One-Hour Workout: Labor Day Weekend HIIT Running Revenge

Published September 5, 2017 03:49PM

After a long weekend of BBQ and brew, this week’s combination of running plus HIIT helps get you back on track.

Sticking to your normal workout routine during long holiday weekends can be next to impossible—entertaining friends, spending all day at the beach, kids off their schedules (and off the rails). This week’s workout will help you get back in the swing of things, post-holiday madness, with a killer aerobic running set tinged with a taste of high intensity interval training.

While this workout may seem tough for the sake of being tough, the actual point is to work on keeping your running form together (running tall, leaning forward with your hips, and keeping off of your heels) while your core and legs begin to fatigue. Worry less about maintaining your pace during the short intervals (just go by effort), and focus more on holding your midsection tight and long in your core and running tall with excellent form. Before the start of each interval, take a few seconds to remind yourself of these cues. This set is best done on a track or similarly lengthed park loop with a grassy infield. (Note: This is a tough workout and isn’t designed for beginners! If you’re new to running, give this workout a try instead.)

Main Set
1200m at 7/10 effort right, into
30 sec plank, right into
30 sec of alphabet leg lifts (laying on back, legs locked, feet together, “draw” each letter of the alphabet with your feet in the air)
1 minute very easy jog or walk

1200m at 7/10 effort, right into
30 sec plank, right into
30 sec of alphabet leg lifts
1 minute very easy jog or walk

800m at 8/10 effort, right into
20 bodyweight squats, right into
20 (per side) walking lunges
1 minute very easy jog or walk

400m at 9/10 effort, right into
10 burpees, focusing more on jumping high than the pushup, right into
10 (per side) very fast bicycle crunches, elbow to opposite knee
1 minute very easy jog or walk

Cool-down
15 minutes very easy jog, still focusing on running tall, leaning forward, and keeping a tight core