Though mileage is the central focal point of any running-oriented training regimen, higher-intensity workouts allow runners to take their baseline aerobic fitness to the next level. There are numerous types of workouts catering to an equally vast range of running events and goals – from drawn-out endurance segments to fast-burst interval ladders.
Such workouts include, but are not limited to:
Tempo Workouts
Tempo workouts are a bread-and-butter resource for many runners, as they can build crucial aerobic stamina for everything from the 5k to the marathon. This notion mainly stems from the fact that tempo workouts are highly customizable depending on your event, with workout paces changing based on the race’s distance and your desired performance goal.
To complete a tempo workout, simply run at a high-cadence pace for an extended distance or time, aiming to stay within your prescribed pace range throughout the effort. This pace should be comfortably difficult, gently pushing your fitness boundaries without risking a sharp ascent to fast-twitch, anaerobic turnover. Start with a relatively short distance or time and gradually increase it weekly or bi-weekly, keeping your original target pace the same (so long as it remains reasonably challenging). In all scenarios, the tempo run should be a continuous effort from beginning to completion.
Interval Workouts
Interval-based workouts are another timeless staple of running training, encompassing countless distances, intensities, and paces. The segmented effort can push your aerobic threshold and build strength in quick, sustained bursts, translating well to most race distances, whether you’re doing intervals on a track, road, or rolling terrain.
Intervals are also customizable depending on their intended purpose, but they often take the shape of repeated moderate to hard efforts at a prescribed interval distance (anything from 100 meters to two miles and beyond) with rest periods in between. Some intervals aim for fast, high-intensity strength building, while others aim to tire the body over a drawn-out but less intense series of efforts.
Hill Workouts
Hills are among the most dreaded aspects of distance running, and hill workouts leverage their difficulty for a runner’s benefit. These workouts use hills as repeated challenging segments to build speed and strength while mentally preparing runners to embrace hills’ steepness as a competitive advantage.
You can perform a hill workout in many ways – usually as either a continuous effort or a stop-and-start interval-style workout. In both formats, work the uphills at a moderate to fast effort while using the downhills as a jogging or walking recovery. The number of hill repeats will depend on your current fitness level, so, like the tempo workout, be sure to start low and gradually build volume over time.
Adding workouts like the above to your training plan will augment the underlying fitness built through high mileage alone. A diverse workout pool can help you maximize your chances of finding your unique version of running success, preparing you for your event’s specific physical demands and building confidence for race day.
