5k Training Program

Week 2 | Day 9

Run Drills:
Get
Rocking

Time: 20 - 45 minutes.
“I don’t want to be better than you or her or him – I want to be better than I am right now” -Kerri Walsh

Everybody talks about how important the forward lean is to more efficient running.  When you lean forward and get your center of gravity moving in front of you, your body is forced to step to keep from falling. Keep leaning forward and gravity helps propel you forward with less effort on your part.  As long as you don’t forget to take that step. Then you face plant. Nobody wants that. Be safe – take a step.

We want to talk about how to best initialize that forward lean. We think that leading with your hips is the most efficient way to learn to lean.   We have two separate drills for you today that will help ingrain the feeling of having your hips forward: heel-toe rocks and arch-body rocks. One will feel immediately applicable and the other will seem somewhat silly. We’ll let you decide which is which.

For those about to rock, we salute you!

Choose A Training Week
BACK TO MARATHON HOME
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 6

Workout

  • Running Warm Up
    Duration:

    Beginner: 3-5 minutes
    Intermediate: 5-7 minutes
    Advanced: 7-10 minutes

    Instructions:

    Beginner: Alternate run 30 seconds, walk 30 seconds
    Intermediate & Advanced: Run

    Effort Level:

    All Levels: RPE 3 out of 10

  • Dynamic Warm Up: Leg Swings and Arm Hugs

    Leg Swings & Arm Hugs

  • Special Warm Up Exercises: Arch Rocks

    We think it’s so important to reinforce the “leading with the hips” feeling, that we’re going to include some additional exercises to do just before you head out on your workout.  We call this exercise an Arch Rock.

    The exercise will seem a little unusual in that you lie on the ground to do it. The important thing to learn is to sense which muscles you’re engaging to drive your hips into the ground, while simultaneously lifting your legs off the ground.  This is the muscle memory we’re trying to build.

    Instructions

    Beginner: 2 sets of 10 arch rocks
    Intermediate & Advanced: 2 sets of 20 arch rocks

  • Main Set

    Duration

    Beginner: 15 minutes
    Intermediate: 15 – 20 minutes
    Advanced: 20 – 25 minutes

    Instructions

    All Levels: 10 heel-toe rocks every 5 minutes for the run duration listed above.

    Effort Level

    All Levels: RPE 5 out of 10

  • Cool Down
    Duration

    Beginner: 2 – 5 minutes
    Intermediate: 5 – 7 minutes
    Advanced: 7-10 minutes

    Instructions

    Beginner:
    Alternate Run 30 seconds / Walk 30 seconds

    Intermediate & Advanced:
    Run easy

    Effort level

    All Levels: RPE 3 out of 10

  • Special Cool Down Exercise: More Arch Rocks!

    As with the pre-run special exercises, we’re back for a few more sets of the Arch Rocks. The purpose here is the same as it was before – to help build the muscle memory of “hips forward”.  You’ll have earned your post-workout smoothie when you’re done.

    Instructions

    Beginner: 2 sets of 10 arch rocks
    Intermediate & Advanced: 2 sets of 15-20 arch rocks

  • Mobility: Quads

    “My quads aren’t tight,” said No. Runner. Ever. Get to know all four of your quad muscles north-to-south and east-to-west