[johnfn]

Just got back from a run!

By far the most effective thing to motivate me to exercise, and run in particular, is the "VO2 Max" section of the Apple health app. It's a rough indication of your cardiovascular endurance, and the higher, the better. The real key is that, though, is that it basically works like an XP bar in a game: if you "grind" running, it goes up. If you don't, it doesn't. It's incredibly addicting to check the number every time you finish a run and see if it's ticked up slightly. It's also great because in some sense it is "real". If it goes up, I have an easier time on hikes, runs (obviously), playing sports, etc.

The second thing that really got me into running is that I found that the most effective way to get VO2 Max to go up is to run in heart rate zone 4, also tracked on the Apple watch. Zone 4 is 80 - 90% of your maximum heart rate. It's not an all out sprint, but you'll be moving pretty fast.

The reason it's so effective is best illustrated by contrast. In the past, I've tried tracking a number of metrics on my run: total miles, average speed, calories burned, whatever. But I found it psychologically draining to continuously try to top my fastest speed, and I inevitably had off days (or weeks or months) when the score I was measuring wouldn't go up. Obviously as you get faster, this happens more and more, and it gets easy to start wondering if you're even progressing. Heart rate is a much better measure, because in some sense this is compensated for. You don't have to continue to beat yourself every day (or fret that you're not) to get to 80% of your max heart rate, and on days when you're more exhausted, you'll hit a higher heart rate faster, so the effort is roughly the same.

Also, Zone 4 is a great place to be. You're pushing yourself, but it's a sustainable sort of push. I often found that when I ran sprints I wanted to die. They were so psychologically demotivating that I would do anything to avoid them. Zone 4 is not like this. It's very manageable, and I wake up excited to do it!

At this point, I want to run every day - I'm at the point where I have to force myself to stop sometimes because it's healthy to take rest days!

Usual disclaimers apply, BTW. Don't do all your running in Zone 4, don't immediately go from no running to an hour of zone 4 every day, do a reasonable ramp up over a long period of time, etc etc.

[ctchocula]

I like how you describe vo2 max as similar to an xp bar, because I've felt something similar. Zone 2 is what got me into running, because it made running not hurt and almost pleasurable.

It's much more sustainable than Zone 4 (supposedly anyone can maintain Zone 2 for hours) and brings with it a bunch of metabolic and health benefits. I found the book "80/20 Running" to have excellent running schedules for how to mix in a small but appropriate amount of fast Zone 4 running into a schedule that's predominantly Zone 2. It has a good mix of intervals, tempo runs and hill runs that build you up to run 5k, 10s, halfs and full marathons in beginner, intermediate and advanced pace goals.

The intent of the slow Zone 2 is to build the cardiovascular base that gives you better aerobic endurance without stressing your body out too much. Zone 4 is what makes you faster.

[johnfn]

This is an old response, but thanks for the comment. I feel like you articulated zone 2 a lot better than almost anywhere else I've seen.

[bagels]

What is it measuring? VO2 max is usually measured with a mask that can measure the flow of gasses while running on a treadmil/stationary bike.

[alephxyz]

Garmin estimates it using heart rate, body weight and power output. It also adjusts for temperature and altitude if possible. In my experience it still varies a lot depending on which conditions I exercise in but it's a decent tool to see your progress if you're able to test it under similar conditions every time.

[maeil]

Which watch do you use?

The user you replied to has convinced me to get a smart watch as 1. I've had awful stamina since age 10 or birth 2. Stupid "number going up" gimmick generally works well at motivating me. But I'm not about to switch to iPhone, so getting an Apple watch isn't going to work.

[542354234235]

Not OP but I’ve used Garmin’s for about 15 years and over 10k running miles. I don’t like or use non-fitness related smart watch features, so I can’t speak to those or recommend a good "smart watch that also does fitness". If you want top of the line with more data than you’ll know what to do with and a ton of fitness activity tracking beyond running, the Epix2, Fenix 7, or Forerunner 965 (I have the Epix2).

A step down but still great is the Forerunner 265. The feature they all have and I think has been the most useful is the Training Readiness. It looks at a bunch of different metrics, both current (your HRV, last workout performance, sleep, stress) and chronic (your weekly and monthly total exercise amount, types of running, etc) and advises you on how hard you should train and suggests a running activity for the day. It is basically a digital running coach/personal trainer that makes sure you are getting a good mix between tempo runs, long runs, easy runs, etc. and makes sure you aren’t overtraining or if a bad day means to switch to a light workout. I normally use it loosely to inform my choices but I’ve tried using its daily training plans exclusively and it was very good at keeping me progressing.

Hopefully this helps.

[maeil]

Super helpful, going to look into those! I too only care about the fitness part, in an even narrower scope - literally only the usecase mentioned here, giving some VO2max-ish or other "stamina level" number (even if of questionable accuracy) that I can slowly see improve over time to help with motivation.

In some sense less data might be better to make it clearer which number to focus on, so sounds like the Forerunner may be the right fit. The Training Readiness does sound a bit intidimating for someone who's starting from zero (or really, minus), but I can always strategically ignore that ;)

Thank you.

[542354234235]

>The Training Readiness does sound a bit intidimating for someone who's starting from zero

I totally understand, however, I would say that is exactly where it is most useful. You don't need to actually know or understand any data, since Garmin crunches all those things in the background for you and distills it down to concrete advice on where you are and what to do next. You can really do well with just two metrics (the daily suggested workout and Training Status). You could just follow the workout of the day "Easy run, heart rate range x-y, 31 mins" or "Tempo run, warm up 10 mins, run 15 mins heart rate range x-y, cool down 10 mins" etc. And look at what your Training status is currently, which is things like “Productive”, “Overreaching”, “Maintaining”, etc.

You don’t need to understand about lactic threshold and what types of runs improve it or how high aerobic, low aerobic, and anaerobic runs affect different aspects of improving your fitness or how many rest days are enough. You don’t need to have the experience to know how to balance recovery and training and which factors to even look at. Was your status “Productive” most of the week? Awesome, you know you are improving. What is the next workout? Done.

I hope it works out for you and you enjoy running as a healthy hobby.

[creaghpatr]

It can be approximated using your age, HR, efficiency, etc. The treadmill/mask test is more accurate though.