I've averaged about 40 miles a week these past 4 years, but most of those miles were run slower than 10:00 minutes. But I run that much because I enjoy it and have run 5 marathons these past two years. You can get lots of benefits from just running about 20 miles a week at a nice, easy pace. (https://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio...nefits-running) One thing you'll notice is that improvements come fairly steadily those first few months of running and it can be a lot of fun. Don't increase your mileage too much from week to week, so you can build your base and avoid injury.
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Why the need to run long distances?

And why would you walk, and only apparently in the summer, in order to be able to run long distances?

You need to train for what your goal is.

You wouldn't go bowling in order to improve your jump shot.
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WTF. You never heard of Zone 2 training?
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My resting heart rate is 53-58. I wonder what it would be if I didn't consume a gram of caffeine a day.
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Don’t know. Maybe I know it by a different name. I do know as a former runner that to improve your endurance/stamina you have to make your heart/cardiovascular system work to become more efficient. That means elevating your heart rate and keeping it there for 20-30 mins at a time. Never found a better way to do it.



Okay, zone 2 training is basically what I was doing in OrangeTheory. Which is essentially what I just posted; a low-intensity walk/jog, faster than a normal walking pace.
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The prevailing guidance, as I understand it, is that 80% of one's training volume should be in this nice and easy zone.
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Okay. What’s s hard about asking 3.0 mph? From experience, it doesn’t seem that hard.
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My average over the past week has increased to 42, due to battling an illness. It's typically a few beats lower, according to my Garmin Fenix 6, which measures it while I'm sleeping. My heart thinks it current job is easy because a few years ago it had to pump blood for a version of me that was 60 pounds heavier. :-)
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Oh, I don't think 20-minute miles would get most people to Zone 2. That's a little too slow. You and I are in our 50's. Let's suppose a 55 year-old had a maximum heart rate of 170. Zone 2 would be to get the heart rate to about 60 to 70% of that, which would be 102 to 119 bpm.

I understand that you also run marathons and do Orange Theory. So your harder workouts (or stretches within an Orange Theory session) are a mix of Zone 3 and 4. Those are great for increasing VO2 max, but you don't want to do too much of those a week. On my training plans (e.g. I like Greg McMillain's plan and the Hanson Marathon Method), there might be, say, 2 runs a week out of 5 or 6 that are in those zones.

It's really good to aim for either really nice and easy, like Zone 2, or pretty intense, limiting the intense workouts so that you're not burned out for the easy workouts and long runs. A lot of folks spend too much time in the grey zone, in between these two extremes.
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General rule of thumb is 80% of your cardio should be zone 2, this builds endurance.

20% should be at threshold pace which is what you referred to before in the 155BPM range, that increases VO2 max and efficiency.

3 -45 minute sessions in zone 2 and 1 20 minute session at threshold per week is enough to improve VO2 max and also keep you cardio healthy. This can be running, cycling, rowing. assault bike, etc...anything that elevates heart rate.

What's interesting is I read book that quoted a study that shows that having a below average V02 max for you age is a bigger indicator of dying early than if you simply smoked for 20 years. Though I assume that would sort of go hand in hand the idea is bad cardio health in general is worse than being a smoker, even if you aren't a smoker.

So even if you don't smoke and aren't overweight you need to be at least average cardio wise or your health risks are pretty large.
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No marathons; that’s a different poster. Never ran a marathon; just two half-Marathons in HS.


And yeah, OT tries to get you to “orange” Level, or level 3. But walking uphill(12% grade or higher) at 3,0 is pretty low intensity. I gave a range that f BP up o 150 because I don’t know his age/fitness. Just trying to keep it wide at either end.
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This is my understanding as well. Just listened to Peyson McElveen (cyclist) podcast this morning, and he was talking about the rule being 80/20 for most of the pros across disciplines. 80% of Zone 2/Long Slow Distance/whatever training and 20% intervals. when they look at their training blocks.

Maybe I misunderstood Megatron, but what I was disputing was that there's zero benefit to running if your HR isn't getting up to 150 or so.
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And generally, the problem with Zone 2 training is that it requires a lot of time and it's really, really boring (and can feel ineffective since it's not as taxing). Most of my cardio is on a mountain bike, which disallows effective Zone 2 training, unfortunately, due to the dynamic nature of the terrain.

I've been trying to do more social greenway rides with friends to get more zone 2.
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Yeah, I think we’re just misunderstanding each other.

M basic point was “get your heart rate up a little , then ease back to a brisk pace.” However we need to do that.

And I shoot for around 135-145 BP because I’m training for a specific physical activity; rowing 450-lb. boats on big rivers. I forgot that’s why I use a BP that high. My bad.
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Here's a readable introduction to the different heart rate zones and why each is useful...
https://member.afsfitness.com/conten...art-rate-zones
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