{
  "slug": "polarized-training",
  "name": "Polarized training",
  "aliases": [
    "80/20 running",
    "polarized endurance",
    "mostly easy some hard",
    "seiler polarized"
  ],
  "family": "run",
  "heat": "high",
  "talk": "Lots of talk",
  "mostDiscussed": false,
  "firstLine": "Polarized training means most endurance work stays easy and a smaller share is truly hard.",
  "whyLine": "Endurance athletes compare how they count easy and hard work, what their training zones mean and whether a race goal also calls for sustained moderate efforts.",
  "feelWords": [
    "polarized",
    "80/20",
    "gray zone",
    "easy miles"
  ],
  "commonPicture": [
    {
      "lead": "Minutes and sessions can produce different percentages",
      "why": "A session classified by its main purpose can contain time at several intensities. [community]"
    },
    {
      "lead": "Three-zone and five-zone systems use different boundaries",
      "why": "The same numbered watch zone may not describe the same intensity. [community]"
    },
    {
      "lead": "Purposeful moderate work is a separate planning choice",
      "why": "It should not be confused with unintentionally turning every easy session harder. [community]"
    }
  ],
  "watchFor": "Easy that is not easy. Sharp pain, fainting.",
  "whatPeopleSay": [
    "**The job:** stop jogging every run at a medium that never recovers. [community]",
    "**Easy running is one part of the pattern.** “80/20” is a common shorthand for the balance of easy and hard training, with the counting method needing clarification. [community]"
  ],
  "howPeopleRunIt": [
    "**They protect easy days on purpose.** [community]"
  ],
  "amountsPeopleUse": [
    "**~80% easy / ~20% hard** is the slogan. [community]"
  ],
  "howPeopleKeepIt": [
    "**A week that still has easy as the majority.** [community]"
  ],
  "howItFeels": [
    "**Ego death on easy days.** [community]"
  ],
  "howLongPeopleRunIt": [
    "**A season.** [community]"
  ],
  "deepDive": [
    "**Zone 2 / easy miles and VO2 intervals** are the two poles. [community]"
  ],
  "watchForLong": [
    "**Making every ‘easy’ a tempo.** [community]"
  ],
  "related": [
    "easy-miles",
    "vo2-intervals",
    "tempo-run",
    "hard-cardio-day",
    "long-run"
  ],
  "researchPointer": [],
  "housePointers": [],
  "playPointer": null,
  "sources": [
    "r/running polarized threads",
    "80/20 vs sweet-spot 2026 talk"
  ],
  "disclaimer": "Community talk. May contain inaccuracies. Not medical, training, or diet advice. Sharp pain, fainting, or disordered-eating concerns need a clinician.",
  "quickAnswerHistory": [
    {
      "field": "communityPicture",
      "rows": [
        "Runners talk 80/20, gray-zone jogging and protecting conversational days. Easy-miles and VO2 sessions are the two poles."
      ]
    },
    {
      "field": "commonPicture",
      "rows": [
        {
          "lead": "Easy is easy",
          "why": "Talk test. [community]"
        },
        {
          "lead": "Hard is actually hard",
          "why": "A few sessions. [community]"
        },
        {
          "lead": "The middle is the leak",
          "why": "Tempo-every-day talk. [community]"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "field": "firstLine",
      "rows": [
        "Polarized training is mostly easy miles plus a little truly hard — not every run at a ‘solid’ medium."
      ]
    },
    {
      "field": "whyLine",
      "rows": [
        "Polarized training is mostly easy miles plus a little truly hard — not every run at a ‘solid’ medium."
      ]
    },
    {
      "field": "whatPeopleSay",
      "rows": [
        "**Easy miles** is the neighbor card. This is the 80/20 name. [community]"
      ]
    }
  ]
}