Can you lose weight by running 2 miles a day? Will your health improve? Will you sustain any injury?

If you are bothered by all these questions then read on…

Related: 

• Is Running 4 miles a Day Healthy? A weight loss plan 
• Is running 10 miles a day too much?
• Is running a mile a day enough cardio? Can you lose weight?

How to start running 2 miles a day for weight loss?

To lose weight you should run 2 miles at 8 miles per hour speed. This will burn off approximately 183 kcal for a female of 26 years old and weighing 150 pounds.

However, before running 2 miles a day for weight loss, you should have a solid running base and should be able to run a mile without being out of breath.

If you cannot, then I would suggest that you follow this guide – Running A Mile A Day for Beginners – The Easy Plan.

Although running at 8 miles/hr speed may be very tempting, however, not many of us can do that. Also, for the more pro types, this speed may not be even enough.

So what should you do?

A simple solution can be to run at 55% to 85% of you maximum heart rate. 

Now how to calculate your maximum heart rate?

An easy and workable way will be to subtract your age from 220.

So if you are a 26 years old, your maximum heart rate will be:

220 – 26 = 194 bpm.

So, your target heart rate zone for maximizing your weight loss will be: 

0.8 * 194 = 155 bpm. (approx.)

Now the plan…

Week 1:

Day 1: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 0.25 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 4 times.

Day 2: Rest/Cross Train

Day 3: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 0.25 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 4 times.

Day 4: Rest/Cross Train

Day 5: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 0.25 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 4 times.

Day 6: Rest/Cross Train

Day 7: Rest

Week 2:

Day 1: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 0.5 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 4 times.

Day 2: Rest/Cross Train

Day 3: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 0.5 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 4 times.

Day 4: Rest/Cross Train

Day 5: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 0.5 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 4 times.

Day 6: Rest/Cross Train

Day 7: Rest

Week 3:

Day 1: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 1 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 2 times.

Day 2: Rest/Cross Train

Day 3: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 1 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 2 times.

Day 4: Rest/Cross Train

Day 5: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 1 mile at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 2 times.

Day 6: Rest/Cross Train

Day 7: Rest

Week 4:

Day 1: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 2 miles at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 1 time.

Day 2: Rest/Cross Train

Day 3: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 2 miles at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 1 time.

Day 4: Rest/Cross Train

Day 5: Jog for 5 mins for warm up, Run 2 miles at @ your target heart rate zone speed, walk 0.1 mile. Do this 1 time.

Day 6: Rest/Cross Train

Day 7: Rest

How much weight will you lose by running 2 miles a day?

If you run 2 miles a day at a speed of 8 miles/hr you should be able to lose around 1-2 pounds a month. This is if you don’t change your diet. However, if you switch to a healthier diet then you may be able to should a pound or two more.

So, how much weight you want to lose?

Decide on that goal first…

If you want to lose 1 pound per week…then at the above-mentioned speed you will be able to burn around 183 calories running 2 miles.

So weekly, that amounts to 1281 kcals considering you are running every day.

However, to lose 1 pound of your weight, you need to burn 3500 kcals.

So, the remaining amount of calories that you need to tackle is:

3500 – 1281 = 2219 kcals.

So, each day you need to consume 317 kcals less.

How will you do that?

A simple solution is to check your diet for sugar or processed food.

If you eliminate a soda or a sugary coffee you will be easily able to achieve your daily calorie deficit.

Will running 2 miles a day tone my body?

Yes, running 2 miles a day will tone your body. However, if you combine them with some cross-training or any other bodyweight exercise you will have better results.

Another benefit that will happen when you combine cross-training and running is that your joints will become more flexible and stronger. 

This way you will have lesser chances of getting injured and will enjoy a healthier life.

Now what kind of exercises you can combine with your running?

It can be literally anything like:

• Yoga
• Bodyweight exercises
• Pilates
• Gymming
• Swimming
• Cycling or any other form of exercise.

Why you should run 2 miles a day?

Running 2 miles a day can have a lot of benefits like:

• Weightloss
• Better cardiovascular health
• Better mood
• Better immune system
• Better bone health

Related Posts

It’s all going great…until you realize that you cannot continue anymore.

You don’t have the courage to keep going…you are all burnt out from trying to run excessively on the first day of your workout.

What will you do?

Basically you have two options now…to give up…or to scale back and follow the below plan of running a mile a day for beginners.

And this is where you should have started anyway…why?

When you are starting out…you should not focus too much on running a huge distance.

Instead, you should invest yourself in learning the proper running form and building a solid running base. 

And when you train to run a mile a day you are doing exactly that. You will also start building your stamina and will get back into great cardiovascular shape.

Running a mile a day – the plan

There are too many plans out there that promise you big like helping you to run a marathon in a couple of weeks. 

But let’s be honest…first you need to learn to run and should not be burnt out. 

You may follow this plan or any plan for that matter…but see to it that those plans provide you with a gradual approach.

Anything sudden will lead to a lot of injuries and will shatter your dreams of starting or getting back to running.

I’ll not waste any further of your time, and will provide you with the plan.

Prerequisite:

• A good running shoe
• A bottle/pouch of water
• Any running app
• An uninterrupted time chunk of 20 mins, three times a week for 4 weeks. 

Week 1:

Day 1: Run 0.7 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.21 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 2: Rest 

Day 3: Run 0.07 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.21 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 4: Rest 

Day 5: Run 0.07 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.21 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 6: Rest 

Day 7: Rest 

Week 2: 

Day 1: Run 0.12 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.12 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 2: Rest 

Day 3: Run 0.12 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.12 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 4: Rest 

Day 5: Run 0.12 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.12 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 6: Rest 

Day 7: Rest 

Week 3: 

Day 1: Run 0.21 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.07 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 2: Rest 

Day 3: Run 0.21 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.07 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 4: Rest 

Day 5: Run 0.21 mile at conversational speed, Walk 0.07 mile. Do this for 4 times 

Day 6: Rest 

Day 7: Rest 

Week 4: 

Day 1: Run 1 mile

Day 2: Rest 

Day 3: Run 1 mile 

Day 4: Rest 

Day 5: Run 1 mile 

Day 6: Rest 

Day 7: Rest

If you observe, this plan gradually improves your stamina and builds it to the point where you will be able to run a mile effortlessly.

Once you reach that point, you should focus on improving your speed. 

How to run a mile without losing breath?

Also, if you are a beginner, do not focus on running the entire mile continuously on your first week. Gradually increase your distance and you will soon be able to run an entire mile without losing breath.

However, if you are still losing your breath while trying to run a mile, watch out for the below causes:

You are too fast – If you run too fast your body may get tired easily and you will be out of breath too soon. Instead, try to run in such a way that you will be able to talk comfortably. This way you will be able to run a mile without losing your breath.

You are trying to run a mile in one shot – This is a common problem for any beginner. You may be trying to run the entire distance continuously. However, if you are just starting you will not be able to run. You may not be having enough stamina. So, take a different approach. Use the above plan or any other walk/run method.

Related: How To Improve Running Stamina In Under 2 Weeks?

Your lung capacity may be less – Sometimes your breathlessness may not be related to lack of stamina. It may be due to lesser lung capacity often related to smoking or asthma. In such a case, you will need to do some breathing exercises. Yogic breathing or pranayama will be able to improve your lung capacity very easily.

Related: 8 Essential Breathing Tips for New Runners

Your cardiovascular health may not be in good shape – This is impossible for you to know beforehand if you don’t get a thorough checkup. Before beginning any running plan, check with your physician. Take any kind of special physical examination that your doc may suggest. This will help you to eliminate any such health-related problems or get timely treatment.

You are dehydrated – Yes…water may not seem to serve any purpose other than quenching your thirst. However, if you are dehydrated then you may get tired too quickly. In general try to take 3 liters of water everyday.

How to train to run a mile on a treadmill?

If you are training to run a mile on a treadmill, it is no different than your road running. I mean road running and treadmill running are different, but for the sake of running a mile, the training pattern is almost the same.

You may follow the above plan and use it for training on a treadmill.

However, here are some cautions you must follow. First of all, you should be running on a treadmill with shock absorption.

Otherwise, the continuous belt movement will provide you with a bouncy motion which is very bad for your knees and may cause a lot of damage.

Another precaution you should take is that you should not run without running shoes. This is very different from that of road running.

But why?

When your skin comes in contact with the treadmill belt, there is a friction that happens. This friction generates heat. So, if you keep running bare feet on a treadmill you will end up having blisters.

So, a middle way can be to wear minimalist running shoes to enjoy the best of both worlds.

I’ve personally used Vibram Women’s V Trail Runner as I found them more durable. However, WHITIN FiveFinger running shoes are also great and cheaper than Vibram ones.

One major problem that many runners face on the treadmill is boredom. Here are some effective ways to enjoy every treadmill run. Also, before skipping your treadmill routine next time, remember that it can be very useful in helping you to reduce weight fast.

If you run a mile a day, will you lose weight?

If you run a mile a day, you will lose weight, provided you don’t eat too much.

As I always told in my previous posts, losing weight if 30% exercise and 70% food.

So, if you are running a mile every day but still eating a lot, you will not be able to lose weight.

What can be more frustrating is, you may even gain weight from your running.

So, if you are utilizing your running for weight loss, then you must also try to focus on your diet.

And while you are at that, remember all your macronutrients are important – in other words, your food should have a balance of protein, carbs, and fat.

Yes, you read it right – carbs and fat. If you skimp on that, your body will revolt and you will not be able to reduce your weight effectively.

If you are not sure what to eat, follow this food guide. It not only has the details of food that are good for your body, but will also help you to build your running stamina.

What kind of result should I expect, if I run 1 mile a day?

If by result you mean weight loss, then sure, it may happen. However, that is not guaranteed.

Here are some of the other results of running a mile a day:

• You will have improved cardiovascular health.
• Your depression and mood swings will be under control.
• You will enjoy stronger bones.
• Your sleep quality will improve.
• Your brain function will develop.
• You will be less stressed.
• Your weight will be under control.
• Your lifespan may improve.

Can I run a mile every day?

Technically you can run a mile every day. However, there are certain problems with that.

Running is very demanding on your body and running a mile is not a very short distance.

So, if you are running every day, your body will not get any time to recover itself. So, sooner or later you will start to see some injuries getting developed.

And if you still run with those injuries, they may develop into something more damaging over time and you will have to stop your exercises completely.

If you still go ahead with running every day, watch out for burnout signs like:

• Knee pain
• Calf muscle stiffness and pain.
• Pain in the Achilles tendons or in your foot arch.
• Sprained ankle.
• Pain in the groin area.
• Pain in your lower back.

Will running a mile a day improve my stamina?

Yes running a mile a day will improve your stamina. Also, you will be building a solid running base for yourself.

What else?

You will be able to improve your overall health.

However, running a mile a day will improve your stamina so far. If you still want to improve it more, then you will have to use other strategies.

Related: 17 Insanely Actionable Tips to Improve Your Running Endurance Today

If I run a mile a day, will I get faster?

The answer depends. You may or may not get faster. 

I’m experimenting with a couple of plans to find out which helps me to run a faster mile.

Once I can pinpoint one, I’ll be sharing that with you.

Conclusion

Running a mile a day should be the first target to achieve for any beginner. This will help you to learn to run and will build your running foundation.

However, you should try to conquer this one mile running gradually.

This will keep you motivated and you will not get injured unnecessarily.

And whatever you do, remember to have fun.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and an affiliate for some reputed brands, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost you. If you want to know more check here.

Yet again your that runner friend went gaga over fartlek workout.

