Sunday, February 26, 2012

I F'ing Hate Zone 2

Week 5
Planned: 9:00 total hours (1:30 swim, 4:20 bike, 3:10 run)
Completed: 9:36 hours (1:26 swim, 4:24 bike, 3:46 run)

This week was all about the Zones. Knowing my Zones, working my Zones properly, respecting the Zones, and most of all staying out of Zone 3. That was all fine, at last as far as I can tell, until Saturday.

I had decided at the beginning of the work to morph Sunday's ride into Monday's VO2 test - partly because why waste 45 minutes on the bike as non-logged bike time, and partly because I knew I couldn't fit a workout in on Sunday anyway. That workout was just spinning my legs, plus the “a-ha” moment of realizing how much I suck at Zone 2, the obvious result of never actually being in Zone 2.

So I had 3 runs and 2 rides to execute while respecting the Zones. Being smart about the Zones. Working Zone 4 but not necessarily Zone 5 to get the benefits without the lactic acid build up and resulting impact on the rest of the week. Actually doing a long ride and my long run in Zone 2. Not Zone 3, certainly not Zone 4, just in Zone 2.

My 2 mid-week runs were good - Zone 4 intervals just kissing LT, and then a Zone 4 tempo run. My mid-week ride was outdoors on a gorgeous day with my crazy CT teacher. Definitely pushed Zone 4 and some Zone 5 (I decided if I called it a “breakthrough workout” and only did one per week I could get away with it), but it was a short ride and it felt amazing to be outdoors. Plus she taught me to corner like Lance - except 20mph slower - which is pretty much the coolest thing ever.

My Friday computrainer was actually fantastic. 2 hours in Zone 2. We changed up resistance and cadence constantly, so it never felt boring, and it always felt like work. As predicted, my legs were definitely tired afterwards and I was starving. I loved that ride, could easily repeat that workout again and again.

Then came my Saturday long run. I was determined to keep myself to Zone 2, damn the pace. And I did - or so I thought. I really, really thought I held Zone 2 for almost the whole time, just a little creep into the bottom of Zone 3 during a long 1-2% grade. So not only was my pace slow as ass, I spent 59 minutes in Zone 3. Seriously?!?!? So I slog it out in a miserably slow run, which still completely tired out my legs, and I don't even the get Zone 2 work I was looking for?!?!?!

I'm trying to rationalize it. He went up 20 watts per minute during the VO2 test which seems like a lot - so maybe my LT is actually a few beats higher than he says (really, it's somewhere between where my heartrate started and ended during the minute I went anaerobic, no necessarily exactly where I started, right?) in which case Zone 2 is maybe a few beats bigger in range, and I was still in Zone 2 after all. Or maybe even if I'm at the bottom of Zone 3 I can still mostly get the slow-twitch, fat-burning work that I'm going for. Damn I hope that's true.

But as much as I'm frustrated, and discouraged, and hate that I ran so damn slow, I'm going to stick to the plan. There's no way I can push through 6+ hours at Eagleman in Zone 4, so I really do need to live in Zone 2. That I believe. I just hope, seriously, seriously hope, that if I stick it out Zone 2 will get faster. It can't get any slower, right?