My journey to a better Zone 2 understanding started a year ago when I decided to get back into Audaxing (long distance cycling). I entered the UK’s longest and biggest event, London-Edinburgh-London. A 1500Km, self supported cycling from London to Edinburgh and back.
By focusing on Zone 2 I was able to ride much further distances that I’d ever imaged. By training my aerobic capacity and controlling my effort the distance became more manageable.
I’ve learned to so much about Zone 2 training (or aerobic training as its sometimes called) that I want to share. A lot of what I learned was eye opening, it provides the opportunity to improve general health and fitness. It isn’t just about endurance. It can help everyone, particularly those, like me, who aren’t getting any younger and want to stay fit, active and achieve fitness goals.
Zone 2 training is working below your anaerobic threshold, which burns more fat for energy. This increases you muscles capacity to process oxygen and works muscles at a level that can be maintained for much longer.
For 2023 I plan on exercising regularly (every day if I can), 80% of my sessions will be in Zone 2, I’ll be looking at how I can find as many different ways of getting a Zone training – walking, cycling, hiking, swimming, commuting, running – to keep the exercise interesting, fresh and to figure out how I can fit Zone 2 training into my day to day life.
I have also set myself more endurance goals, I’ll be attempting a number of long distance cycling events and would like to do some long distance running if I can stay injury free. For the cycling events, I’m aiming to improve my performance on previous years which will need predominantly Zone 2 training to build a strong aerobic base.
A positive side effect of Zone 2 training that I’m hoping to achieve is lowering my body fat, increasing my power and increasing my average speed in events.
To find out how to calculate your Zone 2 click here
Zone 2 baseline testing
To set a baseline I took a number of tests to ensure that the project has some foundation in science. The test taken are:
HbA1c blood test – to test blood sugar
Vo2Max test, to establish Lactate Threshold, Heart rate Zones and Vo2Max
3D Body Scan to understand body measurements
Dexa Scan to understand body fat and other elements of body composition
The New Year often brings a wave of motivation to set ambitious fitness goals, and while goals can be a powerful tool, they’re not the ultimate prize. What really matters is consistency. Showing up for your training week after week is the secret sauce that leads to improved health, fitness, and longevity. Goals serve as… Read more: Zone 2 Goals for the New Year: Consistency is Key
Starting a fitness journey can feel daunting, especially if you’re new to structured exercise. I remember how overwhelmed I felt the first time I walked into a gym, unsure of where to start or whether I’d be able to stick with it. That’s why I’ve found Zone 2 training so transformative—it’s simple, approachable, and sustainable… Read more: From Couch to Endurance: A Beginner’s Guide to Zone 2 Training
The 8:15pm start wasn’t ideal. I would’ve preferred starting earlier to avoid riding all night when visibility is limited. But leaving in waves with hundreds of riders was cool – we could draft off each other to maintain pace. Spectators cheering loudly as we departed Rambouillet pumped me up. The gentle roads initially spread out… Read more: My Epic Journey. Conquering the Paris Brest Paris Audax
My July Zone 2 project metrics show a big decrease in volume at about 50% of volume in May and June. This is in part due to me having no more qualifiers for my big event in August. And having a break where I mostly ran and hiked rather than doing big cycling miles. My… Read more: July Progress, a change is as good as a rest
My June Zone 2 project metrics show continued high volume with an almost exclusive focus on low intensity work. My Vo2Max hasn’t improved but my fat oxidation seems to have improved a lot. You can find details on my latest Vo2Max test and DEXA scan here. You can also find more information on training plan here,… Read more: June progress, improved aerobic capacity and fat oxidation
I woke up early on the morning of my cycling adventure, feeling excited and nervous. I had trained hard for months, and I was finally ready to put my skills to the test. I had a big bowl of pasta the night before, and for breakfast, I had my new favorite pre-ride meal: two fried… Read more: The unexpected adventure on The Fifth Continent 300Km Audax
I decided to do a maximum heart rate test today. The main reason was that I had set my maximum heart rate at 191 beats per minute a few years ago. Whilst that was accurate at the time, the highest I’ve seen my heart rate is 178 bpm in the last year or so. I’m… Read more: How I did a Max Heart Rate Test
I took a VO2Max test and DEXA scan recently and compared to my results from the same tests 6 moths ago. The tests give me an overall view of how my fitness and body composition has changed over the 6 months and to check that my progress is on track. My previous results can be… Read more: Vo2Max test and DEXA scan. Fitness and weight benchmarking
My May Zone 2 project metrics show a step change in volume. You can find the details of my training plan here, my goals and metrics here. May was a big increase in volume, which is expected to continue through June. Vo2Max and strength has remained consistent, due to me not giving them the focus… Read more: May progress, a step up in volume
I woke up early for the Wander Wye 600km Audax, my biggest ride this year. I ate my standard pre-ride breakfast of two fried eggs and a bagel (500 calories), along with oatmeal and coffee for an extra 250 calories. I felt fueled up for the challenge ahead. The first 60km to Henley-on-Thames were fairly… Read more: What I Learned Preparing for Paris-Brest-Paris on a 600Km Audax