You thought, its high time you will find out what it is and how it can benefit you.

Your performance is at a plateau for some time now and it will not harm to give it a try.

Thinking that you hoped on the internet…OMG! so much info and so much overwhelm.

Worry not…we got you covered.

Below you will get all the required information about Fartlek workout.

Also, you have 5 sample plans to choose from and get started right away.

Can Fartlek workout improve your running speed?

Yes, the Fartlek workout will improve your running speed. Fartlek is a Sweedish term that means “speed play”. This training greatly improves your speed and endurance. Fartlek training incorporates running at a higher pace and then reducing the speed. Running at a higher pace improves your average running speed.

Let’s learn more about it.

What is Fartlek Workout?

The Fartlek running workout is basically interval training that involves speed variations throughout your run.

Typically you start with an easy warm-up.

Once you are ready, you increase your speed considerably high.

Then again you decrease the speed to a moderate or comfortable pace for recovery.

This tunes your muscles to adapt to the speed variations quickly and helps you immensely in improving your average speed.

If you shorten your recovery period, this will help in building up your stamina.

Related:

How To Improve Running Stamina In Under 2 Weeks?

How To Increase Running Stamina When You Are Just A Beginner?

How To Increase Running Stamina By Food?

Is Fartlek Training the Same As Interval Training?

A general interval training can be any training with a mix of high and low-intensity workouts.

Whereas, the Fartlek training is restricted just to running.

Also, in most cases, interval training is structured and has a specific time or measured segments.

However, ideal Fartlek training is mostly unstructured.

You can run a fast segment or slow down to catch a breath as per your requirement.

If you are running on the street, you can select a lamp post or a car parked at a distance as a reference to speed up.

This makes your running fun and breaks the monotonous.

Related:

How to do Interval Training?

The 7 Best Running Interval Workouts For Speed and Endurance

15 Treadmill Interval Training Workouts: Running never felt so easy 

How many times a week should you do fartlek training?

Fartlek may sound fun to start with, but it is a really strenuous form of workout.

So, if you are just starting off, it is best to do one day in two weeks.

You can gradually take it to once in a week.

In the best case also try to restrict two sessions in a week.

You can see a significant change in your performance even if you are doing it once a week consistently.

To add more variations to your running and make your performance better, you may also try to run negative splits.

Related:

What Is Running Negative Splits? How Will It Make You A Champion?

5 Fartlek Workouts For Improved Speed And Endurance

1. Beginner Fartlek Training on a Treadmill

The versatility of Fartlek is that it is not just restricted to the track.

You can try it on roads, tracks, hills and even on the treadmill!

If you are a beginner, it is best to go easy on Fartlek running.

Also at the start go at a slower pace and increase as much as you want to challenge yourself.

Here is what you can do:

1. Start with a warm-up of 10 min, slow to comfortable walk @ 2.5mph
2. Run one mile @ 6mph
3. Reduce the speed and recover by running @4.5mph.
4. Again increase the speed and run for a while @6.8 mph
5. Recover by slowing down @5mph
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 a couple of times.
7. Run 1 mile @ 6mph
8. Cooldown walk for 5-10 min @ 2.5 mph

You can adjust the speed up to your potential.

Now can keep the duration of speed run as low as 30 sec but see that you run to give your best effort and run as fast as you can.

Or, you can make it more interesting if you have a TV screen on your treadmill.

So, tune yourself to speed run whenever there is a commercial break.

Give in your best to run through the commercials. 

2. 40-min Fartlek Run

Mostly a Fartlek Run is an unstructured one but you can always time it to suit your training plan.

Here is a simple plan with varying speed intervals.

1. Start with a 10 min warm-up, brisk walk or jog @ Speed
2. 2 min speed run @ 6 mph X 3 times
3. 1 min recovery after each interval jog @ 3.5 mph
4. 1 min speed run  @ 7 mph X 6 times
5. 1 min recovery after each interval jog @ 3.5 mph
6. 10 min cooldown

3. Fartlek for 800m

The 800m run is a relatively fast run.

Here is how you can do it.

1. 10 min warm-up @ your moderate speed
2. Run for 75 sec @ your max speed
3. Jog/run for 150 sec @ your moderate speed
4. Run for 60 sec @ your max speed
5. Jog/run for 120 sec @ your moderate speed
6. Repeat the steps 2-5 X 3 times
7. 10 min cooldown

4. Ladder Fartlek Workout

This workout method is done in increasing intensity order.

However, the duration of the speed workout decreases with intensity.

1.  Start with 10min jog @ easy pace
2. Run for 5 min @ 70% heart-rate
3. 2 min recovery at an easy pace
4. Run for 4 min @ 75% heart-rate
5. 2 min recovery at an easy pace
6. Run for 3 min @ 80% heart-rate
7. 2 min recovery at an easy pace
8. Run for 2 min @ 85% heart-rate
9. 2 min recovery at an easy pace
10. Run for 1 min @ 90% heart-rate
11. 2 min recovery at an easy pace
12. The cooldown for 10 min @ comfortable pace

5. 30-min Fartlek Run

This is an alternate high and low-intensity run.

1. Start with 8 min jog @ easy pace.
2. Run for 1 min @ 7-8mph
3. Run for 1 min @ 4-5 mph
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 6 times
5. Cooldown with 8 min jog @easy pace

Some Related Information….

Fartlek Training Benefits

If you are wondering what is Fartlek training good for, then here are some of the benefits.

Improves running potential

In the fartlek run, you workout in the aerobic and anaerobic capacity of your body.

This greatly enhances the speed and endurance and thereby improves your running potential.

Trains for racing

In real-time racing, you have to deal with speed variations.

A Fartlek run prepares your body to adapt to quick changes in speed and hence better performance as a racer.

Burn more calories

When you perform a fartlek training, you generally work out at a very high speed.

This leads to loads of calorie burn.

Your body continues to burn calories even after the workout.

