Types of Running Workouts
Warm Up and Cool Down
Warm Ups:
Cool Down:
Threshold: 30-60 seconds slower than race pace.
Do on flat surfaces if possible, avoiding hills. Primary goal is to build consistent extended speed and endurance at your Aerobic Threshold. For example: Your race pace is 5:30 for a 3 Mile course, you will perform your threshold at 6:00-6:30 pace. Best recommended to start at the slower pace (ex. 6:30) and progressively build up to the faster pace within the workout (ex. 6:15) to allow yourself to further stimulate your Aerobic Threshold.
Workouts will run for the given amount of miles/time. You will generally start between 2 miles or 15 min and progressively build up to 8-10 Miles or 60min.
Tempo: 15-30 seconds slower than race pace. Tempo runs aim to increase metabolic fitness. The high intensity helps build lactic acid threshold similar to those conditions in race day.
Generally start at 2 miles or 15 minutes and progressively build up to 4-5 Miles or 28-35 min.
Intervals: Characterized by bursts of high-intensity running followed by short recovery based on time or distance. The goal is to increase leg speed, allowing muscles to work through their full range of motion, improving elasticity, coordination, and increasing your stride efficiency.
Long Intervals: Repeats based on long-intensity followed by recovery based on time or distance. Goal is controlled extended and race speed to simulated race pace intensity cut into small manageable intervals. The goal is to teach the body pacing. The total mileage usually adds up to the race distance (training for 3 miles will equate to intervals adding up to 3 miles)
Fartleks: Swedish term for "speed play". Vary in speed and intensity in an unstructured manner. Can be done for distance or time by means of marking points, such as cones, trees, the end of the street, etc. The goal is to train the body to recruit muscle fibers when fatigued.
Each intense burst is followed by a short recovery.
Progressive Runs: Runs that build endurance and strength. Measured by starting out at a firm but controlled pace and progressively getting faster with each lap, mile, or a set time frame. These runs aim to teach the body how to push through discomfort within a stage of fatigue. It also teaches the runner to go out controlled, because if you start out too fast it becomes more difficult to hit your required times.
feel discomfort within the race and helps
Easy Run: 1:30-2:30min slower than race pace.
***MOST IMPORTANT RUNS OF ALL****
They allow your muscles to repair and rebuild, preventing the buildup of lactic acid and keep muscles from stiffening, delaying onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
The goal is to teach the body to actively recover in addition to flushing out and stimulating oxygen and blood flow.
Give yourself the option to run according to how you feel: If you feel confident and strong feel free to pick up the pace and if you feel tired feel free to back off. However keep the following rules in mind:
RACE: Races guidelines are simple; while the goal is the race, we cannot neglect our training. Warm up 30min before your race. Normal training race procedures as follows: