Usain Bolt isn't
the only
person who should be cranking into fifth gear. Adding a speed session to
your running routine will get you back into shape faster, so you're
ready for that 5K or marathon down the road. Plus, you’ll burn as many
calories as you do in a long, plodding run you do after work—but in half
the time. Try these four speedy workouts to ramp up your running
fitness.
Up-and-Down Fartleks
Fartlek is a funny name, but this training technique is a must for boosting your pace. It’s Swedish for “speed play,” meaning you vary your bursts of speed. “You can perform this workout almost anywhere,” says Andrew Lemoncello, a former Olympian in the steeplechase and assistant coach at McMillan Running Company. “I prefer to do these workouts on dirt roads since it's easier on my legs, and the undulating terrain forces my muscles to work a little bit harder than flat road.”
Do this: First, warm up for a mile, and then start your intervals. You’ll run as hard as you can for the prescribed amount of time, and recover with a jog for 90 seconds.
Up-and-Down Fartleks
Fartlek is a funny name, but this training technique is a must for boosting your pace. It’s Swedish for “speed play,” meaning you vary your bursts of speed. “You can perform this workout almost anywhere,” says Andrew Lemoncello, a former Olympian in the steeplechase and assistant coach at McMillan Running Company. “I prefer to do these workouts on dirt roads since it's easier on my legs, and the undulating terrain forces my muscles to work a little bit harder than flat road.”
Do this: First, warm up for a mile, and then start your intervals. You’ll run as hard as you can for the prescribed amount of time, and recover with a jog for 90 seconds.
You’ll be able to push harder during the 1-minute intervals than
during the 3-minute intervals. However, there’s no set pace you’re
trying to hit. Instead, work on effort levels of pushing as hard as you
can for the set amount of time. If you’re new to running or just getting
back into the sport, do the first two intervals, then build up to the
rest as you get more fit.
Interval 1: Sprint for 1 minute, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 2: Sprint for 2 minutes, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 3: Sprint for 3 minutes, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 5: Sprint for 2 minutes, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 6: Sprint for 1 minute, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Hill to Tempo
No runner wants to crash before the finish line, so you need a way to work through fatigue. That's why this drill teaches your legs to handle tiring challenges over and over again.
Interval 1: Sprint for 1 minute, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 2: Sprint for 2 minutes, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 3: Sprint for 3 minutes, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 5: Sprint for 2 minutes, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Interval 6: Sprint for 1 minute, recovery jog for 90 seconds
Hill to Tempo
No runner wants to crash before the finish line, so you need a way to work through fatigue. That's why this drill teaches your legs to handle tiring challenges over and over again.
“The hill repeats require explosive muscle contractions, burn
glycogen, and make your legs feel like JELL-O,” says Jeff Gaudette, head
coach at RunnersConnect.net.
Just when you think you can't run any longer, Gaudette has you run at
threshold pace. This simulates running pace at the end of a race when
you're tired, and teaches your body how to push through, he explains.
Do this: After warming up, find a long hill with no more than a 10-percent grade. Sprint uphill for 90 seconds at 90 percent effort—or about your 5K pace—with a slow jog back down the hill as recovery. That’s one round. Do 6 total rounds.
After completing the uphill sprints, run easy for 4 minutes to recover. Finish off with a two to three mile tempo run at about 70 percent effort—or around your half-marathon pace.
Do this: After warming up, find a long hill with no more than a 10-percent grade. Sprint uphill for 90 seconds at 90 percent effort—or about your 5K pace—with a slow jog back down the hill as recovery. That’s one round. Do 6 total rounds.
After completing the uphill sprints, run easy for 4 minutes to recover. Finish off with a two to three mile tempo run at about 70 percent effort—or around your half-marathon pace.
