By Mike0 comments

Spring Run Challenge - Week 8 Workouts

Just 2 more weeks of workouts left!
With things starting to slowly and safely open up, we hope that these past 2 months of challenges have helped keep you motivated and focused, or most importantly, helped you keep a sense of normalcy when things were far from normal.

If you've visited us at the store lately, you may have noticed that we have hand sanitizer at the entrance, we're keeping a safe social distance at all times, we've limited the customers in the store at one time, we've asked customers to leave their kids and/or spouses at home unless they're shopping too, and we've closed off our kids corner. We'll keep going forward like this, with our current reduced hours of Tuesday - Sunday 12 - 5pm. Plus, we're always available to help via the phone, email, or even private appointments if you prefer. 

We've had a few inquires about our group runs, but we will not be re-starting them quite yet...it's a bit too early. For now though, we still encourage you to run solo or in very small groups, and to continue using caution, common sense, and the follow the guidelines of the all mighty Dr Bonnie Henry. 

 

May 20 - This is a YELLOW workout by Mike Murphy

Steady Intervals with Pick-Ups
This is a similar workout to your last yellow one - longer steady effort intervals. Today though, we will be doing the intervals by time (not distance), and throwing a couple pace pick-ups into them. These intervals should not kill you. You should feel strong and quick, and be breathing hard but controlled. The RPE (rate of perceived exertion) for the majority of each interval should be 5/10. The accelerations within each interval should feel about 7/10.

Warm Up:
  • 20 minute easy jog
  • 8 - 10 short, quick strides
Workout: (instead of 4 intervals, you can do between 3 and 5 intervals)
  • 4 x (6:00 Steady, with 2:00 jog recovery)
  • each 6:00 is made up of;
    • 2:30 at RPE 5
    • :30 at RPE 7
    • 2:30 at RPE 5
    • :30 at RPE 7
  • these should not be killing you. You should be able to keep jogging for your 2:00 recovery
Cool Down:
  • 15:00-20:00 super easy

May 22 - This is a RED workout by Mike Murphy

Flat Sprints
Do these sprints on a flat grassy field. These really are maximum efforts. You will tie up, so work on holding good form. The warm up here is very important, so don't rush it.

Warm Up:
  • 10:00 easy jog over to your park
  • 6 x :30 pick ups at RPE 5
  • 6 fast strides
  • take 5:00 rest before starting the workout
Workout:  4 sets of the following...
  • 45 seconds HARD, 2:00 jog recovery
  • 30 seconds HARD, 2:00 jog recovery
  • 15 seconds MAX
  • then take 5:00 recovery before the next set
Cool Down:
  • 15:00-20:00 super easy

May 24 - This is a GREEN workout by Mike Murphy

The Building Long Run 
This is your last long run of the challenge, so make it count.
The workout is simple. Break your run in to thirds, and do a very sight build each third. REPEAT: SLIGHT build each third. Don't finish off at your 10k race pace...just at a strong aerobic effort.
Make this run just a tiny bit longer than anything you have done in the challenge so far. I'm not suggesting that you go out and double what that you have done so far, but just add on maybe 15 minutes or a couple km to what has been your previous biggest day.

**And remember to fuel during this run. With the building effort, you will burn a to of glycogen, so have some calories on hand.
 

May 26 - This is a PURPLE workout by Solana Green

The Social Distance Slowest Mile EVER.

As we're transitioning into a whole new normal...our regular running with friends just can't happen as it once did; shoulder-to-shoulder, sharing water and snacks, and big high fives at the top of the hill. So, we've designed the last of your purple workouts to show you just how much space you'll need to properly social distance run at 6 feet. We've noticed that lots of people don't realize how far apart this really is! What better way to figure it out than to actually run with something 6 feet long in between you and a friend?? 

Grab a partner for this one, and scour your house for something that is a minimum of 6 feet long - we're thinking an old hockey stick would work great, or a tape measure locked out, or a pool noodle. Be creative, but rakes or brooms will kind of suck for 1/2 of the partnership...

Now, the trick to this is that you're attempting to run the SLOWEST Mile. We did borrow this idea from Runner's World, but added the physical social distance piece to make it the weird and whacky you expect from our purple workouts. Plus, we also thought this would be a very valuable educational tool moving into this next phase of running "together".

Now, this is NOT slow walking a mile, you must keep your feet moving, in a running gait and cadence, without stopping to walk. And yes, this is wayyyyyy harder than it sounds! 

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