This is called the after-burn.

Doesn’t it sound the perfect way to lose weight?

You get to decide the plan

The Fartlek run is generally the unstructured interval workout.

So, you get to decide the running plan.

You set your own targets, this does not make the workout scary.

And there is a sense of accomplishment once you achieve your goals.

You can even make the run interesting by setting the goals accordingly.

For example, let’s say you are running on the road.

You can start or end your speed interval by taking reference to the street light or maybe your favorite car.

You may plan to change your place after every 4th street light.

Refrences

https://www.brianmac.co.uk/fartlek.htm

https://www.runnersblueprint.com/best-fartlek-run-workouts/

https://www.active.com/running/articles/6-fartlek-workouts-for-3-training-phases

https://cityfitgirls.com/blog/fartleks

Tired and frustrated?

You have tried so many things but you did not improve…

You want to challenge yourself now and want to run your fastest 5K.

If so, here are 11 tips to run a faster 5K.

11 Tips To Run Your Fastest 5K

1. Perform strength training religiously

As much as a mental game, running is also a physical game and will not only include your legs, but also other parts of your body, like your core.

You need to strengthen all your body so that you can get the maximum speed out of yourself.

Practicing running will only take you so far.

If you keep on practicing more running, then eventually you will end up injured.

Most of the times runners get injured due to overuse and also lack of strength of the other body parts.

So focus on strengthening your hips and other parts like gules and hamstrings.

If you don’t want to attend a gym for having a strength training session, you don’t have to.

Here are a couple of workout routines you may follow and you will significantly improve your 5K running speed.

Related:

• 20-minute Bodyweight Workout For Runners
• The 13 Best Hamstring And Glute Strengthening Exercises For Runners
• Are tight hip flexors making you a slow runner? How To Fix it?

2. Recover better

Everybody says recovery is important…

Also, most of the runners, despite knowing the benefits skip it.

So, what are the benefits of recovery:

• Better performance
• Injury-free running
• Rebuild muscles

Now, what you need to do to recover better?

Have a good recovery strategy. Here are a couple of things you may include:

Sleep –  This is the most underrated aspect of recovery. Sleep is the time when your body heals itself.

You should give yourself at least 6 hours of sound sleep. However, if you suffer from insomnia or some other kind of sleep disorder, then this may be difficult for you.

Here are a couple of things you can do:

• Don’t workout in the evening. If doing so, take a warm water bath after that to calm that adrenaline rush.
• Quit using electronics around 2 hours before sleep.
• Keep the light in your bedroom dim or better no light at all. You can also use these kinds of natural fiber sleep masks.
• Keep your digestive system calm. 

[One thing I use every night is a drinkable mixture of warm water and these chia seeds. This keeps my stomach calm. Additionally, they aid in weight loss, serves as a source of omega 3 and the potassium in those seeds helps in faster muscle regeneration. It also helps you to sleep better.]

Compression socks –  They help you in faster recovery as they improve the blood circulation of your muscles and also, prevent the accumulation of lactic acid. Lactic acid causes muscle soreness and delays your recovery.

I use compression socks similar to this one. This brand is not available at my place. However, the one I use also has the same compression strength and works wonderfully.

Rest days – Yes, honor rest days. They will help you to recover faster and will also improve performance.

3. Strengthen Your Core

Apart from strengthening your hips and your legs, you need to take special care of your core.

You need to strengthen it immensely so that it can help you to run faster and can hold your form at a higher speed.

Also, this along with hips, this will help you to avoid a lot of injuries.

Here are some of the benefits of strengthening your core:

• It stabilizes your lower back.
• It helps you to run faster while holding your running form.
• Improves your balance and coordination.
• It helps you to avoid injuries.

To strengthen your core you can use these exercises:

• Crunches
• Toe-reach
• Leg raises
• Leg rotation
• Scissors
• Bicycle crunches

Here is how to do these exercises and a sample workout plan: the top 21 best core exercises for runners.

Apart from strengthening your core, you also need to activate it. Here is how to activate your core before running?

4. Interval Workouts

Interval workouts are one of the easiest ways to improve your speed for 5K.

For the uninitiated, interval runs are those runs in which you alternate between high speed and low speed.

Here is a simple plan to do interval training. It is a 45 min running workout. You may adjust it based on your requirement:

• 5 min Warm-up @ Speed of 2.5mph
• 5 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph
• 5 min Run @ Speed of 5mph
• 3 min Run @ Speed of 8-9mph
• 2 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph
• Repeat  Steps 4 and 5 for 4 more cycles
• 5 min Cooldown @ Speed of 2.5mph

If you would like to try some more interval workouts, here are some articles dedicated to interval running.

Related: 

The 7 Best Running Interval Workouts For Speed and Endurance

15 Treadmill Interval Training Workouts: Running never felt so easy

5. Hill Workouts

If you are a runner who is more accustomed to running on the land, you will greatly improve your speed and endurance, when you run on a hill.

When you are running on a hill there are different forces that come into the picture.

However, here are some of the benefits that you may reap when running on hills:

You will be running on an incline.

Gravity will work against you, so you will have to run harder.

You will breathe more heavily improving your lung capacity.

Also, due to the additional stress, your legs will become stronger, thus capable of faster movement.

Your overall endurance will improve.

But how should you practice your hill workouts?

Here is a sample that you may follow:

1. Jog for 5 min for warm-up on the plain before going for the hills.
2. Run uphill for 5 min at 70% of your heart rate.
3. Run back to the starting position
4. 2 min walk at the starting position
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 for one more time.
6. 5 min cooldown walk at plain

Related: How does elevation impact running?

6. Hard Runs to improve your speed and endurance

Needless to say that only easy runs will not do the trick. You have to improve your speed overall so that you can achieve your fastest 5K pace.

But how will you do that?

I’ve found that it is better to set some time goals that I can work with. You may also do the same.

