If you’ve ever worked out on a track, you know how rewarding it is to blast through the lanes and push yourself to beat the clock. While tempo runs and long-distance runs have their appeal, track workouts are just more intense. (There is a genuine need for speed.)
Consider this: You don’t have to worry about following a route, navigating changes in elevation, dodging traffic, or a host of other running problems when you’re on the track. A 400-meter track makes it much easier to maintain a set pace and keep track of when those rest breaks begin if, like me, you find it difficult to perform any kind of math-related calculation.
1. Run The Straights, Walk The Curves
Beginners will find this workout great, and you may change the distance to one or two miles overall. More experienced runners, however, are free to continue running for as long as they like. It’s as simple as running the straight sections of the track and walking the curving ones—imagine it as fartlek training.
Running at a set pace is not necessary for this; instead, you must balance between easy and hard efforts, according to level two certified RRCA running coach Erica Coviello. Additionally, it will help you improve your turnover for better running mechanics, get acclimated to jogging on a track, and change your pace.
Payoff in terms of performance: If this is your first workout, you might observe gains in your aerobic system by performing it once a week. Experienced runners can also anticipate gains in their cadence by incorporating this into their practice on occasion.
2. 5K Build Up
This is an ideal workout for an experienced runner looking to improve their 5K time. “It’s the ultimate speedy workout, but it requires a lot more effort because it’s a longer distance,” Coviello explains. Just run 1000 meters at your desired race pace and jog 400 meters to complete the task. This should come to a total of five to six miles. Novices can also participate: if you’re just getting started, you might want to try 800-meter repeats.
