Lesson 1 of 11
Running training zones: Ground, Control, Threshold and Edge
Athlevo uses four training zones: Ground, Control, Threshold and Edge. They are named for what they do, because function is what a runner and a coach need on the road.
The four zones at a glance
| Zone | What it is for | How it feels | Heart rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground | Aerobic base, heart efficiency, fat use and heat adaptation | Full conversation. Breathing open and relaxed. | 60 to 75% of max |
| Control | Fatigue resistance, pacing and a higher aerobic ceiling. It bridges Ground and Threshold. | Comfortably pressured. Short phrases, not full sentences. | 75 to 83% of max |
| Threshold | Raises the pace you can hold near your lactate threshold, over time | Hard but controlled. You can hold it for minutes, not hours. | 83 to 90% of max |
| Edge | Running economy, neuromuscular efficiency and top-end speed | Fast and relaxed, not desperate. Clean mechanics. | Lags too far behind. Go by feel, mechanics and duration. |
Treat the heart rate ranges as a starting reference, not a verdict. How a coach sets your own zones is covered in what a running coach assesses first.
Ground: genuinely easy
Ground running is the base of your week. It builds the aerobic system, supports recovery and, for runners in a hot climate, builds heat tolerance. The test is simple: you can hold a full conversation and nothing feels like pressing.
The most common mistake is letting the top of Ground drift into the bottom of Control on easy days. That creates a grey zone that gives you neither the adaptation of harder work nor the recovery of easy running. If an easy run does not feel easy, the pace is too fast.
The Ground sessions in the Athlevo workout library are the Foundation Run, easy continuous running of 40 to 75 minutes, and the Foundation Long, extended easy running of 75 to 150 minutes or more depending on your level. On a long run the pace should feel easier at 70 minutes than at 20. If it gets harder as it goes, the start was too fast.
When it is above 30°C, pace becomes secondary and effort and breathing set the zone. See running in the heat.
Control: not a junk-mile zone
A Control session has a set duration and a purpose. It is not an easy run that got a bit fast. Two examples from the Athlevo workout library:
- Stability Cruise: 30 minutes continuous at Control after a Ground warm-up.
- Stability Blocks: 5 × 8 minutes at Control with 2 minutes of Ground between efforts.
The interval version allows more time in the zone while managing fatigue within the session. It also suits hot weather, because the easy minutes let your body cool between efforts.
Threshold: rationed
Threshold sits near your lactate threshold, where effort is hard but controlled. It is dosed. Athlevo allows at most one or two Threshold sessions a week, never on consecutive days and never when you are depleted. A typical session is 5 × 5 minutes at Threshold with 90 seconds of easy jogging between efforts. More in threshold training.
Edge: the sharpener
Edge work is short, fast and relaxed, above your threshold pace. It develops running economy and top speed, and its volume is always low. A typical session is 8 × 20 seconds at Edge effort with 90 seconds of easy walking or jogging between, or short hill sprints. More in hill sprints and the speed ceiling.
The same zones in lab terms
Coaches and researchers often describe intensity by blood lactate. Athlevo's zones line up with it like this.
| Zone | Where it sits | Approximate blood lactate |
|---|---|---|
| Ground | Below the first lactate threshold | Below 2 mmol/L |
| Control | Around the first lactate threshold | About 2 to 2.5 mmol/L |
| Threshold | Near the second lactate threshold | About 3.5 to 5 mmol/L |
| Edge | Above the second lactate threshold | Short efforts, set by feel |
Most runners do not have a lactate meter, so zones are set from effort, pace and heart rate.
The zone names, session names and ranges in this lesson are Athlevo's own design.
This lesson is general training education. It is not medical advice. If you are unwell, injured or unsure, talk to a doctor before you train.