Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.
Now let's get started by talking about the motivation to run.
Do you still have it? If you're like many runners, you might be feeling tired, burnt out or lacking the zeal you once had. Some of this might be due to the weather... I mean getting out in the cold and darkness day after day can wear on a person right? Or maybe you went running full force into 2021 and are now feeling fatigued and sluggish? Whatever the reason, throwing some intervals into your routine may be just what you need to reignite the passion you once felt.
And if you think intervals are just for beginners, older runners, or ultra runners think again. The Run/Walk/Run Method is good for everybody!! But before I give you my two cents on the subject from my years of coaching runners of all ages and abilities, check out some of the benefits you can reap from this trend that is rapidly and exponentially growing.
The continuous use of any muscle used the same way, increases fatigue more rapidly. Continuing to run continuously, with fatigued muscles, will greatly increase the chance of injury. Walk breaks serve to lengthen the amount of time it takes for those muscles to become fatigued. For the average runner, walk breaks will also tend to produce a faster time in all races from the 5K up. The average improvement in a marathon among those who've run several without walk breaks is about 13 minutes faster when using the strategic walks.
Calorie Burn
Since intervals are all about changing the pace at which you run, your heart rate will be constantly rising and falling during the workout. This means that your body will be burning more calories due to the rise in your heart rate. With intervals, you can burn more calories than you would at a steady pace run but in the same amount of time or less.
Weight Loss
Anytime you increase the intensity of a physical activity, you also increase the number of calories that you are burning. Even though interval training consists of only short bursts of speed, this is enough to raise your heart rate and increase your calorie burn. Since your heart rate is increasing throughout the workout, your body will also continue to burn calories at a higher rate after your workout, which can help lead to weight loss.
The bursts of speed you perform during interval training help to get you into better cardiovascular shape. When your aerobic capacity improves, you'll be able to work out for a longer period of time without getting tired. That means you can run farther than if you abstained from the walk breaks. It also means that you will be able to complete a workout quicker. For example, if you are working toward a shorter mile time, training with intervals can help you to run one in a shorter amount of time due to your improved fitness level.
Fights Off Boredom and Engages Your Mind
If running is your typical cardio workout of choice, hitting the treadmill, the road or the trail a few times a week can get boring after a while; especially if you have to do most of your workouts alone or use the same route. Adding intervals into your normal workout is a way to fight off boredom and keep you motivated and focused. As an added bonus, running intervals reward each run cycle completed with a walk cycle. This makes your mind happy! And when your mind is happy, your heart is happy and when your heart is happy, your whole body is happy. Walk breaks serve as a "pat on the back" for a job well done but give you time to literally stop and smell the roses. And isn't running supposed to make you happy?
And if you needed an extra incentive to try intervals, consider this....
You may be able to run faster and will definitely recover faster.
Most runners who utilize intervals will tell you that the run-walk-run strategy helps them perform just as well, in terms of finish time, as someone who runs without stopping but with much less muscle discomfort. And by slowly increasing your running interval speeds, it’s actually possible to get faster over time as well. And the best part? This method also allows your body to better counteract the effects of lactic acid buildup which will allow you to run for longer periods of time with much faster recovery time.
So there you have it friends... those are just some of the benefits you will reap from the run-walk-run method. Still skeptical about trying it? Well here's the two cents I promised you. While everything above is most definitely true about intervals, if you're a die-hard-gotta-get-in-those-fast-miles-and-meet-my-weekly-quota-I-don't-have-time-for-walk-breaks runner, intervals can help bring balance back into your life. I know they did for me. On more than one occasion, allowing myself to add in walk breaks on some of my runs helped me to focus on being in the now... on grabbing hold of some of the precious moments I had been blessed with to simply be. To breathe in the air and really smell it, to look around at nature and really see it, and to listen to the song of the birds nestled in the trees and really hear it. Slowing down caused me to remember that running was a gift I didn’t deserve but had been granted by a God who loves me and who reminds me that this gift wasn't given so much to add days to my life but to add life to my days. So don't be afraid to try some intervals. It might take some time to find the run/walk time ratio that is right for you but you'll be so glad you did.
Happy Running!!!
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