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So much more than running – get your workout in on the jog trail!
Full disclosure – I find running a little monotonous. Don’t get me wrong – I usually go 2-3 times per week and if I’ve got the right running playlist then I’m pretty good for 2-4 miles, but truthfully I would rather be lifting something heavy. Well that all changed when I found out about a little thing called running intervals! Take your running from “zoned-out, one-foot-in-front-of-the-other, auto-pilot” to some intense, aggressive, hard-core cardio working out! Today I’m sharing one of my favorite running intervals to push your body into a whole new kind of fitness level. Buckle up…
I usually do this one at a 1, 2, or 3-mile distance depending on a) how much time I’ve got and b) what kind of activity I have planned afterwards. My go-to is the 1-mile distance with some strength-training afterwards, but this interval works at really any distance. The key is you just need to know every half-mile distance marker on your run and you need some sort of clock to track your progress.
First half-mile
Comfortable jog pace
Second half-mile
40-step run at 80% of sprint pace (count every left footfall as 1,2,3, etc up to 20)
40-step comfortable jog pace
Repeat run – jog – run – jog intervals until you’ve completed the 2nd half mile
Here’s the clincher
Your second half-mile has to be faster than your first. If you were 5 minutes for the first half-mile you have to be under 5 minutes for the second.
Repeat as many times as your time/distance allows. Trust me, by the third mile you’re pretty gassed with this one!
Looking for more great running workouts? Here are a few of my favorites:
As always I love to hear from T&T’s readers! Comment below of email me @ ToneandTightenFitness{at}gmail.com
Make it happen,
Jared
By Jared Beckstrand