Run - Faster, Longer, Stronger!

With three weeks to go you probably are up to running a full 5K once a week, maybe once a day. All this running can get boring for some, so we have some boredom busing ideas to keep you running.

• Skip - yes, skip, like skip-to-my-lou. Skipping will engage muscle groups in a different way than your running stride does. This muscle confusion will help improve your stride.
  
• Tempo Runs - Tempo runs improve your metabolic fitness by training your body to use oxygen more efficiently. This means you can run longer before feeling the pain of lactic acid build up.
• Warmup with a 5 minute walk.
• Jog 5 minutes and mentally prepare for your hard sets
• Run 90 seconds out and 90 seconds back at a “comfortably uncomfortable” pace
• Rest 60 seconds, but keep your body moving during the rest period
• Repeat 4 more times.
• Cool down with 5 minutes of jogging, then 5 minutes of walking
• Ladders - Ladders have the same benefits as Tempo Runs, just in a different format. These work best on a track.
• Warm up with an easy half-mile run
• Run a 1600 (1 mile). Rest 90 seconds
• Run a 1200. Rest 90 seconds
• Run an 800. Rest 90 seconds
• Run a 600. Rest 90 seconds
• Run a 400. Rest 90 seconds
• Run a 200. Rest 90 seconds
• Cool down with a jog
  
• Blocks - If you run in a neighborhood, you can measure your runs block-by-block. City blocks are best for these drills:
• Warm up with a light jog
• Continue to jog at a light pace
• Sprint every third block
• Run for 25 to 30 minutes
• Cool down with a walk
  
• New Jams - add some new music to your playlist. Do not underestimate the power of good tunes.
  
• New Mantra - your "go-to" quote may have lost some of its power over the months, so find a new mantra, or powerful and meaningful phrase to motivate yourself.

Best of luck! Keep running. Stay safe. Hydrate. Stretch. Smile.

Resources: http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/drills-to-improve-running-form