What Are Training Zones for Runners?

Training Zones may feel like technical lingual. And this is the case for many recreational runners who just want to have some simple running.

Your Running Watch may also have training zone reports and it’s possible you don’t understand what they mean and just ignore them.

However, if you are looking to improve your running, whether it’s for a faster 5k or running your first marathon, training zones can help you train smarter and more efficiently.

Every run can be defined into one of five training zones, with 1 as the lowest effort and 5 as the highest effort. Each training zone translates to different levels of running effort which would create different training effects.

Heart Rate, Perceived Rate of Effort, Pace, and % VO2 Max are common measures of running effort to determine the training zone. Based on the training zone, the body’s metabolism and the training purpose varies.

Understanding what you are training for and applying the appropriate effort will help your training become more efficient.

Be aware that other sports such as cycling and swimming define their own training zones and are not directly comparable.

As everyone’s body is slightly different, the precise calculation and values of these zones can differ by person. However, it still acts as a good reference.

After reading this post, you will understand training zones and know how to apply your training based on the training zones. Hopefully, you will save time and effort as you train smarter and more efficiently.

Understanding the Training Zones

There are multiple versions of how coaches define training zones, I summarized the most common definitions and created this table for easy cross-referencing. I will explain some of the terms below.

Measurement of Training Zones

There are generally 4 quantifiable indicators to define your training zone – Heart Rate, Perceived Rate of Effort, Pace, and %VO2 Max.

Defining Your Threshold

As every person is slightly different, we have to find your threshold to quantify your specific values of the 5 zones.

To determine your threshold, run 30 minutes at the fastest consistent pace you can maintain. This should feel fairly hard with some lactic acid starting to build up in your muscles. You could barely speak a few words at a time.

This is your threshold run, a run where your body begins its metabolism anaerobically.

Your muscles cannot get enough oxygen to sustain aerobic metabolism, so they generate energy without oxygen resulting in lactic acid as a by-product. This lactic acid build up causes a burning feeling in your muscles, and may cause pain, cramps, and fatigue.

Note your average heart rate and pace for the last 20 minutes (for better accuracy) of your threshold run. That is your Threshold Heart Rate and Threshold Pace.

If you cannot run for 30 minutes consecutively, don’t worry about the training zones yet.

Your Heart Rate and Your Training Zone

You can use your Threshold Heart Rate to calculate the % Lactate Threshold Heart Rate for different zones. For example, if your Threshold Heart Rate is 170 per minute, training with a heart rate of 153 – 160 is Zone 3 training.

If you don’t know your Threshold Heart Rate, your Maximum Heart Rate can be used to find out your zones. This is the most common method for runners. While you can go to a lab for a more accurate finding, a close enough estimate can be found by mathematical formula.

Your Maximum Heart Rate is commonly calculated as 220 – Age. If you are 30, your Maximum Heart Rate is 220 – 30 = 190.

This calculation is simple but may be less accurate as you age above 40. Studies have found another formula for a more accurate calculation. Use 207 – 0.7 x Age. If you are 50, your Maximum Heart Rate is 207 – 0.7 x 50 = 172. A training at a heart rate of 138-155 is Zone 4 training.

An alternative method is to run as hard as you can and quickly measure how high your heart rate goes after the run. Just be careful when you do this.

To find your heart rate, the raw method is by measuring your pulse on your wrist for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. Alternatively, you can wear watches with heart rate monitors that can give you instant heart rate data.

Be aware that your devices may not be 100% accurate, and your heart rate usually lags your actual activity (it is not a machine).

Conditions such as temperature change, dehydration, altitude, caffeine, and fatigue will also affect your heart rate.

You will have to incorporate these factors if you want to determine which zone you are training in.

Your Perceived Rate of Effort and Your Training Zone

While this is a subjective measure, I find this quite accurate and it provides instant feedback. Using your conversation ability is particularly interesting and useful.

Your Perceived Rate of Effort is your subjective definition on a scale of 1-10. 1 is the least effort beyond sitting on a couch. 10 is the maximum effort you can possibly give.

At Zone 1, the effort is very light and it should be as easy as it can get. You are moving but you can get on with any conversation.

At Zone 2, the effort is light and you are still conversational. When you run with a friend, you can chat and socialize with little difficulty.

At Zone 3, the effort is moderate and you can only speak 1-2 sentences at a time before running out of breath. You can only hold very simple conversations with your friend.

At Zone 4, the effort is hard and you can barely squeeze a few words at a time. You probably don’t really want to talk with your friend any more and can only handle super short responses.

At Zone 5, the effort is very hard and conversation is impossible as you are running out of breathe and your heart is pounding hard. A recreational runner rarely reaches this point.

