Running is so easy that anyone can do it—or at least that’s what the conventional wisdom holds. All you need is the right pair of shoes and the motivation to log some miles and you can transform from sedentary couch potato to the elevated title of Runner.
But once you’ve pounded the pavement for a while, you might find that hitting the road to jog without a clear purpose beyond mileage or time spent moving isn’t enough for you. There could be race days in your future, and you might want to prep accordingly. You might want to focus in on a certain aspect of your craft, like holding your pace or ramping up your speed. Or, most simply, you might just get bored with the same old out and back route. To inject some more intention into your running routine, you can use more structured workouts.
These routines from certified running coaches can check all of those boxes and more. Need to get ready for your next 5K fun run? There’s a workout for you. Same for athletes looking to prep more seriously for distances like the half-marathon. And if just getting out and moving with more structure and intention is your goal, there are also routines for you, too.
No matter your purpose or goal, always make sure to listen to your body. While you shouldn’t be afraid to push yourself, be cognizant that there is a difference between a tough workout and pushing too far into risky territory—nothing throws off a new running habit like injury. Listen to your body, and most importantly, make it your goal to enjoy the run.
The Running Workouts
A Beginner’s Running Workout
Your coach: Matt Scarfo, a NASM-certified CPT-OPT, CES, PES, FNS and Precision Nutrition Pn1
Let’s kick off with something for runners who are new to the sport. “Mixing walk and run intervals is a great way to help beginners increase their running potential,” says Scarfo, adding that this can also be a tool to help experienced runners stave off injury, especially if they’re running a program that has high weekly miles.
Walk/Jog Interval Workouts
- For beginners, Scarfo usually starts with a mix of 2 minutes of running for 1 minute of walking.
Scarfo says: “That gives the athlete a regular break so that they can go much farther than they originally thought they could. 2:1 intervals are a great way to help people get through a long run with plenty of energy to run the last interval as strong as the first.”
Race: A Mile or Sprint
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Your Trainer: Cooper Mann, Precision Running coach at Equinox
When you’re training for a quick race or overall speed, you are looking to incorporate three different types of runs over the course of a typical week, says Mann. Each has its own purpose.
- Easy runs: At about 30 to 45 minutes, these runs are meant to be conversational and fun. You should feel good.
- Interval Run: Interval runs are meant to push your upper limits. They will help you develop your top end speed. “These short bursts would be much faster than what your actual 1 mile pace would be,” he says. “When my 100 percent effort gives me a faster speed, my 80 percent effort will also be faster. When running a mile, a person can easily hold 80% or higher effort levels for that distance.”
- Tempo Run: These will help you learn how to maintain an uncomfortable speed. It will be slower than your sprint speed, but faster than a mile pace. ‘Tempo runs help a runner develop their skills in maintaining a pace, build endurance, and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Here, Mann offers two example tempo and interval runs, ideal for the person training for a quick race. For every run, he recommends both a half-mile warm-up—to help increase cardiovascular capacity—and a half-mile cool down.
Interval Run One
- 200m sprints x 10, with a 60-second easy run recovery
Mann says: “If you don’t have a way to measure the distance, shoot for 20 to 30 seconds worth of hard effort.”
Interval Run Two
- 400m sprints x 5, with 2-minute recovery
Tempo Run One
- 3 minutes at fast 5K pace x 4, with a 2-minute recovery
Tempo Run Two
- 5 minutes at fast 5K pace x 3 , with a 3-minute recovery
Race: 5K
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Your coach: Kevin St-Fort, Precision Running coach at Equinox
When training for a 5k, St-Fort advises that runners should take into account that they will be on the course for roughly half an hour. “Their comfort level with that will determine the focus of their training and the expectations they should set for themselves,” he says.
Throughout a week of training, runners should incorporate a speed run, tempo or Fartlek run, and an endurance run. Leading up to race day, he recommends that all racers take a practice jog/run on the course if possible to get familiar with it. “This will take the unknown out of the equation, have you feeling more comfortable with the race, and allow you to fine-tune your plan of attack for race day.”
Here, St-Fort recommends a run for each method incorporated into 5K training. For each, take a 1-mile or 10-minute jog warmup and cool down.
Speed Run
- 8 to 10 x 400m, with 1 to 2-minute recovery
St.-Fort says: “Speed work is critical when training for a 5K. Since it’s a short race duration, exertion levels can be higher than with other race distances. Interval training will allow you to push speeds for certain durations and allow you to adapt to those speeds by increasing the number of intervals as your training progresses.”
