Training like a pro while working like a Joe
Here’s a secret that may not come through in Facebook posts or Instagram photos about running: Occasionally, almost everyone has that daunted, tired feeling about getting out the door.
The foreboding feeling is compounded when it’s time to do a harder workout. This article explains how to make the most of your mental and physical energy—so you can start tagging your posts “#DidNotWantToDoIt #DidItAnyWay” instead of “#AteChunkyMonkeyAndFellAsleep.”
There are three keys to fail-safe workouts:
1. No Expectations.
Take away your expectations of how fast you will be going and you can simplify your training. With a more relaxed approach, any workout can be a success, no matter how tired you are.
2. No Feedback.
Remove opportunities to judge yourself and your pace in training (especially when you are tired) and you will be a happier runner.
3. No Breakdown. A good workout should lead to some physiological stress, but not so much that you can’t run the next day. A lot of workout dread comes from fearing the discomfort that can accompany hard efforts. Limit the pain and workouts can be a fun mix-up of the normal routine.
So how can you implement these principles into your training?
First, run easy most of the time (meaning, with your heart rate capped around 75 percent of your max, or at an effort where you can have a conversation). Then, one to three times a week, do a stress-free workout.
If you are tired and looking for ideas, try one of these anytime, anyplace workouts, after a 15-minute warm-up of easy running:
1. The Scribble: 10 to 30 minutes of fast out, easy back
If you want completely unstructured running, The Scribble is for you.
Choose a starting point designated by a landmark, like a handsome bench or a sexy tree. Then, run up-tempo away from the landmark. When you feel like stopping, turn around and jog easily back to the starting point.
Do these unstructured intervals for 10 minutes (if you are a beginner) to 30 minutes (if you are more advanced). Err on the side of shorter, faster intervals instead of longer grinds. But no matter what, do whatever you expect to enjoy most that day and only look at your watch for total time, not pace or splits.
2. Stairs for Breakfast: 10 to 30 minutes of running up and down stairs
If you want to work on hills but don’t have the time (or the terrain), you should try Stairs for Breakfast.
Find the biggest set of stairs around, anything from a three-story building to a skyscraper. Run up (two steps at a time if you can) then jog down (one step at a time). Do it until your time is up.
Nomming some breakfast stairs will make you stronger physically and aerobically. Plus, if you get caught on a security camera, it will give the night watchperson some much-needed entertainment at the end of the shift.2.
3.The EKG: 30 seconds fast every 5 minutes for the remainder of the run
4. The Work Trip Special: 10 x 1 minute fast/1 minute moderate
5. Out-and-Back Special: Jog slowly for 20 to 40 minutes, come back faster
Take away the pressure and stress, and you can be more consistent with workouts. By making fewer excuses, you will get faster and stronger. And most importantly, your hashtags will get stronger too. #CrushedIt
Original article written by David Roche, to read the full article click here.