Coming Back After Injury: Why Zone 2 Isn't Optional

Several months ago I was running 5:20/km for 20+ kilometres in zone 2. Today, zone 2 for me is a brisk 9:00–9:30/km walk. In this episode I'm walking you through exactly how I'm rebuilding my aerobic base after a hip injury — and why chasing my old pace right now would be the fastest way back to the physio's table.I cover:🔹 Why zone 2 is non-negotiable when you're coming back from injury🔹 How to check you're actually in zone 2 — the talk test, the sing test, and cross-checking with heart rate🔹 Why your wrist-based monitor might be lying to you (and when to switch to a chest strap)🔹 My real rehab toolkit: recumbent bike cross-training, hip rehab work from my physio, and running-specific strength🔹 The recovery pillars that matter as much as the training: daily protein, HRV trends, sleep, and resting heart rateIf you're a masters runner navigating your own comeback — from injury, illness, or just time off — this one's for you.👉 Want structured support rebuilding your base the right way? Check out my coaching programs: https://coachjustin.trainingtiltapp.com/store👉 Subscribe for the rest of this comeback series — next up: how I'm progressing my strength work as the hip continues to heal.#MastersRunning #InjuryRecovery #Zone2Training #RunningCoach #ComebackTraining