This will give you some tangible thing to hold on to and will also motivate you when you can see visible results.

Start by calculating your goals.

To do this, first, you will have to know where you stand. So, measure your current time to run a mile at your hardest effort.

Another way will be to run 3 times at your hardest level and take the best or average of your timing.

Once you have that baseline, you can start improving it.

You should run hard so that you will not be able to talk at all without catching your breath.

You can split your running session into 3 parts, 1st and last part being the hardest with a resting period in between.

Here your focus will be to improve your speed while simultaneously maintaining your running form.

This means you will not be running at your race pace but slightly slower.

This will give you more control to maintain your running form at a higher speed.

Related:

17 Insanely Actionable Tips to Improve Your Running Endurance Today

30 min Non-stop Running Habit In Just 30 days

How To Improve Running Stamina In Under 2 Weeks?

7. Focus on your mental toughness

Do you think a marathon is a tough run?

Think again…

Although the marathon is a tough beast, 5K is a completely different one.

You cannot apply your marathon methods too 5K.

Here you will need a different kind of mental toughness.

Why?

In 5K, you will start off with great speed and will have to maintain that speed throughout the race.

Since the overall time is short, you don’t have time to catch a breather.

It really gets uncomfortable, and before you know it, your mind will push you to quit.

This is where those hard runs come into the picture. If you are used to and expect this mental discomfort, you can somewhat easily go through this 5K run.

So, prepare to be uncomfortable and you will be well ahead of the rest of the crowd.

Related: Running Brain Training: 7 Super Effective Ways to Develop Mental Toughness

8. Get the easy runs right

Easy runs are just what the name says…’Easy’. This means you need to go easy on yourself and don’t run too hard.

But how will you know that you are running the easy-run perfectly?

Ask yourself – ‘Can you hold a conversation when you are running without having to stop to catch your breath?’

If you can hold a conversation comfortably while running, you are doing great. Else, you have to scale back your efforts a bit.

But wait a min – You are trying to run your fastest 5K…Then why am I asking you to run slow?

Here are a couple of benefits if you include easy runs in your training:

• It will help you in faster recovery by putting less stress on your body while simultaneously supplying more oxygenated blood to your damaged tissue.
• It will help you to build a solid base.
• It improves your overall cardiovascular health and will make you more capable to endure those hard training days.

9. Increase your total weekly mileage

Running is an intensive sport that you cannot master in one day, let alone improve.

I’ve found that the more I ran, the easier it became and my speed improved overall.

You should focus on improving your overall weekly mileage by at most 10%.

For eg: If you run 10 miles per week currently, you should focus on running 11 miles the following week and keep increasing it.

You may increase your weekly mileage by more than 10%, but that will also increase your chances of getting injured.

10% is safe so its better to stick to it.

Also, when I ran my first 5K, I used to run one long run of 4 miles every week.

This improved my overall capacity to run and also made running 5K a lot easier.

10. Improve your cadence

Typically, this means improving the number of strides per minute.

For elite runners, it is upwards of 180 spm.

For a runner like me and you, it may be lesser. 

However, if you want to run your fastest 5K or a faster 5K in general, improving your spm can have a major advantage.

For that, two things will mainly come into play:

• First, your strike pattern which can be heel, midfoot or forefoot.
• Second your current number of strides per minute.

If you are a heel striker, then you will have to change that and make a shift to become a midfoot or a forefoot striker.

Why?

In general, if you make this shift, you will improve your cadence almost instantly.

To find out, what kind of a striker you are, next time when you run, observe which part of your feet touches the ground first and make adjustments accordingly.

Now comes your strides per minute.

You can run for a minute and count the number of strides you took during that time.

Yep! it is as easy as that.

Next, to improve it, work with a metronome.

Download any metronome app of your choice and set it to the bpm (beats per min) of your choice. (Try to improve only by 10% per week).

Now start the metronome and begin running.

Try to match your steps with the beats of the metronome and once you have done that, voila! you have suddenly improved your speed by 10%.

Now keep working at it, until you have reached your desired speed.

11. Go for longer runs

Imagine this!

You can comfortably run 6 miles.

What will happen on your 5K race day?

You will not feel a thing running that race.

Why? 5K is really 3 miles (approx.)

So, while you are focusing on increasing your weekly mileage, try to reach a length equivalent to almost double the race length.

This will ensure that even if you start off with mad speed on the race day, you will be able to sustain that speed throughout the race.

Why?

First of all, your body is used to running greater distances with a lot of speed.

Second, your mind is trained to sustain such a pace.

Related: Top 23 Tips To Run Faster And Longer

Conclusion

Improving your PR and running your fastest 5K is not that hard. However, you will have to put in a focused effort to take your running to the next level.

For that, you have to start with your baseline and a definite goal. This will help you to track your progress and also will keep you motivated.

Lastly, don’t expect overnight improvement and enjoy the process. If you keep at it and follow the above tips, I promise that you will be able to run your fastest 5K in a couple of short weeks.

Happy Running!

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If you are a runner like me, you may be having a tough time improving your speed. For starters, when I got back to running, I was overweight, out of practice for a really long time (13 years) and was dealing with bunions.

Since I had a really low arch, with this increased level of physical activity, I developed plantar fasciitis within a couple of months.

Running was painful and I had to endure the pain the entire day. I ran like a snail and improving speed was out of the question.

However, at that time I focused more on strength training and rowing. Once the pain of plantar fasciitis subsided after a couple of weeks, I started with running interval training to improve my speed. It gradually improved my endurance as well.

Here I’ve provided 7 such running interval workouts to help you improve your speed and endurance. However, remember to start slow and don’t go all out.

So, without further ado, let’s start.

What is the running speed interval training?

