You may or may not know about 3 months ago I committed to running 2-3 times per week. I started by just focusing on going slow and steady while building in both duration and distance each week/month.
Two weeks ago I started to add in speed work. The purpose of speed work is to get you faster. Usually, it has a set work-to-rest ratio. That means that you run x distance and then rest x minutes and repeat for a certain number of sets.
That brings me to today's workout. I think whether you are a recreational runner or functional fitness enthusiast looking to improve your running you should do this workout.
The workout was as follows:
Run 800m (I ran a .55 mile loop around my neighborhood)
Work/Rest Ratio 1:1 (this means you rest as long as it takes to complete the 800m run)
x 5 sets
These were my times
4:16 4:06 4:06 4:05 4:12
I ended up running a bit faster than planned. My goal was to run around a 7:45 pace but ended up running between 7:30-7:40. This felt great until I hit a wall 3/4 of the way through the last round.
Now, why do I think that if you are going to do one workout to improve your running that this should be the one to do?
Because this is the best of both worlds. For most people, a round of this workout should take between 4-6 minutes. This is a short period of time for a marathon runner, but for the recreational 5k runner or functional fitness enthusiast, this is a decent amount of time. It forces you to get to your pace quickly but you also have to be able to hold it for a few minutes before resting.
I also like the variability of this workout. You can easily modify the number of rounds to make it fit your goal or just give you an easy progression to follow week to week. For example, if you are new to running or this type of workout you could start with 2-3 rounds. If you are experienced and are looking to progress then you could add a round each week until you get to 10 rounds.
Remember you want about 80% of runs to be in the zone 2 range but if you want to get faster throw in this workout 1x a week and watch your paces drop!
Happy Runs
Coach Ben
コメント