🚨 Zone 2 Running Question 🚨
After recovering from a serious lower body injury with multiple broken bones in 2012, I started jogging in 2019. It was primarily for recovery of my mobility. I’m in my mid-40s now. Within the last year I started running periodic 5Ks just to push my limits and try to see if I could run again. Long intro. Sorry!
I run a 5K in around 35 mins currently, and my average heart rate throughout is approximately 165 bpm. My normal resting heart rate is 56 bpm.
When performing recovery jogging, I try to keep my heart rate in zone 2 (I used approx 140 bpm as my target heart rate), but it feels like I always exceed zone 2 even when I slow WAY down, and I feel like I am running an easily conversational pace.
What should I be doing to build cardio endurance?
Should I transition from jogging to walking until my heart rate reduces then start jogging again?
Should I keep jogging at the low-intensity, easily conversational pace?
I understand that I should “just jog more.” Still, I would like to make improvements, and I would like to know if anyone has a more ideal approach to pushing through. Thank you for any knowledge and/or feedback!