Marathon Program

Week 1 | Marathon Day 4

Hill Intervals

Time: 30-50+ minutes, 5-7 X 60″ intervals.

Hill Intervals

Hills are not only a fantastic way to build running strength but an effective way to build and improve our running technique. Hills force us to increase our cadence, engage our glutes and use our arms for more efficient and powerful running.

Hills also challenge our ankle, hip and shoulder mobility and show us very quickly how much harder we have to work when we don’t have enough!  

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Workout

  • Warm up

    It’s all about the breathing, remember? So before you start chipping away, stand tall with your hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Take 10 deep belly breaths to focus and mentally prepare for the task at hand

    Run for 10 minutes slowly building pace from an easy to a moderate effort, while connecting your breathe with your stride rate.

    Run should be focused, tall, quick and light.

  • Get Moving

    Don’t skip the rest of your warm up! We want to increase blood flow to all our joints and tendons and prep them for the greater speed and higher impact of the hills. Enjoy the time not running and not sitting stagnant in a chair!

    1 round: 10 sprawls, 10 squats, 10 hip circles per leg, 10 elbow touches per side, 10 forward/backwards arm swings

  • Run

    5-7 rounds: 60 second hill interval. Rest 1-2 minutes in between.

    *Use a “runnable” hill, nothing that’s over 5% incline.

    Options: continue up the hill & slow jog back down to the start, or use a treadmill indoors

  • Advanced Run

    “Progression Run + Hill Intervals”

    35 minute progression run.

    • Run at easy pace for 27 minutes, then moderate-hard for remaining 8 minutes.

    Rest 5-10 minutes.

    Stay loose! Include things like leg swings, hip circles, air squats, etc.

    4 rounds:

    60 second hill interval.

    Rest 1-2 minutes in between.

    Notes:

    • Use a “runnable” hill, nothing that’s over 5% incline. Options to: continue up the hill, slow jog back down to the start, or use a treadmill indoors.

    Miles: 6

Cool down & Mobility

3 minutes easy run/walk cool down

1 minutes foot rolling per side with a ball

***Run is not finished until after you’ve done your mobility***

Videos

  • Warmup

    1. Breathing Warmup

    2. Speed Day Dynamic Warmup

  • Mobility

    3. Speed Day Mobility Work