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Zones will help you to get more out of your event or workout. More can be a variaty of things. More fun because there is not a little bit of training left before you run out of energy. More and longer endurance because your intensity is more spread even. More speed during the event you are training for. More… You name it. Zones are based on your threshold, or the number you can hold for one hour straight. From here your zones are calculated.
From this calculation there are zones below (0-3) and above (4-5b) your threshold. As you can imagine for the lower zones you can keep your pace for longer than an hour. The higher the number the shorter you can keep the pace, so less than 60 minutes for sure. With this in mind you can pace your workouts/events to prevent you from some kilometers left before you burn up.
For your workout or training plan, zones are used to setup your plan(s) and calculate your ‘progress’. This is done in Trainingpeaks, the analysis tool Eevvoo use to set you up with your training plans.
To setup your zones you need to pick units. For running there are a couple of options. Heart rate and speed are commonly know. So is your feeling, but this is kinda hard to calculate zones with, so these are fixed. Power is a fourth optional unit, but this is only just getting traction and therefore left out of this post.
Once you know your the units you would like to train with you should find your threshold. From here you can start calculating your zones in percentages of your threshold. Each unit has a different setup. Heart rate is only an input, because it tells you how fast your engine is pumping. The others are output. However, with most watches having GPS and a wrist heart rate monitor most runners will go for heart rate and speed.
There are various ways to go to find your threshold. The most precise way to determine your threshold is to do a lab test. After the test you will get a report in which you can find your thresholds for speed and heart rate (be sure to ask in advance you need those two).
Another option is to do a ‘test’ yourself by participating in a race or do a 20 minute max effort. From here you can determine your 20 min max average heart rate and speed. Multiply these values by 0.97 and you will roughly have your threshold to start with. Over time you will adjust your threshold to be up-to-date since you will adapt to workouts and (possibly) improve if that is the goal of your plan or workout.
Whatever one you do, always give it your best shot and try to evenly distribute your effort and prevent a sprint of a minute at the end. This means you haven’t push it enough in the first part of your test.
Note! Â You should keep in mind that testing is giving it your best shot and that you should be medically fit to do so. Contact a specialist to give you advice on this to be sure you are safe to go.You can combine most lab tests with a sports medical examination to see if you are fit to workout to find out if you are healthy to start working out.
Once you have your threshold speed and heart rate it is time to setup your zones. With years of experience we have chosen a specific set of zones for each running unit. This means there is a slight difference between each zone distribution per unit.
All workouts and training plans are based on the same zone structure and it is best to use our zones to get the best out of each workout. Most plans are build on your running pace to help calculate your progress in Trainingpeaks. Therefore pace zones are a must to take on our training plans and workouts. Heart rate is a good second. When out training following your heart rate might be easier, except from track workouts.
For starters feeling is the best option to go with, since most of you who start running won’t be able to run 20 minutes without stopping. Don’t worry you will get there, but for now you should focus on building your endurance, having fun and preventing injuries. Therefore you can follow the zones in our starter guide.
Like rpm for an engine in a car, your heart rate it tells you how fast your engine is beating. It does so in beats per minute (bpm). An awesome number to get more out of your workout/event as said. But it only tells you the input of your effort. Besides this, heart rate is really slow. For instances your heart rate won’t instantly be 180bpm if you sprint 100 meters, but might even raise higher after finishing the sprint. Keep this in mind for short intervals or sprints.
Below are the heart rate running zones you can use to setup your running watch, training app and/or Trainingpeaks. Use your threshold and multiply is by the percentage to get the upper and lower values of each zone.
Once you have calculated your running heart rate zones your should change them in Trainingpeaks and all of your devices.
With heart rate being the first and pershaps easiest unit to work with, speed is (for now untill running with power gains traction like in cycling) the best second option. Speed (like power) is one of the outputs you can use to pace your workouts and training plans. The benefit of speed over heart rate is that is pretty direct, so if you do a sprint for instance your speed will be in the right zone after just a couple of meters. Therefore speed is a unit with which tracking and planning of your progress/keeping your endurance level is more precise.
Below are the speed running zones you can use to setup your running watch, training app and/or Trainingpeaks. Use your threshold and multiply is by the percentage to get the upper and lower values of each zone.
Once you have calculated your running speed zones your should change them in Trainingpeaks and all of your devices.
With your zones calculated it is time to setup your Trainingpeaks account and device to match these zones. Changing your Trainingpeaks zones must be done on a desktop/laptop. To do so, follow these steps.
Now you are ready to head out with your newly safed zones and plan.
You can change your zone settings in the Trainingpeaks app too. However, it is preferred to do so using a desktop version. In the app the zone names are altered once your add a new threshold, which are not compliant with Eevvoo’s names.
Since there is a wide range of training devices, like running watches or apps, it is impossible to add all those setups to this post or even to a specific post. To find out how to setup your device use the manual or website of your app or watch brand.
Are you uncomfortable with setting up your zones? Eevvoo can help you with it. Follow the link below to get started.
So now you might be wondering, but why should I setup both heart rate and speed zones. I am only using one of them during my workouts. True. However you will be tracking both during your runs and there is a relation between the two, like in a car engine.
If you are looking to gain endurance or fitness, you should be looking for on the following options:
And if you do not have a specific goal, but want to maintain your endurance, then this could improve by just working out on a regular basis.
Once this occurs you will have improved and are doing better. Your engine is beating less or the same and the out has improved. Congrats, you have now officially pimped your own engine!
Note! Keep in mind that heart rate and speed are highly effected by all kinds of factors. So one of the two possible options should occur over a longer period of time.
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