The running speed interval training is a running technique where you follow the alternate pattern of high-speed running and recovery phases. The high-intensity period is where you are running at your maximum speed which causes the heart-rate to get as close as 80-90% of maximum heart-rate. The recovery phase gives you the time to relax your body. You may walk at a slow speed and jog at a comfortable pace. The recovery gives you the time to gear up for the next cycle of high-speed running.

Let’s understand the interval training in details..

Does interval training really make you faster?

Yes!!

Indeed interval training has been recognized as one of the best ways to improve your speed.

When you run at a steady speed, this helps you in improving your endurance.

But when it comes to speed you need something additional.

Now, in the interval training, the alternate phase of slow and fast makes your muscles to switch faster.

When you workout at the maximum speed, you are utilizing your muscles to the fullest.

This makes your heart rate go considerably high and it effectively becomes anaerobic.

The anaerobic workout makes your muscles more tolerant of lactic acid deposition.

Eventually, it increases your speed and endurance level, which means better performance.

The small intervals of high-speed running over a period of time improve your average speed.

So, next time when you do go for your endurance run, you can find a difference in time. 

How fast should the intervals be run?

The intervals can go as fast as up to 12mph.

Now that is really fast.

If this is tough for you, don’t push yourself too hard.

Probably you are not prepared for this right now.

You can keep the interval speed around 8-10 mph.

Once you are tuned to an interval run of 8-10 mph you can increase the maximum speed.

7 Running Interval Workouts for Speed and endurance

1. 30 min Speed Interval Training on Treadmill

Here we do the interval training on the treadmill.

Working out on the treadmill makes it easier for you to monitor the heart-rate, speed and time.

Let’s start:

1. 5 min Warm-up @ Speed of 2.5mph
2. 5 min Jog  @ Speed of 3.5mph
3. 5 min Run  @ Speed of 5mph
4. 3 min Run  @ Speed of 8-9mph
5. 2 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph
6. 3 min Run @ Speed of 8-9mph
7. 2 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph
8. 5 min Cool down @ Speed of 2.5mph

2. 30min inclination Interval Training on Treadmill

In this workout, the intervals are done at a higher inclination.

During the recovery phase, the inclination is reduced.

The interval can be done at any inclination from 5-12%.

But, the inclination can cause tremendous pressure on your knees.

So, adjust the inclination accordingly.

1. 5 min Warm-up @ Speed of 2.5mph Inclination 0%
2. 5 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph Inclination 1%
3. 5 min Run @ Speed of 5mph Inclination 4%
4. 3 min Run @ Speed of 8-9mph Inclination 9%
5. 2 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph Inclination 3%
6. 3 min Run @ Speed of 8-9mph Inclination 9%
7. 2 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph Inclination 3%
8. 5 min Cool down @ Speed of 2.5mph Inclination 1%

3. 30min Walk-Run interval training (Beginners)

This is a perfect interval workout for a beginner.

Running at a high speed, of course, can be challenging if you are just starting off.

So it’s better to start with a walk and a medium intensity run.

Here is how you can do it…

1. 3 min Warm-up @ Speed of 2.5mph
2. 5 min Jog  @ Speed of 3.5mph
3. 3 min Run @ Speed of 5-6mph
4. 2 min Walk @ Speed of 3mph
5. 3 min Run @ Speed of 5-6mph
6. 2 min Walk @ Speed of 3mph
7. 3 min Run @ Speed of 5-6mph
8. 2 min Walk @ Speed of 3mph
9. 2 min Cool down @ Speed of 2mph

4. 45min Interval training for Intermediate

If you are already into running you can try out this workout.

Here the speed is high enough to pump your heart-rate but not very hight.

The duration of the workout makes it more challenging.

However, if this is really exhausting, you can skip some cycles.

1.  5 min Warm-up @ Speed of 2.5mph
2. 5 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph
3. 5 min Run @ Speed of 5mph
4. 3 min Run @ Speed of 8-9mph
5. 2 min Jog @ Speed of 3.5mph
6. Repeat  Steps 4 and 5 for 4 more cycles
7. 5 min Cooldown @ Speed of 2.5mph

5. Interval workout using uphill

If you are staying at elevation or hilly terrain you can use this workout.

Here we make use of natural terrain to give to make your muscles work thoroughly.

1. 5 min warm-up on plain @ Speed of 2.5mph
2. Run uphill for 5 min @ Speed of 5 mph
3. Run back to the starting position
4. 2 min  walk at the starting position
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 for one more time.
6. 5 min cool down walk at plain

You can adjust the speed depending on the inclination.

When you have tried this workout a couple of times, try to increase the duration of uphill running.

6. Interval workout using stairs

Now, what do you do if you want to try out the previous workout but you stay at plains?

Here is another variation that you can try.

You can run up the stairs and I bet it will definitely make your muscles workout.

1.  5 min warm-up on plain @ Speed of 2.5mph
2. Run a few floors up the stairs. Keep track of the time
3. Run down the stairs to the start.
4. 5 min walk on the plains
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 again. This time you can try to reach faster or increase the number of steps.
6. 5 min cool down at the plain.

7. Interval workout with exercises

You can make your workout more interesting by adding a small spell of exercise in between.

1. 2 min warm-up walk @ Speed of 2.5 mph
2. 2 min Jog @ Speed of 4 mph
3. 1 min side shuffle, single step right and left
4. 1 min Jog @ Speed of 4 mph
5. 1 min walk @ Speed of 2.5 mph
6. 1 min single knee lifts
7. 1 min Jog @ Speed of 4 mph
8. 1 min walk @ Speed of 2.5 mph
9. 1 min Butt kicks
10. 1 min Jog @ Speed of 4 mph
11. 1 min walk @ Speed of 2.5 mph
12. 1 min walk @ Speed of 2.5 mph
13. 1 min kicks
14. 1 min Jog @ Speed of 4 mph
15. Repeat steps 3-14 again. Here you can add double side steps or double knee lifts.
16. 5 min cool down walk @ Speed of 2.5 mph

Now once you have done this, you have actually done over 30 min of workout.

