Sprints are fun!

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Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I did C25K two years ago and have been working on running a comfortable 6k (which is still somewhat eluding me, at least in the comfort department). I'm pretty slow, typically training at a 9:20/mi pace. I also have a knee issue, so I only run 3 times a week (but also swim twice and cycle at least once.)

Lately, I've added one day where I do sprints, so far on the treadmill. After a 5k warm-up, I've been doing 1 minute sprint/1 minute walking recovery for up to 10 intervals. (I made this workout up off the top of my head, I'm sure there are alternatives.)

I sort of dreaded doing this at first, but what I didn't expect was that it is actually pretty fun! Way more fun than sustained running, for example. The reason is that, for that 1 minute, I get to feel what it's like to run FAST.

So far, I've found that I can comfortably do a sprints at up to an 7min/mi pace (8.6mph). Not that fast for a good runner, but then, I'm still a relative newbie, so it makes me feel like a rocket ship! I couldn't help but smile the whole time.

Anyone else like them?
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Replies

  • rsergeant79
    rsergeant79 Posts: 45 Member
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    Yep I love to do sprint intervals on the treadmill - feel like I’m dying by the time I’ve finished them though! :)
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 698 Member
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    I sprint from one utility pole to the other on the road until I get up to 3 miles. They are fun!
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
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    Yes! When I do pickups and sprints. It makes me feel like a happy kid running. I totally agree!
  • vmlabute
    vmlabute Posts: 311 Member
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    Former State sprinter....not thank you, I now look like a disabled duck trying to sprint
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    vmlabute wrote: »
    Former State sprinter....not thank you, I now look like a disabled duck trying to sprint

    Come now, come now, I'm sure that's not true!

    I have the advantage of having never been an athlete. I'm also old. So, it's incredibly easy to exceed my own expectations! :)
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    No running for me right now because of an injury, but I used to love sprints too...only outside though. I'd LOVE to run sprints on a treadmill but I fear I'll end up on YouTube. There was a young woman in my gym today that said she was sprinting at 14mph. That sounds absolutely glorious, but it would only be a matter of time till something very bad happened. No worries OP (and others that sprint on a treadmill)? You feel safe?
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    No running for me right now because of an injury, but I used to love sprints too...only outside though. I'd LOVE to run sprints on a treadmill but I fear I'll end up on YouTube. There was a young woman in my gym today that said she was sprinting at 14mph. That sounds absolutely glorious, but it would only be a matter of time till something very bad happened. No worries OP (and others that sprint on a treadmill)? You feel safe?

    Hell no on a treadmill! I would definitely end up on YouTube and in the ER.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Not on a treadmill. That's what tracks are for.
  • lilac_bunny
    lilac_bunny Posts: 137 Member
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    I love these as well! I am relatively new to running -started 1st jan. I am doing x7 30s sprints at about 8.5mph (started at 6) one day a week, a long run one day a week and gym 4 days a week. When I say long run the furthest I've managed without walking is 4.7k but I have done 7k alternating walk and running. I am about 9m20 per kilometre too. I just signed up to do a 10k race in June.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    Another vote for track workouts. All sorts of "fun" is possible at your local high school track. :)
  • goatg
    goatg Posts: 1,399 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    I did C25K two years ago and have been working on running a comfortable 6k (which is still somewhat eluding me, at least in the comfort department). I'm pretty slow, typically training at a 9:20/mi pace. I also have a knee issue, so I only run 3 times a week (but also swim twice and cycle at least once.)

    Lately, I've added one day where I do sprints, so far on the treadmill. After a 5k warm-up, I've been doing 1 minute sprint/1 minute walking recovery for up to 10 intervals. (I made this workout up off the top of my head, I'm sure there are alternatives.)

    I sort of dreaded doing this at first, but what I didn't expect was that it is actually pretty fun! Way more fun than sustained running, for example. The reason is that, for that 1 minute, I get to feel what it's like to run FAST.

    So far, I've found that I can comfortably do a sprints at up to an 7min/mi pace (8.6mph). Not that fast for a good runner, but then, I'm still a relative newbie, so it makes me feel like a rocket ship! I couldn't help but smile the whole time.

    Anyone else like them?

    Running a comfortable 6k. Are you wearing a heart rate monitor? Keeping your HR around 75% max HR is kind of the key to "comfort" running, in my experience. Good thing you did, building your base + volume before sprinting.

