For all the hype HIIT is getting these days, there’s something about being able to run continuously for a mile or two that just makes you feel in shape & does wonders for your fitness confidence.
Here’s my how to, using a treadmill (it IS winter, after all): Goal 1: Walk 2 miles without pain or getting winded. If walking is hard because of pain or breathing, walk consistently 2x per week, slowly increasing your distance until you make it. Feel free to DM if you need pointers to help with this step. Goal 2: Run/Walk for 2 miles with a plan: Plan A) Run as long as you can, then walk the rest of the 2 miles. Plan B) Set specific intervals of running, followed by walking, repeating for the full 2 miles. Do as many intervals as you can, before finishing the 2 miles with walking. While I know some people who have been able to get there through plan A, most who try it this way get very discouraged & end up quitting. While it can work for lapsed runners &/or people comfortable with sprint training, it doesn’t serve athletes who don’t know how to pace their running speed. For those people, try plan B. Plan B, explained: For the novice: After a warmup, Run 3 min then Walk 2 min (Repeat until you finish your distance) . . For the intermediate: After a warmup, Run 4 min then Walk 1 min (Repeat run/walk intervals until you meet your goal) . . DO NOT STOP, HOLD ON, JUMP OFF & ON when you are supposed to be running- these are cheats & won’t help you in the long run. They are all signs that your running speed is too fast & your heart rate is spiking. If you feel you can’t run for your set interval, take a walk break & try the next run at a slower speed. Lower the speed until you can run for each full intended interval. Once you finish 2 miles of 4/1 pacing intervals, it’s time to slowly shave off time from your walking breaks. Try just 30s, or skip one walk & run 8 minutes straight through. Once this is doable, you can toggle between mileage & minute goals, perhaps running for one mile (or 1.5 miles) then switching back to 4/1 pacing for the rest of the 2 miles.
Good luck & I hope to see some race pics this spring!! ♥️