If you love to workout with music, keep the music really fast and try to move with the beats.

By then you would have already worked out equivalent to 1-2 mile.

Related

Benefits of interval running workouts

Interval workout comes with a bundle of benefits.

Better performance

The interval workout boosts your average running speed and endurance.

This counts for better performance.

Burn more calories

When it comes to weight loss, HIIT is everyone’s favorite.

In interval workout, the calorie burns happen by burning both carbs and fats.

When you workout out at high intensity you are burning the carbohydrates.

During the recovery phase, the fat is burnt.

And not only this, even after you end the workout, your body is at a high metabolic state and continues to burn calories.

This is called the after-burn.

So you are burning calories while working out and even after the workout.

Better health

The interval workout reduces the risk of heart diseases and stroke.

They also reduce insulin resistance and promote better blood sugar control, hence protects you from type 2 diabetes.

Boost VO2 max

The VO2 max is increased by HIIT workout up to 46 percent in 24 weeks of training.

Better results in lesser time

If you compare the calorie burn in interval workout and a steady-state workout, more calories are burnt in interval workout for the same duration.

So you get better results in lesser time.

Works out best for you if you have a time crunch.

How to start interval training?

If you are new to interval training, the best would be to start slow.

In the first couple of weeks, just do interval training 1 day a week for 20-30 min.

Once you are comfortable with one day you can go up to 2 days a week.

The interval training is high-intensity exercises and puts a lot of pressure on your muscles and joints.

You must not do interval training more than 3 days a week.

I have shared the different interval training plans above.

You can refer to the beginner’s plan or any other from that.

How often should you be doing interval training?

The interval training is high-intensity workouts.

Your muscles are joints are enormously worked in the HIIT.

The stress and strain which settles need to be removed before you do next HIIT workout.

This means you need sufficient rest and recovery.

It is best to do practice interval training not more than 3 days a week, of course, alternate days.

If you are new to HIIT, hold yourself to just 1 day in a week and gradually increase.

Too much over-stressing too soon may lead to injury. 

References

https://www.verywellfit.com/interval-training-workouts-3120774

https://www.runtastic.com/blog/en/interval-training-or-endurance-training-whats-better-for-you/

https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a25335864/high-intensity-interval-training/

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Oh! So much overwhelm…so much information…

Which plan should I choose?

Did you catch yourself asking that question again?

Well, then we have the perfect answer for you…

We have compiled a list of 15 different treadmill workouts to get you going…

You have to just select a plan as per your need, fire up the treadmill and just get started…

Can you use a treadmill for an interval workout?

Yes, you can use the treadmill for an interval workout. The interval workout involves a series of high to low-intensity workouts.  The treadmill is perfect equipment for an interval workout. You can easily monitor the time, speed, heart-rate, etc on the treadmill console. This makes it easy to set the speed and time for an interval workout.  Also, some treadmill comes with an in-built interval workout program.

Let’s see how you can leverage the treadmill..

15 treadmill running interval training that are not boring

1. 30-minute treadmill interval workout

30 min on the treadmill is a challenging workout.

Before you start with this, make sure you are well hydrated.

Here is how you can do it.

If you find the max speed or inclination too much for you, you can lower it a bit.

However, keep in mind that your speed should be high enough to give you an intense workout.

2. 45-minute treadmill interval workout for intermediate runners

This is the best workout for you if you aim to improve your stamina and speed.

Your heart-rate gradually climbs up.

This makes your body adapt to the increasing speed.

Here is a sample plan.

We raise the speed as high as 8mph.

You are free to raise the maximum speed as high as 10-12 mph.

3. Treadmill workouts for beginners

If you are a beginner, it is great to start on the treadmill.

Here are some reasons how it helps the newbies.

• You can select the desired pace, variations, inclination, inbuilt program.
• The cushioned surface of the treadmill gives less impact.
• Fewer chances of injury.
• You adapt to running quickly.

If you have never run in your life, the best is to run at a sustainable pace and for a moderate duration.

Here is a sample plan for 20 min run.

4. HIIT treadmill workout for weight loss

A high-intensity treadmill workout for weight loss is definitely a rigorous one.

The target here is the maximum calorie burn.

You need to take your heart-rate considerably high, maintain it for a while and then recover.

Here is a 30 min HIIT workout for you.

5. Walk/Run interval training on the treadmill

The walk-run combination is a perfect example of interval training.

The aim is to run at a higher speed and then recover.

The walk interval is where the recovery happens.

The alternate pattern train you to quickly shift the pace and catch some breath.

6. Treadmill workout for runners

Most runners love to run outside.

However, you cannot avoid extreme weather conditions or a recovery phase after injury.

The treadmill is extremely helpful during those days.

Here is a sample 45 min plan.

This treadmill interval workout for runners will surely help you to achieve your goals. This is a treadmill plan which will help you to take your running to the next level. Follow it diligently and see how it turns out.

The 1% inclination gives the same effect as the outdoor run.

If you are in the recovery phase, select the duration, inclination, and speed as per your comfort level.

7. 10 min interval workout on the treadmill

Then there are the days where you are running short on time.

This is a quick workout and makes you run substantially when you have a time crunch

8. HIIT incline workout on a treadmill

Running on an inclined surface for a long period puts a lot of pressure on the knee.

If you have a troubled knee, you can skip this altogether or keep the inclination low.

The treadmill inclination can be anywhere between 5-12% for a workout.

Here we have not gone above 8%, you can change as required.

9. 30 min walking workout on a treadmill

This is what I love to do on a lazy day.

It is an easy one, yet very effective.

10. Easy Run Workout

You must be wondering why I am giving so much emphasis on the “Easy run”.

Because it is one which someone generally does not practice.

I completely agree with the fact, that there is too much temptation for pace.

There are a lot of underlying benefits when you just run at a comfortable pace.

