ZONE 3 OFTEN VIEWED AS THE SWEET SPOT FOR TRAINING
*Many endurance coaches and exercise physiologists use a 5-zone training model to describe different exercise intensities. Exercise scientists tend to use physiological markers like heart rate and maximum oxygen uptake to identify training zones. In this series, Experiment of One Coaching will highlight these training zones using attention to breathing pattern and perceived exertion as a guide. For additional information on the 5-zone training model, the reader is referred to the article - INTERVALS, THRESHOLDS, AND LONG SLOW DISTANCE: THE ROLE OF INTENSITY AND DURATION IN ENDURANCE TRAINING - by S. Seiler and E. Tønnessen.*
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A previous post on ZONES 1 & 2 mentioned the flexible use of these zones for aerobic training and for building up endurance for long events while improving technique. For me, I am going to try and spend 8 hours per week in Zones 1 & 2 as consistently as possible. This time frame includes not only my primary sport of running but can include BRISK WALKING, hiking/RUCKING, and different forms of CROSSTRAINING like biking and swimming - topics I have covered in previous posts. Each of these modes of exercise can fit easily within Zones 1 & 2 intensity. So with this having been said, let us move on to discuss Zone 3:
ABOUT ZONE 3
A keyword for Zone 3 is moderate, as in maintaining moderate intensity. For endurance athletes this is often their “race pace” that can be sustained for up to 1.5 hours, if need be. With a similarity to race pace, Zone 3 can be viewed as the sweet spot for training as one is going comfortably hard and getting practice at race pace - what’s not to like? At this intensity, your body burns relatively more carbohydrates than fat as a fuel source in this zone, so you may want to take a bit more carbohydrate pre- and post-Zone 3 workouts. And you need additional time to recover from Zone 3 training - one cannot string these workouts together day after day.
You are in Zone 3 if:
Your breathing is rapid but you are on the “right side” of being in control of it. Plus, you are able to speak in just short phrases, with breaks to catch your breath. The pace should feel comfortably hard. Using a 10-point scale, Zone 3 would be 7 or 8 out of 10.
Why Zone 3?
Zone 3 helps you do your particular endurance sport at a faster pace. And makes it easier to sustain this higher pace for a longer time. At this intensity one’s “grit” and resilience gets trained which can be carried over to race performance, too.
Example Workout
For this workout, let’s use some advice from ultrarunning champ Scott Jurek in his book, Eat & Run. In describing the build up in lactate threshold (the point where lactate is building up in your muscles but your body is still able to clear and process it) Jurek advises: “Build to where you can maintain the lactate threshold level for 5 minutes. Then take 1 minute of easy running to give the body time to recover, then repeat. As you progress, increase the number of intervals and their length while maintaining a 5:1 ratio between work and rest. So you would do 10-minute intervals of hard running followed by 2-minute breaks, or 15 minutes of hard running followed by 3-minutes of rest, and so on. After four to six weeks, you’ll be able to maintain this effort level for 45 to 50 minutes. And you’ll be faster.”
15 minutes Zone 1 warm-up
18 minutes Zone 3*
15 minutes Zone 1 cool-down
* In this workout, 18 minutes in Zone 3 means, to borrow from Scott Jurek, 3 intervals of 5 minutes at Zone 3 with 1 minute of recovery in Zone 1. Nevertheless, if you are just starting out, you might want to try 1 interval. And if you are experienced at Zone 3 workouts, you might want to build to 5 intervals. Once your total time in Zone 3 hits the twenty- to thirty-minute mark, you may find that your level of fatigue rises and more time is needed to recover. When writing on a type of Zone 3 workout - a tempo run - running coach, Jack Daniels, said: "Ideally, a tempo run is nothing more than a steady 20-minute run at threshold pace. Subjectively, the intensity of effort associated with threshold pace running is comfortably hard."
Run, bike, brisk walk uphill or other cross-training activity of choice. Choose what works for you.
SUMMARY
Zone 3 workouts can help with speeding up your pace and making it easier to sustain this higher pace for a longer time. Often Zone 3 coincides with your “race pace” for an event so you get extra practice at this pace before your event takes place. In addition, there are many descriptors for Zone 3 intensity - tempo run, aerobic threshold, lactate threshold - just to name a few. Nevertheless, whatever descriptor used, it is important to keep in mind that it is meant to be at moderate intensity. Running coaches caution against turning this moderate intensity workout into a time trial. As Coach Daniels says, "Possibly the biggest challenge in doing tempo runs is to hold the proper pace and resist turning your tempo run into a time trial. Remember that the proper pace is more beneficial than a faster (or slower) one. This is a good workout for practicing your ability to concentrate on a running task and keep in touch with how your body feels while running comfortably hard."
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Thanks for reading!
I have posted before on Zone 3 running workouts like, tempo running and cruise intervals. These workouts can be adapted easily to other sports as well. For more, check out the Training & Racing section in the EOOC TABLE OF CONTENTS.
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Experiment of One Coaching covers topics ranging from running, strength training, health & wellness, sports nutrition to travel. This is not medical advice. I usually post once or twice a month. If you have a question about any of these topics that you would like me to address, send it to: info@experiment1coaching.com .
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