Welcome to Workout Wednesdays! This column is a set of shorter blogs targeted specifically towards providing newer runners with a tangible place to start running beyond just going out to jog a few miles. I usually do these workouts on Wednesdays, but you can incorporate them into your schedule wherever it makes sense. I also recommend consuming some sort of nutrition before your workouts – my default is a cold glass of Chia Fresca. If you have a go-to workout that you run regularly and want to share with other readers, please reach out through our contact page to be featured in a future Workout Wednesday.
You may have noticed if you’ve been following the blog for a while, that I lean towards distance running in a lot of what I write about. Today’s workout is no deviation from that trend (though shorter distance runners can still benefit!). The key to these 800s is to keep them consistent. If your goal is to run a 3:30 marathon then run at an 8:00 minute pace, don’t try to dip below that. Your money is made on the last few iterations: keep your pace steady and ensure you are following a 1:1 rest cycle (rest for the same amount of time it takes to run) after each 800. This workout is best positioned towards the end of a training cycle and is a great way to experience what race pace should feel like without actually getting out and running a full marathon.
The Workout:
1-2 mile warmup
10 x 800m @ marathon pace
1-2 mile cooldown
Now that you’re finished, go down a delicious recovery drink and definitely do not forget to stretch!
Let us know how the workout went and how we can improve in the comments below. Was anything about the workout unclear? If you have a workout you want to share reach out via our contact page and don’t forget to follow the blog to get these delivered straight to your inbox.
If you enjoyed this workout, check out: Workout Wednesdays #2.