Running Workout 2: Endurance

Disclaimer: Always consult with your doctor or physical therapist before starting any new workout routine. Following this workout is always at your own risk. Listen to your body during exercise, and stop immediately if you experience any discomfort or pain.

Regarding running form, think of someone lifting your knees with each step. How we land during runs is important. The faster you go (e.g., during sprints), the more you want to land on the ball of your foot rather than your heel.

See more details here:

• Walking: Land on your heels and push off from there VIDEO HERE

• Jogging: Land on the middle of your sole and push off from there VIDEO HERE

• Running: Land near the ball of your foot and push off from there VIDEO HERE

• Sprinting: Land on the front of the ball of your foot and push off from there VIDEO HERE

For endurance runs, the goal is to reach a certain distance (track the distance with Runkeeper or Strava, for example), and make note of how long it took you to reach that distance. Use for example notes on your phone to make note of the distance and time of each running workout so you have it easily accessible the next time you go for that particular running workout.

Today you are going to set out to run at least 1.2-2.5 miles, and rather slowly, or at a speed where you can breathe in and out through your nose. This kind of training will improve your endurance in the long run, so trust the process! Start with the warm-up exercise below. Turn on the Runkeeper app (or Strava) when you're done with your warm-up. Then start running and see how far you can go with nose breathing. Make a note of that and keep going for at least 1.2-2.5 miles. Make a note in the comments, for example, how far you ran today and how far you went with nose breathing only. End with stretches.

If you do this exercise on a treadmill, remember to have some elevation, e.g. 0.5-1.5.

If you are more advanced, add more distance.

Warm up

1 round:

1. 5/5x swing leg back and forth, R then L

2. 5/5x standing hip circles, R then L

3. 20-30 sec standing hip stretch, R then L

4. 20x heel kicks

5. 20x standing alt leg raise / high knees

Running Workout of the Day

1. Run as far as you can breathing in and out through your nose. Make note of how far you went and continue for at least 1.2-2.5 miles (further if you are more advanced).

Stretches

1. 4/4x inner thigh + spinal stretch or 30 sec stretch for inner thigh

2. 8x windshield wipers

3. 30/30 sec glutes

4. 30 sec happy baby pose

5. 4/4x lying spinal stretch

6. 2x child pose stretch forward 

7. 20/20 sec quads

8. 20/20 sec hamstrings

Add any stretches you feel the need to.