Your Pace and Your Training Zone

This is a calculation based on your Threshold Pace from your threshold run.

For example, if your Threshold Pace is 5 minutes per km (8 minutes per mile), to run at zone 2, you should run at 6-7 minutes per km (9.6-11.2 minutes per mile)

The range is quite wide in this table. If you want a specific number to follow, you can use the following calculator for reference.

In the calculator results,

• Long Run is Zone 1-2
• Easy Run is Zone 2,
• Tempo Run is Zone 3-4,
• VO2 Max and Speed Run are the 2 ends of Zone 5

Use pace as a goal reference but it is okay if you aren’t accurate. Terrain, slope, weather, and fatigue all affect your pace on a day to day basis. In these situations, your perceived rate of effort or your heart rate may be more accurate measurements.

VO2 Max and Training Zone

VO2 Max, or maximal oxygen consumption, is defined as the maximum millilitres of oxygen consumed per kilogram of body weight per minute. (mL/kg/min)

The higher your VO2 Max, the stronger your Cardiorespiratory Fitness.

The precise way to find out your VO2 Max is going by to a lab, get hooked to a breathing mask and run on a treadmill through your limits. The point where your oxygen consumption rate stagnates is your VO2 Max.

Otherwise, most GPS watches give an indication of your VO2 Max. They aren’t always accurate but you can get a rough idea where you are. The watch typical generates your VO2 Max with your heart rate, age, gender, and your pace. The surface you run on and the climb you have in your route may cause inaccuracies.

Using % VO2 Max for Training Zones is only for verification purposes as it is impossible to find your VO2 Max during a normal run.

Applying Training Zones for Effective Training

Now we know the various methods of measuring your training zone, let’s apply them to your training needs. This also depends on your running goals.

Beginners will find most of this article somewhat confusing so far because your range from Zone 1 to Zone 5 is very narrow and the calculations above couldn’t apply.

The goal of a beginner is to teach your body about running. Pushing hard just leads to burn outs and injuries. You should control your effort level and SLOWLY progress from zone 1 to higher zones over many weeks. Zone 5 should rarely be reached as you will need a long recovery time afterwards.

Speed Runners focused on 5K or under will find relatively more sessions in Zone 4 or Zone 5 in the form of intervals and tempos.

Your race will be run fully in Zones 4 and 5 so your body has to get used to working hard in those zones.

However, half your training should remain in the lower zones for recovery and necessary aerobic training.

Make sure you adjust your effort level accordingly or you can easily over train.

Longer Distance Runners will follow the Ideal % of Total Training guideline to have a good mix of the different zones.

Most of a 10K-Half Marathon is run in your Zone 3, and most of your marathon is run in Zone 2. Therefore, having an efficient aerobic base is most crucial.

Make sure you run your long runs easy enough for the benefits of Zone 2 and your intervals hard enough for the zone 4 and 5 benefits.

By following the respective zones for training, you can reap the most benefit out of each session.

Runners for Weight Loss was barely mentioned throughout. There is a myth that running at lower zones maximizes fat burn. Well, this is partially true.

Lower training zones (aerobic) will burn more fat than carbs per calorie than higher training zones. However, higher training zones burn more calories. Even with a lower fat burn percentage, high training zones burn more fat than lower training zones per minute of exercise.

The ideal scenario for healthy weight loss is to have as many high intensity runs as possible for fat burn purposes. However, your body will easily burn out if all your training is high intensity.

So you will mix in some lower intensity training resulting in a overall longer total exercise time for the most fat burn possible. 

For more details, read my post on Running for Weight Loss.

Recreational Runners can choose to not care at all. Get your regular runs in and done.

Conclusion

Training Zones are a useful tool to quantify your running training for higher efficiency. While it can be affected by factors such as diet and weather, it still acts as a good basis to judge your training effort.

Now you know how to measure your Zone with Heart Rate, Perceived Rate of Effort, Pace, and %VO2 Max. With practice, these figures may change.

Your Zone 3 pace may eventually become your Zone 2 pace as your running form and cardiorespiratory capabilities improve. Your tempo pace that tests your lactate threshold may eventually become an easy run pace.

If you want to push your limits, work on intervals than can reach zone 5. This improves your VO2 Max, lactate threshold, and muscle power. They do take a toll on your body so avoid overdoing this.

Hopefully, the Training Zones make more sense to you now. When you look at your running watch after your run, you could see whether you ran too hard (fatigue risk) or ran too slow (“wasted” training) and just your next training event accordingly.

When you look at your training plan for your next competition, now you can use the Training Zones to determine how hard each training should be.

How else do you use your Training Zone data? Is there a favorite zone you like to run in?

Let me know in the comments below!

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The Complete Guide to Nutrition for Runners
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