CHALLENGE: "A test of one's abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking" thefreedictionary.com
Everyone likes a good challenge. Incorporate any of the below challenges into your regular weekly routine and allow them to help make you a stronger, more motivated, and an overall better runner. If you find an area of weakness through doing one of these challenges, put more time into it and make it one of your strengths. If you’d like assistance putting a running schedule together that’s personalized for you, shot me an email and lets get started.
Challenge #1: HILL REPEATS.
This challenge is to do 10 x 1 min hill sprints at 85-90% effort. Warm up for 1 mile then do a 4-5 30 second sprints to get you legs ready. Do each hill repeat on a long enough hill where the full 1 minute will be going up. After each repeat, jog back to the bottom of the hill. Cool down for 1 mile.
**If you want to push yourself even more, instead of jogging back down to the start, run back down to the start at 90% effort. Then take a 1 minute walk break before starting the next repeat.***
Hill repeats are a great way to gain overall leg strength, build mental toughness, and work on form to increase running efficiency. When training for a race, hill repeats should be added in right after you’ve built a sufficient mileage base and then done at least once a week for 5-6 weeks. Hill repeats are great to do with a running buddy or as a group to help give you motivation to run the repeats consistently fast. However, if you want to focus on mental toughness, try running them alone and find your own inner drive to push yourself up the hill.
Running up hill is a little different than running on flat surfaces. If you’ve ever ridden a bike up much of a steep hill, you probably had to shift the gears making it easier to petal and keep moving forward. Running up hill is the same way, shorten your stride taking more steps per minute - keep your body straight, don’t bend forward and the waist, keep your head up, bent down just slightly, and pump your arms back and forth. The quicker you pump your arms, the faster your legs will want to go.
This challenge is to do 10 x 1 min hill sprints at 85-90% effort. Warm up for 1 mile then do a 4-5 30 second sprints to get you legs ready. Do each hill repeat on a long enough hill where the full 1 minute will be going up. After each repeat, jog back to the bottom of the hill. Cool down for 1 mile.
**If you want to push yourself even more, instead of jogging back down to the start, run back down to the start at 90% effort. Then take a 1 minute walk break before starting the next repeat.***
Hill repeats are a great way to gain overall leg strength, build mental toughness, and work on form to increase running efficiency. When training for a race, hill repeats should be added in right after you’ve built a sufficient mileage base and then done at least once a week for 5-6 weeks. Hill repeats are great to do with a running buddy or as a group to help give you motivation to run the repeats consistently fast. However, if you want to focus on mental toughness, try running them alone and find your own inner drive to push yourself up the hill.
Running up hill is a little different than running on flat surfaces. If you’ve ever ridden a bike up much of a steep hill, you probably had to shift the gears making it easier to petal and keep moving forward. Running up hill is the same way, shorten your stride taking more steps per minute - keep your body straight, don’t bend forward and the waist, keep your head up, bent down just slightly, and pump your arms back and forth. The quicker you pump your arms, the faster your legs will want to go.
Challenge #2: MUSIC & SPEED
Pick one of your favorite upbeat running songs that make you want to turn and burn. Then, on a Monday, do a 1 mile warm-up jog with 6 x 30 sec. sprints to get your legs ready to move quick. After your warm-up pick a starting point and hit play on the song you’ve chosen. Start running as quick as you feel you can go and sustain for the length of the song. Once the song is over mark how far you went either with a land mark or on your GPS. Then, on Wednesday and Friday of that same week repeat the same thing starting at the same place. The challenge is to increase the distance covered during the song each time you run. Be honest with yourself and give each run 100% effort.
Competitive distance running is all about managing pain and discomfort while sustaining a quick pace. This challenge will help you learn to push thru the pain and learn to control your effort to get the most out of what you have.
