The Challenge – Back to Running Training Plan
Sprint Training
Firstly, let’s focus on sprint training. If you are looking to improve your speed over short distances, this is the training regime for you.
This training program focuses on improving your start speed, mastering your technique to run more efficiently, and ultimately, helping you run faster!
| Exercise | Description | Reps | Sets | Why |
| Broad Jumps | Start with both feet under your shoulders in a stationary position. Swing your arms, and jump as far forward as you can, landing on two feet. | 6 | 3 | Broad jumps are an excellent warm-up exercise that helps improve your plyometric power, essential for a fast start. |
| Side Bounds | Start in the same position as your broad jumps. Leap to your left, landing on one leg, before immediately leaping back to your right. | Five each side | 4 | Similar to broad jumps, side bounds help warm up your essential running muscles while improving your start speed. |
| High Skips | Make a mark 20m away, and skip towards it. Bring your legs off the floor as far as you can with each step, using your arms to drive your body up. | 20 meters | 5 | High skips are another excellent warm-up exercise for improving your running technique and your running speed. It also helps increase your heart rate in preparation for your session. |
| 10m Sprints | Make a mark 10m from your starting position. When you are ready, sprint as fast as you can to that mark, keeping your head down and focusing on generating as much speed as possible. | 10 meters | Five sets every 4 minutes | This exercise focuses on the start of your sprint. Sprint races are won and lost in the first 10m, which is why it is so important to get as fast a start as possible. |
| 50m Sprints | Make a mark 50m from your starting position. When ready, sprint to that mark, keeping your head down for the first 10m, then breaking into your normal sprint. | 50 meters | Three sets ever 5 minutes | Use what you practiced in the 10m sprints, and then focus on getting into a rhythmic running style, controlling your breathing, and pushing the pace. |
| 100m Sprint | Finally, finish off with one 100m sprint | 100 meters | 1 set | Finish your session with one full 100m sprint. Focus on what you have practiced, and if possible, make a note of your time to test against in your next session. |
Marathon Training Week
| Exercise | Description | Reps | Sets | Why |
| Burpees | Start with both feet under your shoulders in a stationary position. Drop down to the floor until you are at the bottom of a press-up position. Jump back up with your hands over your head. | 15 | Five sets every minute on the minute | Burpees are an excellent full-body exercise that helps increase your lung capacity. Five sets of 15 repetitions will get your heart rate high before your running training. |
| Star Jumps | Start in the same position as your burpees. Jump with your legs out and arms above your head. Land and then jump back to your starting position. | 40 | Five sets every minute on the minute | Star jumps are another excellent exercise to help increase your lung capacity and get you ready for your session. |
| 800m Light Jog | To complete your warm-up, complete a steady 800-meter jog. | 800 meters | 1 | This run will help your muscles warm up to running so that you can fully commit to each 800-meter interval. |
| 800m Intervals | Now that you are warm, it is time for the fun stuff! Push the pace on your first interval, and make a note of your time. Try to maintain that for each set. | 800 meters | Four sets every 6 minutes | These interval training sessions will become challenging by the third or fourth round, but keep pushing to keep your split times as close as possible. |
| 1km Time Trial | Give yourself plenty of rest after your intervals before committing to a full-intensity 1km. Make a note of your time for your next session. | 1000 meters | 1 set | Give everything you have left in the tank on this round. Imagine it is the final 1000 meters of your marathon, and push for a fast finish. |
| 800m Cool Down | Finally, finish off with a light jog/walk for 800m to cool down from your tough session! | 800 meters | 1 set | A cool-down run will help lower your heart rate and prevent injury. |
Exercises In the Gym
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest times | Why? |
| Back Squats | 5 | Five reps at 60-70% of your 1 Rep Max | ~3 mins | Back squats are an excellent way to develop your quadriceps and essential running muscle group. |
