Zone Training Explained: Zone 1–5 and How to Use Them in Your Running

On this week’s episode of Beyond the Finish Line, Georgia and Coach Matt break down zone training — what it is, how it works, and how runners can apply it to their training.

From Zone 1 recovery running through to VO₂ max efforts, Matt explains the physiology behind each zone and why different intensities play different roles in building endurance, speed, and resilience.

The episode also tackles a common question from listeners: should you train by heart rate or pace? Matt explains when each approach works best and why most runners misunderstand the purpose of training zones.

Alongside the zone training deep dive, Georgia shares an update on pregnancy training and wardrobe struggles, while Matt talks about the rapid growth of Performance Project and bringing new team members on board.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re running too hard, too easy, or wasting time in the “grey zone,” this episode will help you train smarter.

– Georgia’s pregnancy training update
– The reality of building a pregnancy wardrobe
– Performance Project team growth and new hires
– Why most runners accidentally train in Zone 3
– The “dam wall” analogy that explains how training zones work

– Should runners focus on heart rate at lower intensities and pace at higher intensities?
– What should you do if your running paces suddenly start getting slower?
– How do you structure training if you only have time for three runs per week?

00:00 Introduction to Zone Training
13:03 Understanding Training Zones
25:59 Deep Dive into Zone One and Two
30:11 Understanding Zone Two Training
39:15 The Importance of Zone Three
51:09 Exploring Zone Four: Lactate Threshold
01:01:14 Maximizing VO2 Max Training