Need help finding that perfect song to do this challenge to? Click here
Pick one of your favorite upbeat running songs that make you want to turn and burn. Then, on a Monday, do a 1 mile warm-up jog with 6 x 30 sec. sprints to get your legs ready to move quick. After your warm-up pick a starting point and hit play on the song you’ve chosen. Start running as quick as you feel you can go and sustain for the length of the song. Once the song is over mark how far you went either with a land mark or on your GPS. Then, on Wednesday and Friday of that same week repeat the same thing starting at the same place. The challenge is to increase the distance covered during the song each time you run. Be honest with yourself and give each run 100% effort.
Competitive distance running is all about managing pain and discomfort while sustaining a quick pace. This challenge will help you learn to push thru the pain and learn to control your effort to get the most out of what you have.
Need help finding that perfect song to do this challenge to? Click here
Challenge #3: BURPEES OR BUST
This challenge is going to test your overall strength and stamina. Do a 10 minute warm-up of some sort then set a timer for 2 minutes. Proceed to as many burpees, with a push-up, as you can in 2 minutes. Do this challenge twice in the same week and see if you can increase the number of burpees the 2nd time around. The below video will show you how to do the burpee with push-up. See if you can hit 60 in two minutes.
Strong legs, arms and core will help you to be a stronger runner. Burpees are a great way to gain strength without having to go to a gym or have weights.
This challenge is going to test your overall strength and stamina. Do a 10 minute warm-up of some sort then set a timer for 2 minutes. Proceed to as many burpees, with a push-up, as you can in 2 minutes. Do this challenge twice in the same week and see if you can increase the number of burpees the 2nd time around. The below video will show you how to do the burpee with push-up. See if you can hit 60 in two minutes.
Strong legs, arms and core will help you to be a stronger runner. Burpees are a great way to gain strength without having to go to a gym or have weights.
Challenge #4: CONSISTENT MILES
**The week before you do this challenge, warm up properly and then run a mile as fast as you can. Record how long it took you to run the mile and then add 30 seconds to that time - this will be your “Repeat Time”**. For this challenge you will do a 1 mile warm up and then 3 x 1 minutes at 80% effort and then 3 x 30 sec. at 90% effort. You will then do 3 to 5 one mile repeats trying to run each one as close to your “Repeat Time” as possible. Take a 2 minute walk break between each repeat and cool down with a 1 mile jog.
If you feel you are already in pretty good shape and want a tougher challenge, only add 15 sec. to your mile time and use that as your “Repeat Time” - then do the 5 x 1 mile repeats with a 1 minute recovery in between.
**The week before you do this challenge, warm up properly and then run a mile as fast as you can. Record how long it took you to run the mile and then add 30 seconds to that time - this will be your “Repeat Time”**. For this challenge you will do a 1 mile warm up and then 3 x 1 minutes at 80% effort and then 3 x 30 sec. at 90% effort. You will then do 3 to 5 one mile repeats trying to run each one as close to your “Repeat Time” as possible. Take a 2 minute walk break between each repeat and cool down with a 1 mile jog.
If you feel you are already in pretty good shape and want a tougher challenge, only add 15 sec. to your mile time and use that as your “Repeat Time” - then do the 5 x 1 mile repeats with a 1 minute recovery in between.
Challenge #5: PUSH-UPS
Time to feel the burn. This challenge is a three week challenge. Week One: Do 50 push-ups per day for five consecutive days. These can be done in sets as low as 10. Week Two: Do 75 push-ups per day for five consecutive days. These push-ups can be done in sets as low as 15. Week Three: Do 100 push-ups per day for five consecutive days. You can do these push-ups in sets as low as 20. Try to get to where you can do the full amount all in one set. If this is too easy for you, increase each daily amount by 50.
Upper body strenght is just as important in running as leg strength. We use our arms to help propel us along and to grind up those hills. Push-ups are a great easy way to strengthen your upper body so you can maintain form longer and be a more efficient runnner. Use the below video to view correct ways to do push-ups.
Time to feel the burn. This challenge is a three week challenge. Week One: Do 50 push-ups per day for five consecutive days. These can be done in sets as low as 10. Week Two: Do 75 push-ups per day for five consecutive days. These push-ups can be done in sets as low as 15. Week Three: Do 100 push-ups per day for five consecutive days. You can do these push-ups in sets as low as 20. Try to get to where you can do the full amount all in one set. If this is too easy for you, increase each daily amount by 50.