| Goblet Lunges | 4 | 8-12 reps per leg | ~3 mins | Goblet lunges are an excellent way of working all of your lower body muscles and joints. Grab a heavy(ish) dumbbell and hold it like a goblet under your chin for your lunges. |
| Barbell Deadlift | 5 | Five reps at 60-70% of your 1 Rep Max | ~3 mins | Barbell deadlifts will help you build your glutes and hamstrings, great for running and injury prevention. |
| Calf Raises | 4 | To failure | ~3 mins | Calf muscles will develop naturally by running, but get a headstart and prevent injury by executing calf raises. |
Exercises At Home
Obviously, not everyone has access to a gym. If this is the case for you, check out these at-home alternatives.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest times | Why? |
| Jumping Squats | 5 | 20 reps | ~2 mins | Jumping squats help engage your quads while also working on your plyometric skills. |
| Jumping Lunges | 4 | 20 reps | ~2 mins | Jumping lunges work your entire lower half, and continue to build your plyometrics |
| Burpees | 5 | 20 burpees | Every 2 mins | Burpees are a great all-body exercise that will help you improve your cardiovascular capabilities. |
| Calf Raises | 4 | To failure | ~3 mins | Calf muscles will develop naturally by running, but get a headstart and prevent injury by executing calf raises. |
Summary
The training programs outlined in this challenge should be used as a guide and not an exact science for your training.
For example, if you are an experienced sprinter, you may find that you can complete more shuttle runs than the amount highlighted above. If that is the case, feel free to add additional sets to your sessions or remove a couple if you are not quite up to speed yet.
Ultimately, every set should be challenging, and you should feel as though you are testing yourself with your training.
Training Goals
To ensure you get the most out of this training program, it is essential that you follow these three rules.
Make sure your training has intent – Whether you are focusing on your sprinting or marathon training, everything you do should be done with intent. Focus on every squat you do in the gym, every stretch you do before a session, and every training session you do.
Make steady increases – To ensure that you continue to impress, make sure you are always increasing your targets and training. Did you Squat 100kg last week? Squat 102.5kg this week. Ran a 5 minute 1km last week? Strive to run a 4:55 minute 1km this week. You won’t always achieve these targets, but you need to keep striving for progression.
Make it fun – Ultimately, making your training fun is absolutely essential. If not, you will struggle to maintain these habits long-term. If you make your training and running program fun, you will find it much easier to motivate yourself.
Grocery Shopping Cheat-Sheet
A detailed and well-rounded exercise program can only take you so far if your diet isn’t right! You need to ensure that you are getting the right fuel on board to recover efficiently, to help improve your training gains and prevent injuries.
When you are at the supermarket, use the cheat sheet below to ensure you are getting the right food for your goals.
| Food Group | Meat Eaters | Vegetarians | Why? |
| Protein | Chicken Breasts Diced Beef Bacon Medallions | Lentils Peas Nuts | Protein is absolutely essential for muscle-recovery and injury prevention. Each time you exercise, your muscles tear, before growing back stronger. Protein helps speed up and improve that process. |
| Fats | Salmon Tuna. Trout Herring Sardines Mackerel | Avocados Nuts Olive oil Olives Cocoa powder Coconut | Fatty acids found in these goods are excellent for your heart, lungs, and brain health. Do not mix them up with saturated fats that are found in sweets, candy, or chips. |
| Carbs | Sweet potatoes Potatoes Fruits Noodles Brown rice | These carbohydrates are all full of starch, a slow-releasing glucose that is great for the energy you need to train hard each day. |
Final Thoughts
No matter how much training you have done in the past, keeping the basics at the forefront of your training is essential.
Remember, if any of these exercises or training modes are either above or below your current fitness level, be sure to scale or up weight your training sessions to suit your needs.
Here’s a quick recap:
- Select the right training plan for your particular running needs
- Ensure that your training is challenging.
- Be sure to make a note of your times and weights, and try to beat them each session
- Remember that improvement is on a curved scale. Do not be disheartened if you have a bad training session
- Most importantly, enjoy yourself!
Now lace up those running shoes, and head out on your running adventure!
