A Proper Running Workout

[DudeBroBrony]

With our goals now in place, there is really nothing to hold you back. However, for this training plan there will be a lot of vocabulary that you may not be familiar with. In this brief article we will go over the final in’s and out’s of everything you need to know for this workout plan. Think of this article as your personnel workout dictionary. In it there will be all the words that you will see in the workouts. I would recommend giving it a quick once over now to familiarize yourself with some of the terms, however there is no need to memorize them now. You can refer back to this article whenever you please, to find out what the workout plan is asking of you. There will be a lot of terms, and many of them will be running related because this is a running based workout plan, but like mentioned in previous articles, there are other options for those that can’t physically run.

Most everything that needs to be covered will be below, but keep in mind, I’m as human as Lyra, so I could very well forget to add something. If you ever see a term in ANY workout that confuses you, and you can’t find it here please email me! I will clear up any questions, and add it to the list as quickly as possible. [e-mail]

Effort Levels

Whenever running is a part of the the workout (which is a lot!) there will always be an effort level corresponding to how fast to run. There are 5 levels, and while I will give a description of each level, it can primarily be under your discretion. Effort level may be used primarily for the running activities, but any cardio falls under the same rules.

Level 1: A walk. Not much else to it.

Level 2: You’re actually running, but just barely faster than a brisk walk.

Level 3: A steady pace, your heart rate will be higher than your usual comfort zone, but maintain this pace for long periods of time should not be difficult at all.

Level 4: Your heart rate should be incredibly high, maintain this pace for long periods of time is nearly impossible, but will sometimes be a vital part of the workout.

Level 5: Whoa there Dash, keep that up and you’ll be making a sonic rainboom. This is an all-out sprint, you can’t hold this pace for long at all, but because of the short nature of this level heart rate will never come close to those of levels 3 and 4.

- DJKBrony

[Firebane]

Ah running, whether it’s getting rid of the leaves on the trees, or just to get outside to see the sights is one of the best ways to get in shape. Best of all, it’s free (baring any seasonal/windigo induced weather forcing you indoors).

Starting out: This is where most folks will get discouraged, either by pushing too hard at first or not meeting their expectations. In the first case, trying to go from couch potato to winning the running of the leaves right away is a bad idea. Or if you used to run, and are thinking to yourself “I can finish this mile in 10 seconds flat” you’re A) a retired gold medalist from the Olympics B) going to have a bad time. Twilight was right, pacing is the key.

So how do you pace yourself correctly? Well, using the Levels DudeBroBrony posted above you can use premade interval sets. I’ve personally had success with www.djsteveboy.com/intervals.html . Now, while not exactly pony related, they do offer a fixed BPM with increased running/walking times as you go, and using the above levels as needed you can work your way into running.

Impacts and running injures: I have had some knee damage from a skiing incident and thought that running was out for me for some time. Until I started doing some research on how people were meant to run. Barefoot running, is still being researched but the data gathered so far has shown a marked improvement over the ‘super soft running shoes’ people have been using lately. barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/5BarefootRunning&TrainingTips.html
I have run a 10K in Vibram5Fingers www.vibramfivefingers.com/index.htm and I personally like them. I’m not trying to endorse any one brand/type of running shoe, but do make sure you get a comfortable pair if you’re going to start running.

[harun]

Thanks for the interval info!

I've also found military cadences to have a good pace-keeping tempo.
When I ran, I used intervals also. I set the music BPM too high during the first week, so I blew myself out. Second week worked better.

Don't worry about distance when you start out; go for endurance. Even 30 seconds of running followed by 4 minutes of walking is better than no running. You'll gradually improve your pace and endurance.

Cheers,

[triplecrown]

I am somebody who runs nearly every day. I ran 15 miles this morning. That was not to brag, but to lend some credibility to what I'm going to say.

Firebane mentions barefoot running, but it is not for everybody. The ideas behind it are sound and many people get good results, but I also know people who win races and run 75 miles a week with modern running shoes.

Running is a great pastime if you can get into it. Most people find it to be torture to run continuously, but what these people do not realize is that running opens up all kinds of possibilities. If you have a state park nearby, you can run the trails. You can get muddy, jump over logs, go through exciting twists and turns and ups and downs. If you live in a city, you can explore in ways you never would in a car. You can run through graveyards and past monuments. If you start feeling like you can run at least 3 miles/5 kilometers at a time, you should check out local running clubs. There are always people slow enough for you and you can make friends and they'll introduce you to exciting places to run.

[Derpy Hooves]

I have my wii to help me with workouts wii fit plus really helps me. It has a running program on it, so I do my running on that (actually I only walk cause I have asthma) but whatever works, right?

[rainbowdash]

Thanks for the posts DudeBroBrony and Firebane, this is going to help me out running on the treadmill at the gym.

[alesand]

This is very good advice. My goal when running/jogging is not about racing but to work enough of a sweat to keep the blood pumping and the fat dissolving.

[djkbrony]

I will have a ton of additional info and actual weekly workouts in the coming days! keep checking in for more info and if you ever have any questions or concerns don't hesitate to ask!

[sherlockhooves]

Yes best way to burn fat. Sadly I can't run... at least not like I use to. When I started my workout regime I did run. Around the block, down forest trails, anywhere I could. This worked great and I lost considerable weight. But there was a down side to this. With all the incline and decline running I did I accidentally over extended the tendons in my knees. The first time it flared up I was off my feet for a week, then again it kept me doing little more than a brisk walk, couldn't even try going up and down stairs. But with some strength training and stretching I believe its coming back under control. Up until this point I had to do low impact carido to help with the weight loss. Biking, elliptical, sparing and shadow boxing. So just friendly advice for anypony that's going to jump into running. Take. It. Easy. No need to injure yourself out of overzealousness.

[Kirby Krackle]

Nov 4, 2012 14:03:04 GMT -5 triplecrown said:

I am somebody who runs nearly every day. I ran 15 miles this morning. That was not to brag, but to lend some credibility to what I'm going to say.

Firebane mentions barefoot running, but it is not for everybody. The ideas behind it are sound and many people get good results, but I also know people who win races and run 75 miles a week with modern running shoes.

Running is a great pastime if you can get into it. Most people find it to be torture to run continuously, but what these people do not realize is that running opens up all kinds of possibilities. If you have a state park nearby, you can run the trails. You can get muddy, jump over logs, go through exciting twists and turns and ups and downs. If you live in a city, you can explore in ways you never would in a car. You can run through graveyards and past monuments. If you start feeling like you can run at least 3 miles/5 kilometers at a time, you should check out local running clubs. There are always people slow enough for you and you can make friends and they'll introduce you to exciting places to run.

This, walking has opened up my local area to me and shown me a beauty I had never seen, I can't wait to get up to a running pace. I don't know about fifteen miles but I'm certainly going to give what I do my all.