Fun & Creative Running Workouts

Fun & Creative Run Workouts

Recently I was interviewed by a popular website and wanted to share some of the ideas I shared with them. Out-of-season I often enjoy less structured and fun workouts, here are some of my ideas:

Explorer Run: Instead of running your regular routes go and explore new neighborhoods for a certain amount of time. Try new roads you haven't run on before and then turn around at a certain amount of time and go back the same way you came.

Reverse Route: If you're bored with your regular running routes but don't have the time to map out new ones just do them in reverse. You'll be amazed at how different it might look going the opposite direction.

My Jam Music Run: Running with music can really elevate a run and make it more enjoyable and good way to mix up a run. After a warm-up, run hard for one song and then easy for next. Don't be afraid to experiment with a build doing two hard songs and three easy songs then three hard songs and two easy songs etc. Make the workout as long or short as you want it. This can be challenging and fun.

Family Friendly Park Run: This is a destination run choosing a nearby park and run to it. This run can be done easily pushing a stroller with the child in it. At the park have your child play while you do push-ups, lunges and your own strength routine. If they have monkey bars, do some pull-ups. No equipment needed. Unless you want to bring some easily portable elastic bands that can be tied onto a tree or fence etc. Search the Internet to get ideas. Check out my fitness Pinterest board. Have other Moms meet you at the park to make it more social and create some accountability.Local Track RunThere are so many great things that you can do at a track and when my children were young I often take them there to play while I did my speed workout. A typical track is approximately 400 meters around making four laps to a mile. Often they are broken up into four 100 meter sections. This makes it great to break up your workout into fast and slow portions or do lunges, grapevine, jump rope or other activities for each segment. Running form drills can also be done at the track. Visit my website at BlondeRunner.com to learn more.

Telephone Poles or Interval Run: This workout is similar to a Fartlek run with variable pacing. Use telephone poles or other landmarks to run to on your regular run incorporate harder efforts. I suggest an RPE effort of 6 for the regular running and 8 for the push effort. The push effort can be as long or short as you would like. I suggest around 1 to 2 minute pushes 4 to 6 times within a short 30 plus minute run.

Leap Frog: This is a run I often do with the group of friends (usually my triathlon team or youth track kids) at the track. I suggest 5 to 8 people. Having everyone running in a single-file line and every hundred meters or so the last person sprints up to the front and then leads for a pre-designated distance (i.e. 100 meters, .1 mile etc..). This is usually done after warm-up and all together added up to 3-4 miles. It's a fun but challenging workout.

Terrain Change: Often we get bored running the same route so try to change up the terrain. Maybe find a new hill and do some hill repeats (i.e. 2 min hill X 6 with downhill jogs for recovery) or seek out a new trail for a trail run vs road. Instead of running on the sidewalk try to run on the grass etc...

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Coach Lora Erickson

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