Fitzgerald. The key is gradually increasing your mileage or time spent in zone 2 and sprinkling in more strenuous sessions in zones 3 to 5 so that your progress doesn’t stall.