Upper body strenght is just as important in running as leg strength. We use our arms to help propel us along and to grind up those hills. Push-ups are a great easy way to strengthen your upper body so you can maintain form longer and be a more efficient runnner. Use the below video to view correct ways to do push-ups.
Challenge #6: 4 HOUR RUN
If you've never run more than an hour or two, this is the challenge for you. You challenge, if you choose to except, is to run 4 hours straight. You do not have to run fast, in fact, run it at 50-60% effort (you should be able to carry on a conversation while running). If you need to walk at times, that's okay. The key is just being out on your feet for and extended length of time.
Our bodies are strong, it's sometimes our minds holding them back. Let this challenge push you mentally and physically; show yourself you can do it. Make sure to consume calories and water while out on the road or trail. Make it a family and/or friend event - invite individuals to run portions with you.
If you've never run more than an hour or two, this is the challenge for you. You challenge, if you choose to except, is to run 4 hours straight. You do not have to run fast, in fact, run it at 50-60% effort (you should be able to carry on a conversation while running). If you need to walk at times, that's okay. The key is just being out on your feet for and extended length of time.
Our bodies are strong, it's sometimes our minds holding them back. Let this challenge push you mentally and physically; show yourself you can do it. Make sure to consume calories and water while out on the road or trail. Make it a family and/or friend event - invite individuals to run portions with you.
Challenge #7: 10 Minute Power Run
Time to see what you've got. After a nice warm-up jog and striders, you are going to run for 10 minutes as hard as you can and measure how far you got. You can measure the distance you completed using a GPS watch or putting a marker down on the side of the road where you finished. Then, one week after you did the 10 minute run, do it again starting at the same spot as the first. The goal is to increase the distance ran from the first time. Do the 10 minute power run four weeks in a row and see if you can go farther each time.
Time to see what you've got. After a nice warm-up jog and striders, you are going to run for 10 minutes as hard as you can and measure how far you got. You can measure the distance you completed using a GPS watch or putting a marker down on the side of the road where you finished. Then, one week after you did the 10 minute run, do it again starting at the same spot as the first. The goal is to increase the distance ran from the first time. Do the 10 minute power run four weeks in a row and see if you can go farther each time.
Challenge #8: 400 Meter Repeats
It's time to head to the track for this challenge. The challenge consists of 20 x 400 meter repeats (1 lap around a track) done in sets of five. After a sufficient warm up, start by doing 5 x 400 meters at 90% effort with 1.5 minute recovery in between. After the first set of five, walk for 2 minutes then start the second set of 400's at the same effort and recovery as the first. Repeat the sets until you have completed twenty x 400 meter repeats.
It's time to head to the track for this challenge. The challenge consists of 20 x 400 meter repeats (1 lap around a track) done in sets of five. After a sufficient warm up, start by doing 5 x 400 meters at 90% effort with 1.5 minute recovery in between. After the first set of five, walk for 2 minutes then start the second set of 400's at the same effort and recovery as the first. Repeat the sets until you have completed twenty x 400 meter repeats.
Challenge #9: Intervals/Tempo Duo
Warm up for 10 minutes. Then do 5 x 2 minutes at 85% effort with a 2 minute jog in between. After the 5th 2 min you’ll jog for 2 minutes. Then you are going to do a 10 min tempo run (run it at 75-80% effort). After the tempo you will jog for 2 minutes. Then you will do 5 x 1 minutes at 90% effort with a 1 minute jog in between. Then do a 10 minute cool down.
Warm up for 10 minutes. Then do 5 x 2 minutes at 85% effort with a 2 minute jog in between. After the 5th 2 min you’ll jog for 2 minutes. Then you are going to do a 10 min tempo run (run it at 75-80% effort). After the tempo you will jog for 2 minutes. Then you will do 5 x 1 minutes at 90% effort with a 1 minute jog in between. Then do a 10 minute cool down.