Hey Everyone,
Was reading about zone 2 runs being 90 seconds slower than your 5k pace.
My 5k pace is a little over 4.30/km but my pace to keep my HR in Zone 2 in 6.30-7.10 - is this normal? Is this a sign that I don’t have a big enough aerobic base?
I find it is to begin with as you learn to breathe differently and relax into the run. As you get used to it, you will speed up. It’s a difficult thing to get used to when you start out.
I was very similar to you when I first tried it many years ago. I could run about 22:30 5km but I’d need to drop to 7:00/km after a while to keep my HR below 140. This was after quite a long break from running and perhaps about 3 months of semi regular running under my belt. I just had to press start on my Garmin and my hamster heart would go to max HR!
Many years later I can hold around 5:30/km for 140 HR. By no means impressive but a long way from where I was.
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I should probably have added, I didn’t enjoy 7:00/km running so didn’t stick with it, probably ran with around -60 HR for my “easy” runs and eventually HR reduced over a long time.
In reality my easy run pace was the same many years ago as it is now, at least the pace I chose to run at, yet my 5k pace has increased a fair bit.
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These Paces and HR’s are all based around elite and sub-elite trained runners. They all have good running economy that you get from training. Low running economy people pace curves are different, improve your economy by running more, forget about basing your training around metrics that are defined by elite.
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Its probably going to be a combination of Aerobic Foundation (base) and running economy.
@JibberJim is spot on.
Pace / heartrate curves can vary significantly between individuals and even change for a particular individual dependent on a number of factors.
You can’t compare a skin and bones runner with a robust triathlete. 
Good news is Aerobic Foundation or Economy or a combination, the solution is the same… run more.
How many KMs a week are you running?
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generic pace guidelines are just that, generic and as JJ says based off Elites. Had a coach in swimming telling kids “your threshold is 100pace +12seconds” I asked him after what threshold and he looked blankly
The simplest way is a) nose breathe or b) sing or talk to yourself. that’s going to be pretty close. 7min k’s is not out of the question either starts banging on about Alex Yee averaging 8min miles over a week and The Kenyan Shuffle
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I thought the minute was based on a mile so for K’s it would be more like 40 seconds.
But as Jim says I think it’s more aimed at elites or people doing high mileage like runners.
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The simplest method for me, my preference is a bit of Careless Whisper as I jog along.
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I find trying to stay in Zone 2 to be incredibly difficult. It turns more into a slow run / walk.
If I try to keep running during the time I’m moving more like Elton John shuffling across the stage than I am running and leaves me with really stiff legs the day after.
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As long as you’re looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid.
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Maybe they should just set you on the treadmill?
I see 60 - 90 seconds per mile in many books etc. Which is about 37 - 56 sec/km
Personally I think using RPE and breathing is idea for Z2 stuff or under LT1
I’m no runner by any means but near PB shape and 70kgs or under (race weight) and my Z2 is about 5km plus 30s…
Not in shape and 5kgs heavier and its about 60 - 70s per km slower.
However I use breathing and rpe. I do occasionally look a HR to cross-reference but thats more often afterwards to get an idea of how many beats and certain pace is costing me. Good to measure progress.
5km pace plus x seconds isnt a good measure to guide Z2 imo, for a start you need an acurate current 5km time and you need to know your personal ‘plus X’ which will imo vary dependant on fitness and where you are in you natural body weigh range. It becomes and estimate + an estimate.
Whoops, gone off on a non-rant rant.
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These days I just run, mostly easy and sometimes hard and don’t really worry about pace.
Just running consistently gets me to a reasonable level of fitness.
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I’d have no idea what my 100m pace is one week to the next.
I’d probably have a good idea what I could do for a 1000m though. Fvxking 
If it starts with 1min, too f’kin slow 
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I was going to say something similar (except i obviously don’t run any more! )
What all these zones and optimised training styles etc forget is that some people don’t care for perfection, and they want to just have some enjoyment out of their exercise. Performance gains will come by running. But you’ll get bigger gains if you’re running more at different paces/efforts as a result of enjoying yourself vs. hating the prescriptive paces/zones and thus running less.
Obvs there’s an injury caveat etc. But within reason, run to make you happy.
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Was alright when I was chasing times etc., it’s mostly about exercising, enjoying things and getting out these days.
Occasional time targets but not to the point of making it miserable.
I’m stealing that 
Couple years ago my 5k going like a rocketman was 4:45/km ish, easy pace was no sacrifice at 6:30/km
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Who on earth were you reading? The people who make this stuff up have little or no coaching skill
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