Alyssa Olenick is an exercise phyisology PhD, ultramarathoner, hybrid athlete, and weightlifter. She's been featured in Time, Nike, Women's Health - and pretty much every major media outlet and podcast that exists.

She's also one of my favorite communicators about training theory and physiology.

Today, she's helping us decipher Zone 2 running:

How to grow Z2 fitness (hint: don't just run in Z2!)
The timeline of Zone 2 improvement
Why Z2 is not a "cage"
How heart rate at this effort is impacted by heat
a lot more!

Resources & Extras:

Thank you Previnex!

Get yourself 15% off your first purchase with code jason15 here. Previnex is a unique supplement company - one that I trust because they do things differently when they don't have to. Their products use clinically proven ingredients, are tested before and after formulation, and they donate vitamins to needy kids.

Maybe more importantly, their products do what they say they're going to do. Listen to this feedback about Joint Health Plus!

"My ankle and knee pain was completely gone in a week. Amazing!" - Kim

"I thought I was on the verge of having to give up running due to severe hip pain and luckily discovered Previnex - complete game changer for me!" - Anna

"I am so grateful for Joint Health Plus! As a certified fitness professional and still an extremely active, competitive amateur athlete, I was getting discouraged with an increase in pain simply kneeling down, or bending down to the floor and getting back up while assisting clients, or in my own training! Once deciding to give this product a try, I was floored when I finally noticed I was not bracing in anticipation of pain when I had to kneel down; not whincing in discomfort upon standing! Thank you, Prevenix!" - Jessica

Joint Health Plus is so powerful because the main active ingredient is clinically proven to reduce joint pain, reduce joint stiffness, and improve joint flexibility in just 7-10 days. It's also clinically proven, not just tested, but actually proven in double-blinded, placebo- controlled studies to protect joint cartilage from breaking down during exercise.

You can get 15% off your first Previnex purchase by using code jason15 at checkout. Visit previnex.com. Previnex offers a 30-day money back guarantee where if you don't feel benefits on their product you get your money back no questions asked. And keep sending in those testimonials. They fire me up!

Thank you MOBO Board!

Invented by renowned physical therapist Jay Dicharry, MOBO helps you stabilize your stance with an innovative rocker board that's set up on two fins. The design effectively forces you to drive your big toe into the board to improve your stability. I was pretty arrogant going into my first session on the MOBO Board. How hard can it be to balance, right? Well, I was humbled pretty quickly!

Even if you're a good runner, better balance, stability, and proprioception is going to help you have a more powerful stride and prevent more running injuries. You'll learn how to improve the efficiency of the kinetic chain from your hip to your big toe. Because as Jay likes to say, it's not just how strong you are, but how well you use that strength.

I was recently at a weekend physical therapy workshop (lol I was the only running coach) and learned how important (and rare) this simple movement is. Save 10% with code STRENGTHRUN10 at checkout at moboboard.com.

Thanks to The Performance Training Journal!

The Performance Training Journal is now available on Amazon and debuted as the #4 new release in the running category. Since I started running in 1998, I've kept a hardcopy training journal. Holding a tangible log, writing in it daily, and reflecting on the ups and downs of running is a surefire way to improve.

This hardcopy training journal helps you focus on the training metrics that matter, prioritizes a long-term outlook so you don't take any shortcuts, and maintains your motivation with strategic self-praise. With a no-frills, functional design, the Performance Training Journal includes coaching advice on racing, injury prevention, strength training, and more. It will guide you through race scheduling, how to plan your race morning, the best workouts for endurance runners, and encourage you to track your personal bests over time.

You have the space to make this journal your own whether you're a new runner or a professional, a trail or road runner, or a mid-distance specialist or ultra marathoner.⁣ So don't just track your running, learn from it with the Performance Training Journal! Check it out today on Amazon.

Zone 2 Running Best Practices, Surprises, and Myths with Alyssa Olenick, PhD

The Strength Running Podcast

Zone 2 Running Best Practices, Surprises, and Myths with Alyssa Olenick, PhD