Meredith Dietz

Meredith Dietz Senior Staff Writer

Experience

Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian. As Lifehacker’s Senior Staff Writer, she covers personal fitness tech, home gym equipment, and more.

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October 22, 2026

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Credit: Meredith Dietz

Table of Contents

Zone 2 training is still having a moment—even if no one can agree on what it actually means . Legend has it that your easy, conversational-pace cardio—aka your Zone 2 heart rate—is the secret to unlocking everything from a bigger aerobic engine , to faster race times , and even to a longer life .

Whether Zone 2 deserves quite this much hype is debatable, but still, there are plenty of good reasons to master heart rate training more broadly. To train by heart rate, you aim to keep your heart rate in the "zone" that gives you your desired workout.…