4 Running Workouts That Only Take 30 Minutes

The off-season is the perfect time to mix up your workouts and focus on fun. For most of us, the end of a rigorous training schedule may mean getting the opportunity to try out the new rowing class that’s all the rage or the new pilates studio that just opened – but it doesn’t mean forsaking our first love, running.

In the off-season I usually keep my runs short and sweet. Since this time period usually coincides with winter and I can only tolerate the cold for so long, I want to get the most out of my time outdoors. On days when the weather forces me to jump on the treadmill instead, my main goal is to complete my workout before boredom sets in and I ditch running completely.

Here are four 30-minute running workouts that I’ll be incorporating during my off- season this year:

Speed Demon
Run for 10 minutes at an easy pace.
Run 1 minute fast, followed by 1 minute slow. Repeat the interval 5x.
Run 10 minutes at an easy pace

Run Strong Circuit
Circuit 1: Run 4 minutes at an easy pace. Do push-ups for 1 minute
Circuit 2: Run 4 minutes at an easy pace. Do squats or jump squats for 1 minute
Circuit 3: Run 4 minutes at an easy pace. Do tricep dips for 1 minute
Repeat Circuits 1 – 3 one more time

Speed Play (Fartlek)
Run for 8 minutes at an easy pace. Run for 2 minutes at 10k pace
Run for 6 minutes at an easy pace. Run for 4 minutes at 10k pace
Run for 4 minutes at an easy pace. Run for 6 minutes at 10k pace

Heart Pumping Plyo Run
Run for 8 minutes. Do 1 minute of mountain climbers. Hold a plank for 1 minute
Run for 8 minutes. Do 1 minute of burpees. Hold a reverse plank for 1 minute
Run for 8 minutes. Do 1 minute of jumping jacks. Do 1 minute of bicycle crunches

Give these workouts a try this winter and let me know how they go!

More speedy workouts from Race Pace Jess
This 5 Minute Core Workout Offers Three Different Intensity Levels
Short On Time? 3 Runs You Can Do On Busy Days