One-Hour Workout: Taper Week Run

Every Tuesday we’ll feature a different coach’s workout you can complete in 60 minutes (or less!).

This week’s run workout comes from Bay Area-based coach Mike Portman, who says this can serve as a taper workout for any run distance. “The goal of this run is to keep good form but also feel rested so you can perform at your highest level for an early 2014 race,” Portman says. If your race isn’t a high priority race, do this workout four days before. For a true taper, do it seven days prior to the event.

For the main set, race efforts will be at whichever distance you’re signed up for (if you’re targeting a 10K, run them at your anticipated 10K effort). Portman suggests trying to do this workout on terrain that is similar to your upcoming race course.

“Keep the warm-up and cool-down at a lighter effort than you would consider ‘easy,’” he says. “Do the main sets at a solid race effort and keep everything else as really easy active recovery.”

RELATED: Functional Strength Work

Warm-up

15 minutes easy

Main Set

30 minutes as: 6x(2 minutes at race effort, 1 minute walking, 2 minutes easy jog)

Cool-down

15 minutes really easy

More one-hour workouts.

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