Struggling to hit zones.

[jackarabit]

Thanks for all the replies. Perhaps I wasnt feeling it the other session there as I had a session today and almost kept in all the zones. What I did today was followed it exactly and then when my hr started to creep out of the zone i backed off the pace and then got right back on it once my hr was back on track. so i was on pace around. Todays session was 24 minutes of 2:14 and my average was 2:20 with decent chunks on the 2:14 pace. So happy with that.

. . . and unless I miss my guess, decent chunks done slower than 2:20 pace? Seems to me the real difference in the sessions is that you honored the HR cap in today’s.

[sarequads]

Thanks for all the replies. Perhaps I wasnt feeling it the other session there as I had a session today and almost kept in all the zones. What I did today was followed it exactly and then when my hr started to creep out of the zone i backed off the pace and then got right back on it once my hr was back on track. so i was on pace around. Todays session was 24 minutes of 2:14 and my average was 2:20 with decent chunks on the 2:14 pace. So happy with that.

. . . and unless I miss my guess, decent chunks done slower than 2:20 pace? Seems to me the real difference in the sessions is that you honored the HR cap in today’s.

Yes i kept within hr. but decent chunks done quicker than 2:20.

[alien878]

Thanks for all the replies. Perhaps I wasnt feeling it the other session there as I had a session today and almost kept in all the zones. What I did today was followed it exactly and then when my hr started to creep out of the zone i backed off the pace and then got right back on it once my hr was back on track. so i was on pace around. Todays session was 24 minutes of 2:14 and my average was 2:20 with decent chunks on the 2:14 pace. So happy with that.

When I first started monitoring HR, I did this. I would keep modifying my pace to try and keep my HR at the target. I found this good for getting a feeling of how my body/HR reacted to changes in pace, but it didn't feel so good for a steady aerobic workout (hard to describe.... it felt like I was trying to push too much).

Then I changed to choosing a pace that would just have me at the top of my target at the end of the workout. I would maintain the pace exactly from start to end and it started to feel better. When I start to not reach the top of my target HR at the end of workouts, I increase the pace for later workouts.

In your case, I would suggest trying to do the whole workout at exactly 2:20. Adjust your pace according between workouts instead of during a workout (unless you find yourself really going out of range).

Note: A lot of other things will affect your HR relative to your pace (sleep, weather, etc.). I tend to relax my pace a bit when I know my HR is going to be higher. For example, in this hot weather we've been having here I have backed off a couple of seconds on my pace.

[hjs]

Re zones, there are two schools of thought.

First is to get as soon as possible in the right hf zone and from there bleed the pace to stay below the upper cap. This way you stay the longest time in the wanted zone. Pace will bleed, you start fast and need to positive split the row.

Two is guessing your pace, and starting off around that pace, you try to not hit the upper limit until 70% in. From there if needed you bleed the pace. This will give a much more evenly pace, with much less fade of pace.

[Dangerscouse]

I agree with Alien, and I find it most effective to carefully consider your most efficient pace and set off at that pace, even if it feels slow to start with, and reduce when, or if, you reach that HR cap. Psychologically, this is advantageous too; as long you control your ego and your urge to speed up, it feels better to have done most, or all of the session, before you need to adjust anything.

You also get to gauge cardiac drift too, albeit you need to do quite a few sessions to get a representative idea due to the reasons alluded to by Alien below, but in theory the fitter you get, the less cardiac drift you should have.

[jackarabit]

Thanks for all the replies. Perhaps I wasnt feeling it the other session there as I had a session today and almost kept in all the zones. What I did today was followed it exactly and then when my hr started to creep out of the zone i backed off the pace and then got right back on it once my hr was back on track. so i was on pace around. Todays session was 24 minutes of 2:14 and my average was 2:20 with decent chunks on the 2:14 pace. So happy with that.

. . . and unless I miss my guess, decent chunks done slower than 2:20 pace? Seems to me the real difference in the sessions is that you honored the HR cap in today’s.

Yes i kept within hr. but decent chunks done quicker than 2:20.

. . . and decent chunks done slower than 2:20 average? Might as well own it brother. Big chunks @ 2:14 absolutely dictate that you had to spend some time @ 2:20+. No other path to 2:20 av. I know it’s hard to be humble but why oil up and flex before they turn on the cameras?

Benefit of time spent in UT2 zone is development of vascular distribution system (think capillaries). Getting HR up to zone threshold quickly is OK but busting butt trying to intentionally overpower the pressure relief valve as quickly as possible isn’t. Doing the entire session at mean zone HR would yield the intended benefit. Yes, it’s tedious. Lie back, relax, and think of England.

[sarequads]

. . . and unless I miss my guess, decent chunks done slower than 2:20 pace? Seems to me the real difference in the sessions is that you honored the HR cap in today’s.

Yes i kept within hr. but decent chunks done quicker than 2:20.

. . . and decent chunks done slower than 2:20 average? Might as well own it brother. Big chunks @ 2:14 absolutely dictate that you had to spend some time @ 2:20+. No other path to 2:20 av. I know it’s hard to be humble but why oil up and flex before they turn on the cameras?

Benefit of time spent in UT2 zone is development of vascular distribution system (think capillaries). Getting HR up to zone threshold quickly is OK but busting butt trying to intentionally overpower the pressure relief valve as quickly as possible isn’t. Doing the entire session at mean zone HR would yield the intended benefit. Yes, it’s tedious. Lie back, relax, and think of England.

Ah sorry yes. Good point.

[Dangerscouse]

. . . and decent chunks done slower than 2:20 average? Might as well own it brother. Big chunks @ 2:14 absolutely dictate that you had to spend some time @ 2:20+. No other path to 2:20 av. I know it’s hard to be humble but why oil up and flex before they turn on the cameras?

Benefit of time spent in UT2 zone is development of vascular distribution system (think capillaries). Getting HR up to zone threshold quickly is OK but busting butt trying to intentionally overpower the pressure relief valve as quickly as possible isn’t. Doing the entire session at mean zone HR would yield the intended benefit. Yes, it’s tedious. Lie back, relax, and think of England.

Very good post. When you let your ego dictate your pace it usually doesn't end well in my experience.