We’re getting fast this week! But we’re also focusing on keeping relatively fresh so we don’t muddy the waters on building that base, raw running speed.

WHAT

3x30secs strides (90secs jogs)

3x10secs sprints (2min jogs)

20min tempo run @ your half marathon pace

Terrain: Flat, measurable pathway or running track.

Feels: Fast ‘n’ Fresh.

The strides and sprints at the start shouldn’t be tiring—they’re about you getting comfortable with running fast. Likewise, the 20-minute tempo run is not that fast. We don’t want to erode the gains from the sprints. Aim to finish feeling reasonably fresh.

WHY

Improving your ability to sprint will improve your efficiency and technique for running slower. If we gradually ease ourselves into one sprints or strides session per week we’ll raise the ceiling on our potential as runners. Plus, running fast is super fun!!

HOW

Take as long as you need after each stride or sprint to be fully recovered. These aren’t supposed to make you tired—they’re supposed to make you fast! So make sure you’re starting each one nice and fresh.

THOUGHT-FOR-THE-WEEK: LESSONS FROM MY TRAINING

By Hayden Shearman

Since rupturing my achilles back in 2014, I’ve had to be very careful about any niggle or pain I feel in my lower legs. So, over the past three months I’ve backed things off with no running workouts and half my ideal mileage.

So, how am I keeping up the quantity and quality of my training?

Quantity: Now that I’m only running every second day, there’s potential for me to lose plenty of aerobic fitness. So I’m trying to negate these loses by making sure I do some form of exercise every day. My go-to options right now are surfing (where I live is perfect for ducking out for a couple of surfs each week) and steady state cardio at the gym.

I’m also making sure I do plenty of active recovery through walking. I’m aiming for two walks of 15 minutes a day. I just fit this around my day by swapping out small car trips (like heading to the store or café or picking my daughter) with walking.

Quality: When my achilles tendon is flaring up, it really doesn’t like running workouts and sprints. So I haven’t done much in the way of faster running for a while now. I’m making up for this through circuit training in the gym.

Twice a week I’ll do a circuit that incorporates burpees, skipping (my achilles responds really well to this), squats, pull ups, push ups, cleans, med ball exercises, lunges and/or mountain climbers. I’ll choose 5 or so exercise that each target different muscle groups and smash out sets of about 3 minutes where my heart rate gets right up there. I take 2-3 minutes recovery where I’ll do mobility drills and stretches. I feel great after these sessions and it’s a great way of getting in some strengthening and conditioning at the same time.

Got a training question? Email Hayden