[brianacraig]

I updated my zones for the first time with a Talk Test after about 8 weeks of consistent training. Gotta say, I’m a little scared of the results. 🙂

I went from an 8:06 per mile threshold pace to a 7:!4 per mile threshold pace. I’ve run a sub 7-minute mile exactly once in my life but now my zone 4 is now 6:18 to 7:06. That’s terrifying.

The engineer in me says that I must have done the talk test wrong, because there’s no way I can hit those high end zones.

The experienced runner in me says that I’ve been running distance for 12+ years now and this is probably what I’m capable of and that I need to harden up and embrace the challenge. Don’t worry about making every interval perfect, just trust the process and see what happens.

Anyone else been through this? Any advice?

[leyla@8020endurance.com]

Congrats on your fitness improvements and your consistency to achieve them!
New zones can seem scary at first – but it sounds like you have the right attitude with not being overly dogmatic about them.. just lean in when the plan calls for it and see what the body delivers at those upper zone. You are not a robot – so being nuanced with faster running and staying consistent in both your training and your intensity balance is what will bring those fitness gains.

Cheers
L

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