Want to run a faster 5K? 

I am going to reminisce a little. I started organized running when I attended Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois. My track coach and all time mentor, was and still is Mr. Poole.  I remember days when Mr. Poole was coaching the sprinters on the track.  Mr. Poole was a state champion himself in his days of attending high school.  He would have the middle distance runners and long distance runners doing stadium runs, Indian runs and interval runs.  Mr. Poole was a coach that could definitely get the maximum effort out of me as well as everyone else around him both on and off the track. I still think of Mr. Poole as a mentor and one of the most influential men in my life.  Message me if you want to compare PR times.  (ha ha ha, always a competitor)

Here are a few workouts that I saw in Men’s Health that brought back all the great memories:

Landmark Race
You’ll want at least one other partner for this playground-style interval game.  One person calls out something they see from 60 to 100 meters away—like a stop sign or tree—and everyone races to it. Then walk for about 20 to 30 seconds to rest as the next person picks out a new landmark.  Here’s why Martin Rooney likes it: “Because each partner never knows when and what the next target is, they have to stay completely physically tense and mentally alert for the next challenge.”

Stadium Intervals
Rooney frequently uses this method with the high-profile athletes he trains, including Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice and UFC fighter Frankie Edgar. Find a local high school with a stadium and set of steps. Sprint up the steps as fast as possible and then come down under control with a light jog. Repeat for 8 to 10 sets. This workout helps you work on your sprinting form, and—because of the huge angle of the steps—increases the demand on more active acceleration muscles like your glutes and quads that don’t get worked as much on flat surfaces. (Read more about why running stairs may be The Hardest Workout You’re Not Doing.)

Straights and Curves
This is an easy program you can do on any track. Sprint the straight length of the track (100 meters) and then walk the curve. The sprint should take about 15 seconds or less, and about 45 seconds for the curve to recover. Then, repeat for 8 to 10 sets. “This is a demanding way to have built-in work and recovery without the need for a stopwatch,” says Rooney.

More from www.MensHealth.com

STAND BY FOR MY NEXT BLOG, RUNNING YOUR OWN RACE, ON AND OFF THE FIELD.

Brent Montella, Realtor
HRRA CIRCLE OF EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNER
Sea Shore Realty
1777 London Bridge Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23456
757-288-8268 call or text