I wanted to make a better contribution than I did previously but a lot of what I do with my training group is pretty specific for me and what events I want to do. My coach suggested watching this video on zone 2 training.
It is a GCN video and it quite long. It discusses riding slower to go faster and is by Tadej Pogača's coach. What is not to like?
First, my zone 2 is pretty hard. I mean one might think it is zone 3. Second, Tadej's coach talks about how hard Tadej rides in zone 2. Here is what I think. The pro/elite coaches are thinking lactate in the blood - not heart rate or power. My coach suggested breathing as a marker but the break point is where conversation is just starting to be affected. For me, that is a pretty high HR / power. It is not much later that I am at threshold. So a Coggan zone 3 for me would get compressed.
So I think to follow this video advice, one needs a lactate meter or a testing lab and find the point where lactate begins to accumulate in the blood and that is the level of effort that Tadej trains at for his ride slow to go fast. Yeah right.
Here is the coach back for another ahem "clarification" of zone 2 training. I thought the first video was okay but this one, IMO, he comes across a little goofy with his stick shift car analogy. Everyone is having the same problem...what exactly is zone 2 compared to other methods such as Coggan and others. It is about as clear as mud to me.
And I burst out laughing when the GCN guy tried it in prep for cyclocross and it did not turn out great. The coach then says well yeah you have to include some threshold and VO2. Also, the coach talks about absolutely not going hard during a zone 2 ride and explains why. If one wants to add higher power, add it at the end. Watch these videos at your own risk and reward. They are long and may or may not be what most people need. Zone 2 Schmone 2