Training for a marathon after 50 requires more than just miles, it demands smart pacing, strategic recovery, and tuning in to what your body really needs. That’s why I created this Marathon Zone Tracker: to map out how I use my personalized marathon heart rate zones based on lab-tested data (LT1 and LT2), real-world runs, and how those numbers actually feel out on the road.
Whether I’m cruising through an easy long run or locking into goal pace, these zones guide my intensity, and help me stay strong all the way to the finish line.
✅ This page includes:
- My updated heart rate zones for endurance, tempo, and threshold training
- How I use LT1 and LT2 to target marathon pacing
- Real examples from workouts with Pa:HR and IF metrics
- Links to training logs and race-day strategy
🧪 Dialing It In with Lab Data
On May 17, 2025, I underwent a performance assessment with Body Insight — a science-based testing facility that measures physiological thresholds like lactate buildup and aerobic efficiency. The results gave me hard numbers for my LT1 (aerobic threshold) and LT2 (anaerobic threshold), which now anchor this Marathon Zone Tracker.
For a deeper breakdown of that experience, you can read my full Body Insight Lab Debrief . It includes what the test felt like, what surprised me, and how these zones changed how I train.
Below are a couple of the charts from my assessment, which I’ve been using to guide my training.
🧭 Training Smarter, Not Just Harder
These heart rate zones aren’t just abstract numbers , they’re a reflection of how my body responds to effort over time. By anchoring my training around LT1 and LT2, I’ve taken the guesswork out of marathon prep and replaced it with precision, control, and confidence.
Whether I’m building base in Zone 2, sharpening threshold in Zone 4, or using Zone 1 for active recovery, every session has a purpose. And every long run gives me another data point to measure efficiency, durability, and aerobic strength.
This Marathon Zone Tracker will evolve as I do, and I’ll link back to this page in future Training Week Recaps, performance breakdowns, and my full Marathon Race Report this October.
If you’re over 50 and training for endurance events, creating your own marathon heart rate zones might just be the most empowering move you make.
🧭 Want to See These Zones in Action?
I don’t just list my training zones. I live them. Every week, I put these heart rate and pace targets to the test in real workouts across all intensities.
👉 Check out these related posts to see how I apply my marathon zones in real time:
- 📝 My Mantras and My Marathon – How I use mental cues and mantra work alongside LT1/LT2 training.
- 🔄 Weekly Recap: June 30 to July 6 – See how Pa:HR, rTSS, and IF reveal the story behind each session.
- 🎯 Why are My Garmin and Strava’s Race Predictors So Far Off? , I compare smart device data to lab-tested truths and what it means for real-world pacing.
You’ll also find these metrics woven into my Training Logs and Weekly Recaps , because training after 50 is about making every zone count.