Running is simple. Just repeat the same half-second motion again and again. Since it’s so simple, I get bored quickly, and going out for a run easily becomes a chore.
Imagine going to a restaurant and having only one item on the menu. It could be the best thing in the world, but I will still go crazy if I keep having the same item every day.
Fortunately, there are a great selection of running trainings that could add variety to running.
I have found 8 different items on my running menu I can choose from so I won’t get bored. Each of these items serve their purposes. When understood well, this list can effectively help your running.
Needing ideas for your next run? Follow along as I go through 8 types of running training for your future runs. I will begin with the lowest intensity/most beginner friendly.
I have a post on training zones for a deep dive in how hard you should run
1. Rest
It’s hard for a runner to wrap their head around rest days. It feels like a wasted day.
However, rest is important to your body’s building and recovery. As we run, we add stress to our body. Without adequate rest, the stress continues increasing and may break our body, resulting in undesirable forced rest.
When you feel over-fatigued, sick, or an injury is looming, taking some rest is a good option for your long-term training plan.
Example:
Rest doesn’t necessarily mean lying on the couch. It means getting healthy sleep and eating and drinking well. You could go for an easy hike, a yoga class, or a massage session.
Frequency:
Even in intense marathon training sessions, a rest day a week Is beneficial for your long-term running health. If your body is stressed, 3 days or more may be needed as well.
2. Run-Walk
This is the core type of running for beginner runners to extend their running duration. It should be in any running plan designed for beginners.
The idea is simple. Run a bit, walk a bit, and repeat.
The purpose of these runs is to introduce running to non-runners, and to develop the cardiorespiratory fitness for longer running sessions.
Example:
On an 8-week build up towards a 30-minute consecutive run, plan a workout with sets of 1 minute of running and 4 minutes of walking for 6 sets.
Read my post on How to become a runner for a training plan for a beginner.
Frequency:
A beginner should maintain 3-4 times a week as this is the core training.
Other runners could use multiple sessions of the run-walk workout as this should be light intensity, but enough intensity to get your body in an active mode.
3. Easy Run
This is a very light effort run where conversation is easy, suitable for warm up, cool downs, and recovery runs after days of hard work outs.
The purpose of this run is to get plentiful oxygen through your body for healthy recovery. It should loosen your legs and make your legs feel better.
Make sure you maintain your form.
Example:
The run should feel easy throughout and not be too fast or too long. Just go by feel (even take your watch away!) and don’t stress on how far or how fast you run.
Frequency:
After high intensity work outs that have put extra stress to your body.
4. Base Run
This is a relatively relaxing run, easy run with light effort. Typically, more than half of your runs should be in this form. This run trains up basic endurance, aerobic capacity, and running economy. Do this at your natural pace (no pushing, light effort, conversational) and enjoy the scenes beyond your feet moving
For traveling, this is the most common run for sightseeing as it gives you the best opportunity to enjoy the scenery while covering a long distance.
Example:
Traveling to Barcelona and run around the streets for 5-10km to check out the different tourist sites.
Frequency:
Half or more of your running should be in this form.
5. Long Run
Light sustainable effort focused on building up endurance for a longer period than you are used to. If you are running a 5km (3.1mile), a 5-8 km (3-5 mile) run may be your long run. If you are training for a marathon, you’ll likely build your long run up to 30-35km (18-22miles).
The distance is more important than the pace. You can use this run to explore places less travelled or connecting multiple running routes together.
You can also blend a progression run with the long run for added variety.
Example:
While training for my Boston Marathon, I picked a 16-mile (26km) route that runs along Wilshire Boulevard from Los Angeles Downtown to Santa Monica Pier. I ran at about 1-2 minutes per mile slower than my marathon race pace.
Frequency:
Once every 1-2 weeks is a good amount. For marathon training, a long run is usually incorporated in your plan every week.
6. Tempo
This is a moderate effort run which you can sustain for 20+ minutes. If you are training for a marathon, you should be able to maintain the same pace at this moderate effort for 10miles (16km).
You are running at your lactate threshold (tempos are sometimes called the threshold run), which is the level where your muscles start running out of oxygen and begin lactate accumulation.
Most people will find their tempo pace somewhere between their 10km and half marathon race pace.
Running at this pace can boost your running economy, stamina, and mental toughness. It requires some mental pushing to complete the run.
Tempos rely on your body to follow a rhythm for a sustained period, so avoid routes that need frequent stops (i.e. traffic lights).
Example:
A 3.5-hour marathoner (8:00 per mile/5:00 per km pace) running 10-16km at 7:45 per mile / 4:50 per km pace.
