Engineering Intensity

A beginner runner will push hard in most sessions. Training days are based on feeling. The beginner gets fitter, but this tendency doesn’t change. At some point there’s no more progress. I was in this situation in 2016. I was lucky that I didn’t get an injury with this regime - it is quite common. A few years later I learned that 80% of the training should be in Zone 2 (i.e. easy to medium). I became a better runner - much better endurance and speed. This is counter intuitive. I am having less hard sessions, but my speed is increasing.

My previous example fits with how software engineering is done. If you push too hard for a team you will burn them out. There are moments when the team needs to put more time and effort - and that’s okay and desirable. But most of the time it shouldn’t feel hard.