4 Workouts to Improve Your Run

Guest post from Professional Triathlete Brad Seng- He knows a thing or two about running! 

Having chased a soccer ball around from grade school through college, running seems to come most naturally to me.  Ironically, I used to abhor running even while playing in college.  Whenever I would see someone out for a run I would think to myself, “Ugh, what a moron.”

With years of training I have gleamed a smidge of wisdom about running and have come to realize it is perhaps the purest sport on the planet.  By strapping on the running shoes and heading out the door to one of your favorite trails it is easy to find freedom from the noise of life.  To maximize your run training I suggest mixing up the types of workouts you are doing to include hills, intervals (road or track), tempo/steady state and easy runs.  Here are a few of my favorite sessions:

 

• Easy Run – roll out the door without your hr monitor, GPS or watch and learn to run easy by feel.  This is a very pleasant & liberating run.
• Tempo Intervals – Long warm-up of 20’ with a few strides at the end over 40m.  Main set is a pyramid of 1’, 2’, 3’, 2’, 1’, 2’, 3’, 2’, 1’ all tempo with recovery half the duration of each segment.  For example, 1’ tempo and then 30’’ easy jog, 2’ tempo and 1’ easy jog, etc.  17 minutes of quality, but don’t underestimate this session as it is a doozy.  Long cool down with an easy jog.  Best done over flat to gently rolling terrain.
• Long Run – vary your routes to avoid burnout.  Explore some unfamiliar areas and simply enjoy being outdoors!  In the main build for your “A” race include portions by time or mileage that are slightly faster than your anticipated goal run pace.
• Treadmill Run for Strength – WU 8-10’ easy then complete the following sequence 3-5 times:  45’’ run fast uphill @7-10% grade, 6 squat jumps (off treadmill), 45’’ run moderate uphill @7-10% grade, 12 high knee skipping reps (off treadmill), 15’’ sprint uphill @7-10% grade, 6 double leg hops (off treadmill), 45’’ run moderate flat, 12 butt kicks (off treadmill), 1:15 run hard uphill @7-10% grade.  Recovery/rest is 3’ between each set with easy walk/jog.  This workout is short & packs a punch!  Emphasis is on strength/power/speed with the various intensities running uphill and the stability/core transition activities.

Run like the wind,

Brad

www.bradseng.com