Frequency:
1 Tempo per week is an appropriate amount.
7. Progression
Start your run at a slower pace/light effort and end your run at a much faster pace/hard effort. The late parts of the run could take you into anaerobic stages. This trains your body to run harder and faster with tired and exhausted legs.
With a few of these sessions, you will be mentally stronger to tackle your last sprint at the end of your 10km on marathon.
This is also a step before you incorporate even faster training for your body to gradually adapt to the effort. It is also a great effort in improving your speed endurance.
Examples:
- Out slower and back faster
- 15 minutes at an easy pace, then 15 minutes at marathon pace, finally 15 minutes at 10km pace.
- For a goal of a 50-minute 10km, run the first 2km at 5:20/km pace, then speed up 10 seconds every 2km for 10km. (i.e. 5:10/km 2-4km, 5:00/km 4-6km, 4:50/km 6-8km, 4:40/km 8-10km)
Frequency:
1 – 2 sessions a week
8. Interval
I find this to be the toughest but the most fun and rewarding. Basically, an interval workout involves multiple sets of hard to very hard effort runs combined with moderate to very light effort recoveries.
The hard part would last anywhere from 15 seconds to 5 minutes depending on the training goal and can be mentally challenging.
There are several goals of intervals –
- Boost cardiovascular and anaerobic limits.
- Improve body recovery capabilities, or
- Tune body for the later stages of a long competition or speed endurance.
Depending on the goals, the intervals would be executed different.
Generally, a short hard run followed by a relatively longer recovery is designed for boosting cardiovascular and anaerobic limits during the hard run.
A longer hard run followed by a relatively shorter recovery is designed to improve your body’s recovery capabilities.
A long hard run followed by a no-run recovery is supposed to make the subsequent hard runs harder. This is designed to improve speed endurance and simulate later stages of a long competition without running the mileage.
Regardless, interval trainings help improve running form and running efficiency.
I will have a more detailed post on intervals in the future. Stay tuned!
Examples:
There are many examples they have their own names. Here are a few for your next workout.
- Strides – Short accelerations that last for about 20-30 seconds. You gradually accelerate to about 95% of your max speed, then fully recover for the next one.
- Ladder – Increasing or decreasing intervals. An example would be intervals of 400m, 600m, 800m, 1000m, 1200m, 1000m, 800m, 600m, 400m each with a 1-minute slow jog recovery.
- Yasso – The name “Yasso” comes from Bart Yasso, the former chief running officer at Runner’s World magazine, who popularized this workout. The essence is 800m intervals with an equivalent time slow jog recovery.
It is a popular method for marathon training. There are sayings that Yassos can predict your marathon time (I tested this and find it quite true). If you can run 12 sets of Yassos with 3:00 for the 800m run and 3:00 for recovery, you should be able to complete a 3:00 marathon. - Fartlek – Swedish word for “speed play”. Vary your speed in the same run from very hard effort to light effort. This can be sprinting between two lamp posts then jogging to the next intersection, and so on.
It is a fun way for a group run and also useful for your body to adapt to changing gears. - Hills – Run uphill for 30 seconds with hard effort then jog downhill. This requires a higher effort by your body even at the same pace. When you improve, you can extend the distance uphill.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – HIIT workouts are very popular recently. It includes short bursts of intense exercise with a lower intensity recovery. It lasts about 15-30 minutes and is intended to force your maximum effort during the short bursts.
An example would be an all-out one-minute run followed by a 3-minute recovery, repeated for 5 times.
Frequency:
Intervals are high intensity sessions and difficult to sustain for more than 1-2 sessions a week.
Conclusion
I have left out strength training. Even though it is not technically a run, it is a critical part of running training as our muscles need to be strong enough to support our runs.
Add some strength training before or after a training session, or on days where running is impossible. I will discuss on a separate post some strength training exercises to help your running.
Next time you are not sure about what to do in your run, come back to this post and pick 1 of the 8 running workouts for your day.
I hope this is helpful for you to add variety to your runs. If you are looking for even more variety, you can blend these workouts together, change the terrain, or use slopes to add some flavour to your runs.
Understanding the level of effort is important for an effective work out, in my post What Are Training Zones for Runners? has detailed information to help your training.
What’s your favorite running training?
Related Reading
How to Become a Runner: A Comprehensive Guide for Your First Two Months
What is a Good Running Plan for Beginners? An Analysis of 6 Plans
What Are Training Zones for Runners?
Running basics: The 3 Components to Boost Your Running Performance
Why Should I Run? 9 Reasons to Convince Yourself And Your Friends