• Builds up endurance
• Improves the running form
• Builds up base mileage
• Good to practice if you are back to running post-injury

Here is a 45min plan for an easy run, you can increase or decrease the duration.

Just keep in mind, you run at a conversational pace for a given duration.

When we talk of endurance run, you are not running for mileage.

The aim is to increase stamina.

So stay focused on your form and improve the quality of your run.

easy treadmill run workouts can make keep you going for a longer period of time. They will keep you motivated and also will help you to recover. This treadmill easy run plan is what you need to do after one of those intense workout days.

Related:

How to Improve Running Endurance?

11. Negative Splits Workout

This strategy is widely used by most runners and indeed it is a proven winning strategy.

The idea here is that you run each mile faster than the previous mile.

So, towards the end of the race, you are at your fastest speed.

But, as the race starts and you see the co-runners, there is always a temptation to stay ahead.

And you become prey to running faster at the start.

Now, here is a plan to run 5 mi with negative splits

You can change the speed or modify the distance.

The key should be you are at the top speed towards the end or rather in the last couple of miles.

Negative Split treadmill workouts are fun. They will improve you running speed substantially and will also improve your endurance. Try this treadmill interval workout for couple of weeks and see the difference yourself.

Related:

What is Running Negative Splits?

12. 20 min workout with side-shuffle

We mostly tend to ignore walking sideways.

Unless it’s not required we don’t do it.

Trust me, they do wonders for your glutes and hip abductor.

And if you love running, you MUST try these.

When you perform side-shuffle on the treadmill, you are reaping the benefits of cardio and lateral shifts.

The side shuffle works on your

• hips
• inner and outer thighs
• calves
• abs
• obliques

Amazing!

Try this plan next time you are on the treadmill.

treadmill side shuffle workouts. If you want a complete side shuffle on treadmill follow this plan.

Here the speed is slow as we give more emphasis on the lateral movements.

You can vary the duration and speed of the lateral shifts as per your fitness level.

If you are just starting, start with the side shuffle for 30 sec and increase accordingly.

13. 20 min walk with weights

Ever tried working out while you are on the treadmill or walking otherwise.

This concept is great when you are in a time crunch and want to squeeze in cardio and strength training.

All you need is a 2-4 lb hand weights.

Since you are working out with weight while walking, keep the speed which is comfortable for you to walk.

It is better to keep the speed low if you are trying out for the first time.

14. Walking lunges workout

Lunges are an awesome exercise for your lower body.

The walking lunges help you squeeze the benefit of cardio and lunges at the same time.

Before you try this plan, make sure you are comfortable walking on the inclined surface.

Here is a sample 20 min plan.

15. Core workout on the treadmill

We have already experimented with the upper body and lower body workouts on the treadmill.

Now its time for you to work on your core!!

Here we will try Walking Planks and Reverse Mountain Climbers on the treadmill.

Ready for the challenge.. here is how you can do it.

Walking Plank

Steps:

1.  Set the treadmill speed to 1-2 mph
2. Stand behind the treadmill, facing the treadmill
3. Get in the plank position by resting your palms on the sides of the treadmill.
4. Place your hands on the belt of the treadmill.
5. Move your hands along the belt to maintain the plank position.
6. Do it for 30 sec to 1 min

 Reverse Mountain Climbers

Steps:

1. Set the treadmill speed to 1-2 mph
2. Stand behind the treadmill facing away from the treadmill.
3. Come to a plank position, by keeping your feet on the sides on the treadmill.
4. When you are ready, place your feet on the treadmill belt.
5. Perform the mountain climbers by extending one leg behind.

You can incorporate these with your regular runs or do it separately.

Related

Can you set intervals on a treadmill?

Yes!

Some of the treadmills from Sole Fitness and Nordic Track comes with interactive training programs through apps.

They also have several options of in-built programs.

How long should a HIIT treadmill workout be?

A stretch of HIIT workout lies in between 4-15 min.

If you increase the duration, this may lead to overuse injuries.

When you do a HIIT on a treadmill, keep the total workout duration to be 30-45min.

This includes the warm-up and the cooldown period as well.

The peak intensity duration should not be more than 15 min.

You can rever to “HIIT incline workout on a treadmill” and “HIIT workout for weighloss” for a HIIT workout plan.

Can you lose belly fat by running on a treadmill?

Yes, and you have a doubt about it.

Running on a treadmill is a fantastic cardio workout.

And 30-45 min of cardio is a must to do if you want weight loss.

But here keep in mind this will cause an overall weight loss.

If your target area is belly fat, along with running you must also try some of the core exercises.

The “Core workout on a treadmill” plan mentioned above will definitely help you in reducing your belly fat.

Related:

Top 21 Best Beginner Core Exercises For Runners

How to Activate Your Core Before Running

Is HIIT on a treadmill effective?

The HIIT workout helps you to burn more calories in a shorter duration and improves performance.

HIIT takes lesser time to burn the same amount of fat than the steady-state exercises and it also shows the after-burn effect.

That is your body continues to burn more calorie even after the workout has ended

No wonder why it is one of the most widely used workouts.

Now, when you perform HIIT on the treadmill, it becomes easy for you to monitor the speed, duration, and heart-rate.

You can easily vary the speed and inclination to get the best results.

How do you do sprint intervals on a treadmill?

These are nothing but a small interval of the high-intensity run followed by recovery

You can easily do a sprint interval by running at your maximum speed for 30 sec and recovering for 1min 30 sec.

The other way of doing this would be jogging at an inclination of 10% for 30 sec and then decreasing the inclination and recovering.

You can go up to 8 to 10 rounds of the sprints.

Make sure you spend sufficient time to warm up and also to cool down.

Reference

https://www.self.com/gallery/ten-boredom-busting-treadmill-workouts

https://www.shape.com/fitness/5-unique-ways-make-most-your-treadmill
https://www.nomeatathlete.com/running-workouts/