Super Six: The Only Workouts You'll Ever Need

Over the years I dreamed of evolving into the coach with hundreds (if not thousands) of workouts at my disposal. I longed to be the Joe Paterno of running, complete with my version of the 8-inch-thick playbook and a specific, detailed X & O workout for every aspect of improving endurance-based performance. The plain truth is less sensational and far more . . . well, plain. Be it early season base phase training, mid-season tempo work, or late-year peaking, I continually find myself returning to many of the same workouts. And while these sessions are implemented differently depending on time of year, cycle of training, and individual needs, these workouts have proven extremely successful here at our training center in the Blue Ridge Mountains. I jokingly call them “the only six workouts you will ever need.”

As with most coaches/advisors, the workouts I implement have been given to me over the years by a variety of the athletes, coaches and advisors with whom I have had contact. I will by all means give both credit and thanks for each of these sessions to the individuals who passed them to me.


WORKOUT #1: The Max Steady
(Maximum sustained steady state run or progression run)

• Coach/Advisor from whom I “stole” this workout:  Among others the late 2:13 marathoner and B.A.A. Coach Ed Sheehan.
• How to Implement a Max Steady:  Also called a progression run, a kick-down and a “cook,” these runs should begin roughly 1:30 to 1:45 slower than your current 10K race pace. For example, if you currently can run a 10K road race at roughly 7-minute pace per mile, begin the Max Steady (after an easy 10- to 20-minute warm-up) at roughly 8:30 to 8:45 pace. Over the course of the next 20 to 50 minutes slowly up your tempo every 5 to 7 minutes, concluding the session at roughly 10 to 15 seconds per mile slower than 10K race pace (or approximately your anaerobic threshold). As with most workouts you will find that this one needs tweaking as your overall conditioning fluctuates and improves. Additionally, this is a workout in which an athlete typically can add 5 to 10 minutes in duration every three to four weeks as overall aerobic conditioning comes around.
• When to Implement: Year Round!
• Effects:  This session is an excellent way to improve aerobic fitness as well as the less-than-obvious effects of improving anaerobic threshold.


WORKOUT #2:  Long Run with "Movements"

• Coach/Advisor from whom I “stole” this workout:  Marathon coaching legend Bill Squires of Boston.
• How to do a long run with "movements":  Most athletes run their longest run of the week with little to no variance of pace. Squires recommends athletes, particularly runners prepping for a marathon, change gears 8 to 10 times within a typical 16- to 22-mile marathon preparation run. Try throwing in a 1-minute surge, every 8th, 9th or 10th minute over the final two thirds of your longest run. The surge should be assertive but by no means all out. Upon completion of the 1-minutes surge immediately return to your normal relaxed-to-moderate long run pace.
• When to Implement:  Marathon preparation and early to mid-season base conditioning.
• Effects:  These runs go a long way toward thwarting bad patches during longer races, which all of us tend to experience — as well as teaching us to change gears, a skill few but the very best possess.


WORKOUT 3:  The Hill Cycle

• Coach/Advisor from whom I “stole” this workout:  Swedish coach Gosta Holmer, often considered the inventor of fartlek.
• How to Implement a Hill Cycle:  Begin by finding a loop (roughly 1,200 to 1,400 meters in length) which contains a significant hill (200 to 300 meters). After warming up, run the loop at a moderate (85 percent) clip for 15 minutes to an hour (the latter only for those putting in higher weekly volume). Each time you arrive at the hill portion of the loop, surge the hill focusing on toe off, driving your arms, and carrying the effort up and over the top of the hill, then back off to moderate tempo again until reaching your next loop hill surge.
• When to Implement:  Year Round!
• Effects:  This session, which we will use as often as once every three weeks, has shown to improve lack of biomechanical efficiency, power, frequency of foot strike and a range of other common maladies. This is a must-try.