Run programs

I have been a runner for almost 30 years, and I am frequently asked for ideas of how to get faster and how to make treadmill training when the weather’s bad a little less boring. Here are 3 easy ideas for increasing speed, indoors or out, and for making the time on the treadmill fly by!

1. 30-Minute Interval Program (Use the perceived effort scale. The fastest, hardest sprint you can do will be your 100 percent effort. An easy warm-up or cool down should feel like 60 percent effort. Feel free to add/subtract intervals to make this run longer or shorter.)
Minutes 1-5: 60-70% easy warm up.
Minutes 6-10: Build from 70-75% to a good aerobic pace.
Minutes 11-12: Run a 2-minute interval at 80% effort.
Minutes 13-14: Recover at 70% effort.
Minutes 15-16: Repeat 2-minute 80% interval.
Minutes 17-18: Recover at 70% effort.
Minute 19: Increase speed to an 85-90% effort level for 1 minute.
Minute 20: Recover at 60% effort for 1 minute.
Minute 21: Repeat 85-90% effort level.
Minute 22: Recover at 60% effort.
Minute 23: Push effort just a little higher, 90-92% effort for 1 minute.
Minute 24: Recover at 60%.
Minutes 25-30: Bring speed back up to 70 percent for a comfortable aerobic recovery.

2. Negative Split: You are basically splitting your run in half and running the second half faster than the first. You will enjoy the first slower half more, knowing that you are going to push harder for the second half!

3. Bring Up The Speed Run: Start with a 5-minute easy warm up and then a 5-minute build to a comfortable pace. For the next 20 minutes, try to add a tenth of a mile per hour speed increase every minute if you are on the treadmill, or drop your pace 5 to 10 seconds per mile if you are using a training watch or a tracking system like Strava or Map My Run. You will be sprinting by the end!

 

 

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