    I did sprints today, on the treadmill, too. I was seriously giddy. Just an hour, a little under 7 miles in total, but it felt soon good.

    I was also beaming widely.

    warmup 12 min
    stretches

    3x:
    7 min @ 10 min mile (6.0); HR around IIRC
    6 min @ 8:20 min mile (7.2); HR barely reaching 150bpm
    2 min @ 6:31 min mile (9.2)

    cool down

    Blast some good music during the sprints and it's all good. By the end of the recovery 7 min period I was itching to run.


    I'll also do treadmill-based hill repeats. Makes time go by a lot faster when you're adding 1% grade every 2 min.
  • goatg
    goatg Posts: 1,399 Member
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    Djproulx wrote: »
    Another vote for track workouts. All sorts of "fun" is possible at your local high school track. :)

    We have an indoor track!
    I just hate not knowing my time! How do you measure it for accuracy? Do you sprint by distance and then measure time? Or just not worry about it?
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    goatg wrote: »
    Djproulx wrote: »
    Another vote for track workouts. All sorts of "fun" is possible at your local high school track. :)

    We have an indoor track!
    I just hate not knowing my time! How do you measure it for accuracy? Do you sprint by distance and then measure time? Or just not worry about it?

    I think you mean that you hate not knowing your pace. It's pretty easy to know your time. You can sprint for various distances with a time goal.

    The only beauty of a treadmill is that you can set the pace and grade precisely.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,521 Member
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    goatg wrote: »
    Running a comfortable 6k. Are you wearing a heart rate monitor? Keeping your HR around 75% max HR is kind of the key to "comfort" running, in my experience. Good thing you did, building your base + volume before sprinting.

    I have to slow the pace after around 4.5 miles. The last 1.5 miles is still a stretch for me. Part of it is that it takes so darn long at a 9-10 min/mile pace!
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    edited March 2018
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    Yeah, I love to sprint; do it twice a week. Greatly dislike distance running. I'm either fixing to sprint, sprinting, or slowing down from a sprint.

    It's exhilarating. While slow running feels more like slug practice. ;)

    Also:
    sonic_the_hedgehog__gotta_go_fast__by_jakepark3r0-d6g301p.jpg
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    edited March 2018
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    goatg wrote: »
    Djproulx wrote: »
    Another vote for track workouts. All sorts of "fun" is possible at your local high school track. :)

    We have an indoor track!
    I just hate not knowing my time! How do you measure it for accuracy? Do you sprint by distance and then measure time? Or just not worry about it?

    We run on an outdoor track. If indoors, couldn't you just turn on the garmin, run a lap, then check distance so you'd know it going forward? The other thing you could do is to load the workout in your Garmin ahead of time, and set the pace parameters for each interval.. eg: lap 1 should be run between 7:45-8:00/mile pace. If you go outside the parameters, the device vibrates until you're back in the correct pace zone. Its annoying, but it works. I also use this garmin feature on my bike to stay within power parameters....
  • goatg
    goatg Posts: 1,399 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    goatg wrote: »
    Djproulx wrote: »
    Another vote for track workouts. All sorts of "fun" is possible at your local high school track. :)

    We have an indoor track!
    I just hate not knowing my time! How do you measure it for accuracy? Do you sprint by distance and then measure time? Or just not worry about it?

    I think you mean that you hate not knowing your pace. It's pretty easy to know your time. You can sprint for various distances with a time goal.

    The only beauty of a treadmill is that you can set the pace and grade precisely.

    Exactly. Time = Pace.

    Of course, pace on a treadmill means nothing without real world conditions. It's just one metric of measurement. Still....easy.
  • goatg
    goatg Posts: 1,399 Member
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    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    goatg wrote: »
    Running a comfortable 6k. Are you wearing a heart rate monitor? Keeping your HR around 75% max HR is kind of the key to "comfort" running, in my experience. Good thing you did, building your base + volume before sprinting.

    I have to slow the pace after around 4.5 miles. The last 1.5 miles is still a stretch for me. Part of it is that it takes so darn long at a 9-10 min/mile pace!

    I know, but those easy runs are so important for your base endurance/prepping to train.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,449 Member
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    Find a local mile race and train for it. I'm more of a distance runner and tried a mile race last year for the first time. I got into a training group with a great coach and proceeded to loose part of a lung every week. :) I'm certain it helped not only with the mile race but with my longer races later in the year. I still hate 400 meter repeats but I plan to do it again this year.

    Good luck.

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