Ok, so run groups and events are cancelled, but that doesn’t mean sitting on our arses and losing all the hard fought for fitness that we have gained over the months and years of training. It is time to find new ideas and answers, rather than questions and excuses. Remember that:
Events will come back.
It is HARD to get back into running.
The majority of people will take the easy option and give up. Don’t be that person.
Exercise is like compound interest. A little bit, regularly makes a huge difference. Keep building and keep consistent.
So, in the name of helping people to keep running, here are 3 of our favourite 30 minute run sessions (the Mini Mona, the Build in 5’s and the Dirty30!) that you can have a go at, or even adapt a bit if you feel the urge!
Give them a go either on the treadmill, around the park or wherever we are allowed to run in isolation!
Keep running!
The ‘Mini Mona’
This is a session that has its origins with the great Australian distance runner, Steve Moneghetti. It is a speedy little session that is guaranteed to get your heart rate up and focusing on developing speed in your run.
On the warm up, recovery sections and cool down sections aim to keep your breathing and heart rate under control. Push the pace on the 'fast sections!' Here we go:
5 mins easy warm up jog
2 x 90 sec fast w: 90s rest after each
4 x 60 sec fast w: 60s rest after each
4 x 30 sec fast w: 30s rest after each
4 x 15 sec fast w: 15s rest after each
5 mins easy cool down jog
The ‘Build in 5’s’
This is a 'build run' which means that the longer the run goes on, the harder and faster you push. This session can be adapted to go longer and has the bonus benefit of helping you to learn to feel your pacing in action. It also emphasises the importance of starting conservative and finishing strong by not fading at the end of your runs. As a coach, I often use this type of sessions at parkruns on a Saturday morning. Here we go:
5 mins walk
5 mins easy
5 mins moderate
5 mins medium
5 mins at your best effort
5 mins recovery shuffle
The ‘Dirty30’
This run is a hilly one! With using hills we are looking to build strength in our legs and our minds. For this session you will need a hill of at least 300m long or you can use a treadmill. We are looking for a 1 minute effort up the hill, not pushing too hard on the effort but not just cruising up there either. Let the hill do some of the work. Here we go:
5 mins warm up
10 x 1 mins up @ approx. 7% incline. Approx. 1 mins jog back down.
5 mins easy cool down
Roughly 30 mins total
Enjoy these suggested sessions and let us know how you go if you use them!