Fartlek Run
- 2- to 3-minute challenging/hard intensity run x 5, equal amount recovery
St-Fort says: “I love using Fartlek runs for tempo runs because it allows me to better connect with my body, understand my effort levels, and get off of the track or treadmill and onto the road. This is especially useful if the terrain for the race has a number of hills as this will allow you to build strength and control.”
Endurance Run
Rather than a mile warm-up, do dynamic movements like skipping drills, walking lunges, and leg swings.
- 4 to 5 mile easy/moderate jog
St-Fort says: “The one constant for all race lengths is to build endurance. If you want to run 3 miles really fast, you should be able to run more than that mileage comfortably and efficiently. Long runs also strengthen mental facilities which are an important factor in races.”
Race: Half-Marathon
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Your Coach: John Henwood, coach at Mile High Run Club in New York City and Olympian, Niraj Vora, PT, DPT, co-founder TheStrideShop.com
The half-marathon is an extremely popular distance to race because it requires a mix of speed and endurance that proves challenging for beginners and experienced runners alike,” says Vora. Training twice in a week is plenty in the heaviest weeks of your training, she adds. A half-marathon plan could include both speed work and speed endurance runs—where the runner is aiming to get used to running at or closer to the goal: marathon pace. For each of the below, Henwood recommends a 15 to 20-minute warm-up, including a jog and dynamic stretching and form drills, and five 80 meter strides with a jog back to start between each. Add on a 10-minute jog at the end as a cool-down.
Speed Session
This type of workout helps to open up your lungs and increasing the strength of your lung capacity, according to Henwood. By running 25 to 30 seconds faster than goal pace, you’ll be able to dramatically increase your overall running economy and oxygen uptake. “Soon, your goal pace will just feel much easier,” Henwood says.
- 5 x 1 mile (10km pace or 25 to 30 seconds faster than goal pace ), 3-minute recovery
Speed Endurance Session
This type of workout also improves running economy, allowing your body to get used to running at a faster pace.
- 10 x 1000m (1km) at goal pace, 1-minute jog recovery
Speed Endurance Session Two
- 4 miles at tempo (or 75 percent effort/goal pace), 6-minute recovery jog
- 3 x 1000m at 20 to 25 seconds faster pace than tempo, with 90-second jog recovery
Progression Run
“In addition to the aerobic benefits of this run, it also helps to develop a sense of what pace you are running based on your effort,” says Vora, noting that this can be crucial to racing smartly to avoid bonking (hitting the wall) at the end of a race.
- After a proper dynamic warm up and 5 to 8 minutes of brisk walking, run 1 mile at easy pace followed by 2 miles at 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than your goal race pace, then 2 miles at your goal race pace, and 2 miles at 10 to 15 seconds per mile faster than your goal race pace. Finish with a half-mile cooldown and 5 to 8 minutes of walking.
Negative Split Run
“This workout teaches you to change paces within a run with control and to run faster on tired legs. Although it seems simple, these runs will pay dividends with your fitness,” says Vora.
- After a proper dynamic warm up and 5 to 8 minutes of brisk walking, run 1 mile at easy pace followed by 3 miles at conversational pace (Vora defines this as still being comfortable holding a conversation but a notch above your easy run pace). Finish with 3 miles at 15 to 20 seconds per mile faster than the first 3-mile segment.
Tempo Run
Vora rounds out her trifecta of half-marathon training (progression runs, negative split runs, and tempo runs) with this workout that forces you to run under control, run on tired legs, and get used to your race pace. “These workouts can be key to nailing your fitness for race day and should be performed 5 to 6 weeks out from your race,” she says. “It gives you a good idea of what your expectations should be for race day.”
- After a proper dynamic warm-up and 5 to 8 minutes of brisk walking, run 3 miles at a conversational pace, then aim to run 6 miles at your goal race pace, followed by 1 to 2 easy miles to finish.
Race: Marathon
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Your coach: Raj Hathiramani, coach at Mile High Run Club and 56-time marathoner
Marathon training requires both specific running workouts to build mileage and endurance as well as sufficient strength training and recovery to keep you healthy. Throughout a week of marathon training, runners will do an easy run, an interval workout, and tempo and long runs.
- Easy runs: Help achieve weekly mileage while letting your body regain strength after a hard speed workout or long run.
- Interval runs: Help to improve your aerobic capacity by making you quickly adapt to different speeds and become a more efficient runner.
- Tempo runs: Otherwise referred to as lactate threshold runs, these are done at at a pace that’s faster than your half-marathon pace, but just slower than your 10K pace to increase the time it takes for your body to accumulate lactate and fatigue.
