Base Building Workout
⏱️ 10-30 minutes
- Start with 10 minutes of easy, conversational pace running (RPE 6 or below)
- Work up to 30 minutes of easy pace running, keeping effort conversational (RPE 6 or below)
- When that feels comfortable, add strides (4 to 6 accelerations of 30 seconds) at the end of a run
On the treadmill, there are fewer distractions, so you can really get the feel for a given pace over a certain distance, explains Meredith O’Brien, a USATF-certified endurance coach, ACSM-certified personal trainer, and head coach and owner of East Coast Run Project in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Focus on a conversational pace for this base-building workout. When considering rate of perceived exertion (or RPE), don’t exceed a 6 out of 10.
Hill Workout
⏱️ 20-60 minutes
- Walk or jog for 10 minutes at 0% incline
- Raise the incline to 4-6% and run at a medium-high effort level for 90 seconds
- Lower the incline and jog or walk for two minutes
- Repeat 4 to 10 times, depending on your fitness level
- Cool down with a brisk walk or an easy jog for 5-10 minutes
“Running uphill allows you to build power and strength while running at a slower speed than you would on flat at the same effort,” says Claire Bartholic, an ASFA-certified run coach and founder of The Planted Runner.
Intro to Intervals
⏱️ 90 minutes
“This 3/2/1 workout teaches you how to pace yourself,” explains Matthew Meyer, an RRCA-certified run coach and certified personal trainer at Revo Physiotherapy & Sports Performance in Boulder, Colorado. Don’t stress about hitting an exact pace, though. “Just think about getting a little faster as the intervals get shorter,” he adds.
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