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Noob Question on Run Pace Zones - Paces Seem REAL Close Together

jmoss70jmoss70
in General Training Discussions

New to EN Data Tool.  Been using EN plans on my own for about 9 months.  Ran the Data Tool on my VDOT and got the following:

Zone HR Pace
Z1/EP:
< 149
8:40
Z2/MP:
150-158
7:24
Z3/HMP:
159-167
7:06
Z4/TP:
168-174
6:58
Z5/IP:
> 175
6:32

 

The proximety of the Pace between Z2, Z3, Z4 (esp. between Z3 and Z4) seems tight.  Doing Z3 work I'd have a hard time not crossing over into Z4 by mistake.

Am I in the same boat as others?  If so, you do you manage this?  I'm not afraid of the paces, just want to avoid injury.

 

Comments

  • Joe MatchetteJoe Matchette
    Jim, The faster you get, the closer the zones. At a VDOT of 50, the Z3 pace is 6:52, and Z4 is 6:44. I have gotten semi-decent at hitting the paces, but I use Virtual Partner and Pace Zones on my 310XT for immediate feedback.
  • Coach RichCoach Rich

    What Joe said. We learned this lesson about 3yrs ago.

  • Gordon CherwoniakGordon Cherwoniak

    Jim,

    The only thing I can add is the light this shines a light on the ability to pace correctly.  Even going from MP to HMP you only have 18 seconds difference.  If you go out 9 seconds too fast this will have effects on your last 6 miles in the marathon.  

    Yes I have a hard time with the pacing but I use a treadmill most of the winter and get some short brick outside.  My pacing is a mess in spring (right now) is a mess when I get outside.   Typically the body will adjust once your hit a vdot for the season and you will know your pace.  The improvements we see in the OS really challenge the pacing I find.  Some suggest a track to help with consistent pacing, but for long runs this is not a good idea. 

    Gordon

  • mgraffeomgraffeo
    Jim, I was skeptical at first, but remembered an article I read a long time ago saying that a well-trained runner would have about 15s from their 5k pace to 10k pace, 10k pace to 1/2 mary, and 1/2 mary to full mary. It sounded really close, too, since the distance keeps doubling.

    All I can say is that it only gets worse when you get faster. At a 60-something Vdot, your Z3 and Z4 become the same, since your 1/2 mary pace puts you on track to go awful close to an hour, which is the definition of your Z4 pace. Good problems to have :-)
  • Coach PatrickCoach Patrick
    What mike said: you are lucky to have such problems. image Keep an eye on your recovery and you should be fine!
  • jmoss70jmoss70

    So after "rebaselining" all of my paces via the Data Tool (when I officially joined EN) my biggest surprise is not the proximety of Z3 to Z4 but how much Z2 drops.  Back in the good old days (pre-EN membership) when doing the OS plan I was noodling along in Zone 2 at a good 20-40 seconds per mile SLOWER.  Zone 2 has effectively become the OLD Zone 3 for me...and that's with the same VDOT.  

  • jburbattjburbatt
    Posted By Jim Moss on 13 Apr 2011 03:47 PM

    So after "rebaselining" all of my paces via the Data Tool (when I officially joined EN) my biggest surprise is not the proximety of Z3 to Z4 but how much Z2 drops.  Back in the good old days (pre-EN membership) when doing the OS plan I was noodling along in Zone 2 at a good 20-40 seconds per mile SLOWER.  Zone 2 has effectively become the OLD Zone 3 for me...and that's with the same VDOT.  





     

    That's why we call it WORK image (and I hear it works!)

  • gilliattgilliatt
    Yep you are supposed to feel lucky to have such problems. It is tough though.
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