- Long runs: These enhance your entire physiological system—including blood flow, energy production, bone and muscle strength—while giving you mental confidence needed for the marathon.
Here, Hathiramani recommends a run for each method incorporated into marathon training.
Long Run With Tempo Progression
No one says a long run has to be boring. Instead of running longer miles only at a pace slower than your goal pace, Hathiramani suggests you incorporate a long run that gets progressively faster to develop discipline and simulate pushing through fatigue. “This workout will make your marathon goal pace feel easier, by running at faster than goal pace during a long run,” he says. “You learn how to control your pace early so you can push hard late in a race. As you accelerate during the tempo portion of the run, you practice opening up your stride length with a higher knee drive and increasing your stride rate with faster arms.”
16 miles, including:
- 6-mile warm-up, easier than marathon pace (or 65 to 70 percent effort)
- 8-mile tempo, progressing from half marathon to 10K pace (or 80 to 85 percent effort)
- 2-mile cool down, easier than marathon pace
The Classic Yasso 800s
Yasso 800s, named after Bart Yasso, the former chief running officer at Runner’s World who popularized this workout, are a classic component of marathon training. The effort? Half-mile repeats at roughly 5K pace, or 90 percent effort.
“For marathoners, the magic of the Yasso 800s is that the time it takes for 800-meter intervals can be a good benchmark for your predicted marathon finish time in hours,” says Hathiramani. “If you can do 8 to 10 800m repeats in 4 minutes, you should be able to run a 4 hour marathon—provided other factors such as your mileage and running economy are on par.”
For the below effort, try to find a pace you can hold for all 8 to 10 repeats. By training at your 5K pace or faster, you will improve your VO2 max, or the maximum amount of oxygen that you can use during running. The more oxygen you can deliver to your muscles, the longer you can sustain running at a certain pace, according to Hathiramani.
- 1-mile warm-up, easy
- 8 to 10 x 800m, 400m active recovery
- 1-mile cool-down
Pyramid Workout
Pyramid workouts are routines that increase in length and then decrease as you complete more reps. They help you master your pacing, since the interval paces on the way “down” mirrors the intervals. “I like to say one of the best ways to become a faster runner is to train at faster paces.” he says. “This pyramid workout forces you to change gears and get used to running outside your comfort zone at the beginning and the end.”
- 1 mile warmup
- 400m at 1 mile pace, 2-minute active rest
- 800m at 5K pace, 3-minute active rest
- 1600m at 10K pace, 4-minute active rest
- 1600m at 10K pace, 4-minute active rest
- 800m at 5K pace, 3-minute active rest
- 400m at 1-mile pace, 2-minute active rest
- 1 mile cool down
Challenge Runs for All Types of Runners
Ladder Intervals
Your coach: Rose Wetzel, USATF-Certified Running Coach, NSCA-CSCS, 9x USATF Club National Champion
Wetzel says you should use this running workout to take your fitness to the next level. Begin with a 10 to 20 minute warm-up jog and 5 minutes of dynamic stretching, followed by four 10-second strides/light sprints. Cool down with 5 to 15 minutes of jogging, followed by 5 minutes of stretching/mobility work. She calls this workout a “doozy” and recommends you hydrate well the day before and show up in a good mindset before starting.
- You can do intervals of 1600 meters, 1200m, 800m, 400m, 200m (or 8 minutes, 6 min, 4 min, 2 min, 1 min) with a two-minute jog between each interval.
- Aim for running at 80% effort for the entire first interval, keeping your upper body relaxed, standing tall, and pacing yourself.
Wetzel says: “Be sure not to make the mistake of going for your mile personal record in the first interval, or you will regret it for the rest of the workout. Add a bit more effort with each interval, hitting a faster and faster pace as you go down the ladder. Even though the intervals getting shorter as you go makes it easier to manage psychologically, it’s still a long, tough workout.”
Strides
Your coach: Matt Scarfo, a NASM-certified CPT-OPT, CES, PES, FNS and Precision Nutrition Pn1
Regardless of what kind of race you’re training for, you may want to incorporate strides into your workout. Scarfo notes that while they’re not a workout on their own, they’re great to tack onto any easy-day run or long run to help drill good racing form and efficient leg turnover.
- Post-workout, sprint for 15 to 20 seconds.
Scarfo says: “You could also do hill strides to get additional development through the workout. Since strides are so short, they really focus on starting and keeping your legs cycling during the work. Run with intensity and solid, strong foot placement to get the best benefit.”
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