IronDad Coaching

Part 4 and we’re closing the book on this one 🤙🏻

Last week (before the Memorial Day weekend) was a perfect example of why Zone 2 running should not be based only on pace.

Hot and humid day?

Your Zone 2 pace may slow way down….and that’s OK!!

Cooler, overcast day?

That same Zone 2 heart rate may give you a much faster pace.

Same runner.

Same fitness.

Different conditions….it’s gonna happen!

That’s why I want athletes using heart rate and feel on easy aerobic runs. Not every run has to be ‘Strava-worthy’ 🫣

Zone 2 should feel conversational, controlled, and repeatable.

You should finish feeling like you could have kept going.

Tempo runs, intervals, and race pace work are different…..

But for Zone 2 runs, stop chasing pace….please!

Build the engine.

Easy runs easy.

SO YOU CAN DO your hard runs hard 💯

Zone 2 is not a pace…..

It’s a physiological effort 👌🏻

You will learn that quickly when the weather changes.

A 9:30 pace on a cool 65 degree morning might be easy Zone 2….

Then….

That same 9:30 pace on an 82-degree humid afternoon might turn into Zone 3 real quick.

Same runner.

Same fitness.

But, different conditions.

This is why I don’t want my athletes married to pace on easy runs.

Heat, humidity, fatigue, stress, poor sleep, yesterday’s workout, and dehydration can all push your heart rate higher.

So the goal is to NOT force the pace.

The goal is to stay in the right effort zone for the purpose of the workout 💪🏻

Some days that means slowing down.

Please remember….That is NOT a weakness.

That is smart training! 🧠

Run the workout you need today, not the workout your ego or “Strava street cred.”wants 😬

Most triathletes don’t need more random miles.

They need more intentional work.

2 hours. 40 miles. Quality work.

The goal wasn’t just to ride hard.

The goal was to hold power in aero, stay controlled, and teach the body how to produce race-day effort from the position I actually need to race in.

Anybody can push watts sitting up.
Long-course triathlon rewards the athlete who can stay aero, steady, fueled, and patient.

No group.
No hype.
Just reps.

That’s where fitness gets built.

Plan your work & work your plan 👊🏻

Bottom line: Zone 2 running should feel like you could have kept going.

That’s the point.

You’re not trying to finish crushed. You’re trying to build your aerobic engine without burying yourself.

Today I did a progressive Zone 2 run, starting low and gradually building toward the top of my Zone 2 heart rate.

No pace on the screen.

Just heart rate, time, distance, and feel.

Some days Zone 2 is faster.

Some days it’s slower.

But the goal stays the same:

Controlled. Conversational. Repeatable.

Not every run needs to prove your fitness.

Some runs are there to build it, so don’t be afraid to just build.

Zone 2 running should not feel like a race.

You should be able to talk, breathing under control, and feel like you could keep going on cruise control.

Some days that pace may be faster.

Some days it may be slower.

Weather, fatigue, sleep, stress, and yesterday’s workouts all matter.

That’s why I don’t want my athletes chasing pace on easy aerobic runs.

I want them paying attention to heart rate, breathing, rhythm, and effort.

Zone 2 is where you build the engine.

It’s not flashy or sexy, but it works!

Stop trying to prove fitness on every run.

Build it instead.

Keep your easy workouts easy, and your hard workouts hard!

Part 2 coming tomorrow…..✌🏻

Everybody wants the watts….but nobody wants the squats 🫣😬

This is your reminder that strength training is not just “extra.”

At the end of our group ride, we did our usual sprint to the parking lot, and I popped over 1000 W in my dash for glory 😂

That didn’t happen by accident….off season in the pain cave has helped….

Off-season strength work can help improve:
• force production
• neuromuscular recruitment
• stability when sprinting or climbing
• the ability to put power into the pedals

For triathletes and cyclists, strength training is usually talked about like it only helps prevent injury.

It does help with that….

However….

It also helps build a stronger engine and a stronger chassis so you can actually use that power better.

And let’s be honest, it’s just fun to have another gear when the ride gets spicy at the end. 🌶️

Note to self…. 📝

Keep going……