One-Hour Workout: Speed Injection
Ready to kickstart your top-end speed? This week's run workout is for you.
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If you’re feeling the need, the need for speed, then look no further: We’ve got the perfect run speed workout that will help bring some spark to your legs without overly taxing them. This run workout is great if you’ve been logging a lot of slow, steady miles and need to up the tempo to help keep you mentally and physically sharp.
This run workout involves a build warm-up so that you can gradually raise your heart rate and breathing rate, and arrive at the main set ready to hit some faster-paced work safe in the knowledge you’re ready to go. Do not be afraid to begin the warm-up at an extremely slow pace (walk for 2-3 minutes if need be) and then every 5 minutes steadily bump up your effort.
The beauty of this session is that you can approach the 30-second, 45-second, and 60-second intervals with as much gusto as your body and mind are giving you on the day. Feeling fatigued? Then just do enough to raise your heart rate without pushing yourself over the edge. Feeling fresh? Great, then go for it and open up those legs!
As you’re working through the efforts keep your focus on steady breathing and smooth form. Don’t overthink form cues, but certainly stay present and engaged in how you’re running. Don’t force it.
During the easy recovery between intervals, drop your speed significantly and walk/jog as desired. Try to ensure the 30-second efforts are the fastest ones, but they shouldn’t be significantly faster than the 60-second pieces. Think 8-9 out of 10 RPE (rate of perceived exertion).
View this run workout as a means of kickstarting your top-end speed and above all else, enjoy it!
Warm-up:
20 minutes, starting off easy, even walking if desired for the opening 2-3 minutes. Increase your effort every 5 minutes, so that by the final 5 minutes you’re running at level 7-8 RPE, and feel ready to hit some faster-paced intervals.
Main set:
4 x 30 seconds fast with 30 seconds jog recovery
4 x 45 seconds fast with 45 seconds jog recovery
4 x 60 seconds fast with 60 seconds jog recovery
4 x 45 seconds fast with 45 seconds jog recovery
4 x 30 seconds fast with 30 seconds jog recovery
Cool-down:
5-10 minutes easy jog