Osterman|Creative Multipage Publication

urning fat. And when I’m chillaxing with my family,
I’m burning fat.
Less time, more intensity = a happier runner and
one that will not only maintain, but possibly gain the
benefits of HIIT. Of
course, there are a
couple of rules that
need to followed.
Don’t run this
workout if you’re
learning to run or
new to running.
I’d encourage
you to try my
Zero to Running
Program instead.
In essence, it is an
interval workout
but without the
super-high-intensity
running you need
a base of miles for.
Once you build up
to running regularly
for 30-40 minutes
for several months,
then you can take
a shot at HIIT with
less risk of injury.
Run this workout one time per week: If you’ve
been running regularly at least 30-40 minutes three
to four times per week, if you’re not injured and
have no aches and pains, and if you’re new to highintensity
workouts. Start by adding this workout
once per week for the first three weeks, and if all
feels good (no aches and pains or fatigue) add a
second workout with at least three days in between
(ie. Monday and Friday). Your other workouts should
be easy-effort short or long runs.
Run this
workout one to
three times per
week: If you’re a
seasoned runner
with a solid base
of miles and have
run fast, slow,
and in between,
you can run this
workout one to
three times per
week and then
make the other
workout(s) easy
effort to balance
the recipe (ie.
Monday and
Friday HIIT,
Wednesday
and Saturday
easy-effort runs;
or Monday,
Wednesday,
Saturday HIIT, and
easy-effort run on Thursday or Friday).
And finally, don’t run this workout if you’re
in recovery from a racing season or a half or full
marathon. That is time you should be running slow and
easy to recover from the demands of pushing hard.
THE PERFECT
HOLIDAY WORKOUT
Warm up by walking for two minutes.
Start with an easy effort and build to a
brisk pace just slower than a jog. This
is an important step, don’t skip it!
Run at an easy effort (conversational)
for five minutes to continue to warm
up.
Repeat eight times (16 minutes):
• Run at a sprint effort (hard) for 30
seconds.
• Recover with 90 seconds of very
easy jogging or brisk walking.
Walk it out to cool it down for two
minutes, for a otal time of 25 minutes.
*You can use speed or incline on the
treadmill to increase effort. The key is
to run at an effort that is anaerobic
(hard) and at or close to maximal
effort. That doesn’t mean pulling a
George Jetson and trying to run so
fast you fall off! Hard but controlled
are the operative words here. And as
you progress through the workout,
you will get more fatigued, so it is
wise to start off on the easier end of
the speed to finish strong.
**You can also perform this workout
on a bike, elliptical machine, or on
a stairwell. When I’m traveling and
training for a hilly race, I’ll hit the
stairs for intervals and walk the
hallways for recovery in my hotel.
I know some of you may be thinking,
“...25 minutes? I’ll just add a few more
minutes to make it 30 or to run four
miles. That sounds better, right?”
Don’t. The key to gaining the most
with HIIT is to run hard, recover well,
and keep it short. It’s not about the
volume of miles, it’s about the quality.
Put your energy into running the HIIT
workout, and let your body recover
while burning fat.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’d like
to close this column with thanks and
gratitude to all of you. Without your
great questions and readership, I
would not have this place to coach
and guide. I wish you and your
families a very happy holiday season.
Have a wonderful holiday and keep
running strong.
12 RUNNER’S WORLD