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Need help starting out??
If you are just starting a running
program 
, it's best to start
by alternating running & walking. For example, start with a 5 minute warm-up,
then run for 30 seconds, then walk for 2 minutes, run 30 seconds, walk 2
minutes. Continue that until you have done 4 running intervals, then do a
5 minute cool-down. This will be a total of 20 minutes. See how you
feel after the next few days and if you're OK, do it again, but try only 90 second walks
and 5 running intervals. Do that a few times and see how your body feels.
The next step is to up your running intervals to 60 seconds, then 90 and so forth...you get the idea. The plan is to get your running intervals longer and your walk breaks shorter along with getting your overall time longer. HOWEVER, don't up your total time and your running interval times too fast....start off slow. Up your running intervals, but keep the overall time at 20 minutes, THEN up your total time (like to 30 minutes) keeping the intervals the same, just a few more of them.
There's no exact run/walk combination program that fits everyone. You have to go by how YOU feel AND push yourself...you'll be in that uncomfortable zone for awhile, but the payoff is soooo worth it!
Unfortunately there is no one routine that can accommodate every level.
The next step:
| As you get more
conditioned to running, you basically use the same training method as above.
Keep shortening your recovery times and lengthening your interval times
until you can run the whole distance.
|
| Once you can run the whole distance, instead of a walking recovery, you use a jogging recovery. This helps you get faster for that distance. |
Examples for treadmill workout: run for 18-20 minutes using different walk/run combinations:
| add 5 minute walk for warm-up & also for cool-down |
| all times are in minutes unless noted with an "s" for seconds |
| time | speed | time | speed | time | speed |
OR |
time | speed | |||
| 30s | 5.0 | 30s | 5.0 | 2 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 3 | 5.6 | |||
| 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.6 | |||
| 30s | 5.0 | 30s | 5.2 | 2 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 3 | 5.8 | |||
| 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.6 | |||
| 60s | 5.0 | 60s | 5.2 | 2 | 5.5 | 5.7 | 3 | 6.0 | |||
| 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.6 | |||
| 60s | 5.0 | 60s | 5.4 | 2 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 3 | 6.2 | |||
| 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.2 | 2 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.6 | |||
| 90s | 5.0 | 90s | 5.2 | 2 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 3 | 6.4 | |||
| 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.2 | 2 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.6 | |||
| 90s | 5.0 | 90s | 5.4 | ||||||||
| 2 | 3.4 | 2 | 3.4 |
Examples: run 3.1 miles in 30 minutes using various methods:
| add 5 minute walk for warm-up & also for cool-down |
| all times are in minutes |
| time | speed | OR | time | speed |
OR |
time |
speed | |||||||
| 4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 3 | 6.6 | 7.4 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 2 | 5.5 | 3.8 | 30 | 6.2 | |||||||
| 4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 3 | 6.6 | 8.0 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 2 | 5.5 | 3.8 |
O |
R |
|||||||
| 4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 3 | 6.5 | 8.0 | |||||||||
| 1 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 2 | 5.5 | 3.8 | |||||||||
| 4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 3 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 10 | 6.4 | |||||||
| 1 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 2 | 5.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.8 | |||||||
| 4 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 3 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 10 | 6.4 | |||||||
| 1 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 2 | 5.5 | 3.8 | 1 | 3.8 | |||||||
| 5 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 3 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 8 | 6.4 | |||||||
| 2 | 5.5 | 3.8 |
| For intermediate runners: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you can already run 3 miles, but want to get faster, make it easier or be able to go further, incorporate the following into your weekly program: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (For all of these, start with a warm-up walk and end with a cool-down walk.) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interval Run: (also called Fartleks or Pick-ups): start out with a comfortable pace for about 5 minutes, then pick up the pace for a bit (ex: 2 minutes or 1/4 mile), then bring it back down to your normal running pace for that same distance/time, then speed up again and back down again. Repeat this for about 6 intervals. End with a 5 minute/1/2 mile comfortable jog before your cool-down. Using a track is great for this workout. Run interval eff0rt 10/10. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LSD (Long Slow Distance): the aim of the long run is to build up your aerobic fitness, efficiency and endurance. Use this session to progressively up your mileage. This is at a conversational pace. Effort 6/10. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hills: find a hill and do repeats (boring, but challenging) or find a course with a few different hills (Olana is great) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Recovery Run: usually done after one of the harder, more taxing runs. Short, slow, & easy. The intent is to clear waste product from muscles and aid in leg recovery. Effort 5/10. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tempo Run: 20-40 minutes at a hard, but controlled pace. Improves running pace and efficiency and improves race times, but avoids the fatigue and muscle soreness of long race running. Effort 8/10. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rest Days: no running or leg weight training | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| How to put it together: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Here's an example of a weekly schedule incorporating all these training runs for someone that can already run about 3-4 miles. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Note: If you are trying to up the distance that you are able to run, the long runs are the key. You want to increase the distance slightly each week for about 3 weeks in a row, then drop the mileage back down for a week, then ramp up again. Example: 3, 4, 5, 3, 4, 5, 6, 3, 5, 6, 7, 3, etc..
It all depends on your goals, which runs to place the most focus on. If you are focusing on 5k's, you don't really need a long run of much more than 5 miles for now.
If you are trying to get faster for a 5k run (3.1 miles), the key runs are the intervals, tempo & hills. By doing a long run of about 5 miles though, it'll make your 3 mile distance seem easy, so don't ignore your long runs.
Hill Sprints on the Treadmill:
| After your warm-up, set the incline on 8% and keep it there |
| walk at 3.5 for 90 seconds |
| sprint at 7.5 for 30 seconds |
| Alternate walk/sprint for 10 sprints equaling a total of 30 minutes with your warm-up & cool-down |
| If you need to walk longer between each sprint at first, then decrease the number of sprints until you can work up to this |
| Tip: start ramping up the speed about 10 seconds before you have to run because it takes about 10 seconds to get the speed up to 7.5 |
| You want your sprints to be at least 30 seconds. Work up to longer sprints if you can. |
| HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session on Treadmill |
| After your warm-up, step off to the sides and put the speed up around 10-12.0mph (yes, fast!) |
| CAREFULLY jump on and sprint for 20 seconds (it's the right speed if you can't do 21 seconds) |
| jump off to the sides and rest for 40 seconds (it's OK to just stand there or you can pace the floor around the treadmill) |
| Alternate sprint/rest for 5 sprints working up to 10-15 (you'll feel "sick" around the 5th sprint if you're doing it right) |
| Total session is only 20-30 minutes including your warm-up and cool-down |
| Cool-down (important) |
link to: Running Tips
link to: Treadmill Pace Conversion Chart