Zone 2 Easy Run – August 5, 2025

Build Phase 2 / Week 2 / Run 1 – My Road to TOWaterfront 42K

🏃‍♂️ Run Debrief

Nothing fancy!

My pre-run nibbles consisted of… nothing. Just a tablespoon of Brain Octane MCT oil, a few sips of Nuun, and 2 SaltStick Fastchew tabs. That was enough to kickstart me into a brisk but comfortable pace.

I always aim to run conservatively on my easy days-keeping my heart rate near the lower end of Zone 2 and letting the pace sort itself out. That’s still very much a work in progress, but today felt like a win.

A comic-style illustration of a fit middle-aged male runner crossing a wooden bridge surrounded by greenery, wearing a blue tank top, black shorts, blue Altra Experience Flow shoes, and a blue-gray On cap, with a Garmin watch on his left wrist—depicting a strong stride on an early morning Zone 2 easy run.

I had spring in my stride and stayed mindful of my form, especially on inclines and descents. I pushed gently on the uphills without spiking my heart rate and held form on the downhills rather than bombing them.

We’ll see what the numbers say.

📊 Coach’s Corner

Aerobic Endurance – Workout Description:

All in low to mid Z2.

TrainingPeaks Plan:

Duration: 0:50:00
Avg Pace Target: 6:52/km
TSS: 62
IF: 0.83

Weather:
18°C (feels like 18°C) | Humidity: 93% | Wind: 7.9 km/h NE

📈 What Your Numbers Say

Metric	Value	Interpretation
Duration	50:04	⏱️ Spot-on execution
Distance	7.41 km	✅ In line with pace goal
Avg Pace	6:46/km	👍 Slightly ahead of target (6:52/km)
rTSS / hrTSS	69 / 48	📊 More stress via pace than HR
IF (pace / HR)	0.86 / 0.72	⚖️ Controlled HR effort despite strong pace
EF	1.03	🚀 Excellent aerobic efficiency
Pa:HR	4.87%	✅ Minimal cardiac drift
Avg HR	144 bpm	🎯 Perfect mid-Z2 zone execution
Max HR	154 bpm	⚠️ Reached near top of Z2, but not over
Cadence (avg)	167 spm	💡 Ideal cadence for aerobic zone
Elevation Gain	140 m	⛰️ Enough climbing to matter
VAM / W/kg	168 m/h / 0.84	🧗 Solid climbing effort
Pace Max	5:25/km	🏎️ Hit this on a descent, stayed controlled
Stride Control	Maintained	🔄 Smart restraint on downhills

🏁 Conclusion

This one felt good. I stayed steady, controlled, and strong. Everything lined up-from cadence to HR to Pa:HR-and the EF shows it.

Sometimes “easy” means efficient.

Let’s see if that carries forward into the next workout.