Running Workouts During COVID

Running Workouts

1.  Workout Number 1: Assessment – The “Mile Trial”

Use the mile trial to gauge a baseline for where you are at. This mile trial can be tested after a few weeks to assess for improvement.

Start by walking or running 10 min to increase your body temperature. Now, run hard, but within your comfort zone time (about 75-90% intensity) and time yourself for a distance of 1 mile (4 laps around a track, use your GPS watch, or use the markers on Back Cove or the Eastern Trail). Then walk or run 10 min. to cool down. Remember your mile pace as we will use this for your workouts in the coming sessions.

2.  Workout Number 2: Fartlek (Speed Example 1)

Funny word but a Fartlek is all about fun. Fartlek is a Swedish word that means “Speed Play”. The goal of a Fartlek is to develop speed through varying distances and speeds. Use different objects that you might see out ahead to provide start and stop points for your Fartlek.

 Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Now perform 10-30 min. of varying pace for different distances. Keep the distances more than 100 meters (length of a football field) and less than a half a mile (2 laps around a track). Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

3.  Workout Number 3: Tempo (Endurance Example 1)

A Tempo run is designed to build endurance at faster speeds. Most often, this is a medium to longer distance run where you aim to hold a faster pace evenly throughout.

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Now perform 1-5 miles at a pace that is about 30 sec. slower than your initial “Mile Trial” pace. Example. Mile Trial was 8 min pace so your tempo run today will be at a pace of 8.30. Don’t forget to do a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

4.     Workout Number 4: Base, Recovery Run, Strength Training, Mobility Work, Cross Training (Foundation Examples)

These types of runs and exercise are all essential to maintain a healthy foundation to your training to keep you running strong. Look back at our historical posts and watch in the future for ideas on strength, mobility, and stabilization training ideas.

You pick today.

Perform either a Base Mileage jog or run (2-6 miles) which is an easy run performed about 1-2 min. slower than your “Mile Trial” OR if you have been doing other hard runs this wk, perform a recovery run which should be about the same pace or slightly slower yet but often shorter (2-4 miles).

5.  Workout Number 5: Hills (Speed Example 2)

A Hill workout is our second example of speed work. Hills are a great way to make you feel slow at the time but truly make you that much faster by doing them. Running hills will help to develop your strength and give your legs that extra pop at the end of a race. Hills come in all shapes and sizes which make it very easy to create a platform for a number of workouts.

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Using a hill that is about the 1-2 x the length of a football field, run quickly, about 85-90% effort, up the hill. Allow yourself to coast easily back down each time. Repeat 5-10 times. Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

6.  Workout Number 6: Progression or “Cut Down” (Endurance Example 2)

A progression work out is a run that is designed to help you maintain your speed over a longer distance. For this type of run, you will start slow and get faster as you go. Due to the nature of speeding up as you go, a progression workout is excellent to build finishing speed and confidence.

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Now perform 2-5 miles, increasing your speed by 15 sec. per mile. Start at a pace that is about 1-2 min. slower than your mile trial. Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down. *Tip if you are running by time (speed up your pace every 10 min. or so).

7.  Workout Number 7: Intervals (Speed Example 3)

Intervals are the third example of a type of speed work. These can be short or long but at the end of the day are designed to improve leg drive, turn over, and speed. These all lead to better running economy and speed.

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Now perform 4 to 8 quarter mile repeats, with a 100 meter walk or jog to recover after each. Your pace should be about 75-90% effort or about 30 sec. faster you’re your mile trial pace. Use a track or measured distance (quarter mile markers around the Back Cove) to help you know when to start and stop. Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

8.  Workout Number 8: Long Run (Endurance Example 3)

A long run should be your longest and slowest run of the week. This is designed to improve endurance by teaching your body to dip into more sustainable energy. Aim to perform this at a pace that is about 90 sec or 2 min. slower than your Mile Trial.

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Now perform a 3-8 mile slow long run. Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

9.  Intervals Round Two – Pyramid Variation - (Speed Work)

Now that you have had the chance to experiment with the framework of different types of workouts, here are some variations of each. This is where it gets fun because every workout can bring a new challenge. A Pyramid is a type of interval workout, designed to improve your speed and also resistance to fatigue. 

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Now perform one of the following:

       Easier (Total Distance 2 miles): 100 run, 200 run, 400 run, 800 run, 400 run, 200 run, 100 run. 100 jog/walk in between each.

      Harder (Total Distance 5 miles): 200 run, 400 run, 800 run, 1200 run, 1600 run, 1200 run, 800 run, 400 run, 200 run, 100 jog/walk in between each

Your pace should be about 75-85% effort or about 30 sec. faster you’re your mile trial pace (1200’s and 1600 will be slower than mile trial). Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

10.  Hills Round Two (Speed Work)

We now know that good hill runner’s tend to not only be strong physically but are also tough mentally. Try this variation of a hill workout and keep this mantra in mind that my HS Coach used to preach back in the day… “Patience on the Bottom, Power over the top”

Walk or Run 10 min. to increase your body temperature. Using a hill that is about the 1-2 x the length of a football field, run quickly, about 80-85% effort, up the hill. Even though your legs are burning, don’t stop, now is where the real work starts. Increase the intensity to 85-90% for about that same distance on a straight away. The total of the hill and the flat at the top should be about a quarter mile or (25% of your mile trial time). Repeat 5-10 times. Allow yourself to coast easily back down each time. Finish with a 10 min. walk or run to cool down.

11.  Mile Trial Repeat

The workouts we went through can be varied greatly and customized to fit you and your goals. Feel free to reach out if you would like us to build a plan for you. If you liked these, try repeating your mile trial from back in our first running post and see how much you have improved. Then go back through and do these workouts again but with some variation of pace, reps, and mileage. Here is the reminder on how to perform the “mile trial”.

Start by walking or running 10 min to increase your body temperature. Now, run hard, but within your comfort zone time (about 75-90% intensity) and time yourself for a distance of 1 mile. Then walk or run 10 min. to cool down.

Happy and Healthy Running!