Running outside in winter can be fun–until you’d move faster on snowshoes. Snow might derail your plans and keep you off the roads, but no need to fret. When winter forces you onto the treadmill for a solid workout, you can still add excitement into your run. If you’re stuck on the belt and craving variety, try these two challenging workouts to spice up your session.
The 5-3-1 reverse ladder
This workout targets both your endurance and your turnover. It’s a perfect way to break your run into smaller segments to make the session fly by, but isn’t entirely focused on speedwork.
Warmup: Begin with a 10-minute easy run, and hop off the treadmill for some dynamic drills–whatever you can manage in your gym or at-home space.
Sets 1-3: 5 minutes hard, 90 seconds hard easy, 3 minutes hard, 1 minute easy, 1 minute hard. Take 2 minutes between sets and repeat three times.
The efforts should feel comfortably hard and your form should still be strong; if you’re doubled over after a rep, slow down.
Sets 4-5: 5 x 30 seconds hard with 30 seconds easy. Take 2 minutes between and repeat twice.
Tackle these finals intervals at a quicker pace than the first three sets–it should feel like a 30-second burst of speed. Take the jogging rest very easy, just to keep the legs moving.
Cooldown: Wrap up the workout with a 10-minute easy run to cool down. Follow the workout with stretching to feel re-energized.
The high-energy speedwork session
This workout is perfect for any runners who might find themselves easily bored on the treadmill–the constant changes in working time and pace is a welcome distraction from the unchanging scenery. The session focuses on speedwork, so aim to pick up the pace as the intervals get shorter. Try to maintain your form as your turnover increases.
Warmup: Start out with a 10-15 minute run and some hip-mobility drills if you feel stiff.
Set 1: 5 x 2 minutes with 1 minute easy.
Set 2: 5 x 1 minute with 30 seconds easy..
Set 3: 3,2,1,2,1,2,3 minutes with 1 minute easy between.
Set 4: 10 x 30 seconds with 30 seconds easy.
Cooldown: Conclude the workout with 5-10 minutes easy and promote your post-run recovery with some stretching.
