This Workout Wednesday isn’t necessarily a workout, per se, but an addition you can make to any run to change it up a bit. By simply adding a few “strides” in, you work on both your aerobic threshold and anaerobic power. Some people call them “striders” or “pick ups”. We’ll go with strides. Those other people are wrong.

What is a stride? A stride is a short duration of increased effort. It is not an all-out sprint, but rather a hard effort where you are in control and maintaining proper running mechanics. I usually do strides for 10 to 20 seconds, spaced out during an easy run. The easy running builds your aerobic capacity, which is the ability to use the energy in your muscles provided by the oxygenation of your blood. At an easy pace, those energy stores last longer and can continually build as your body adapts. When you go into an anaerobic state, you have used those stores up and muscles look for different fuel sources ,which leads to fatigue. By switching between the two, even for a short while, you are training your body to increase it’s aerobic capacity.

Enough science talk, let’s take a look at a sample workout.

EZ6 w/4 strides, 10 sec each.

For this run, it would be an easy pace, meaning you should still be able to talk comfortably. During the 6 miles, do a 10 second hard effort, then drop your speed back to an easy effort. Over time you will see your “easy pace” start to get faster and faster.

The other cool thing is when you look back at your run data, it will have your average pace and then your maximum pace. Those brief seconds of running in the sub 5 or 6 minute range are enough to make you feel pretty badass.

Workout Wendesday Photo Contest

Make sure you take a photo of yourself doing one of the Workout Wednesday exercises then post on the Facebook or Twitter pages of RunningDad.com or RunaissanceMom to be entered to win a prize!

Challenge yourself! Need some incentive? RUNaissance Mom and I are challenging you during the month of May.
Take a #WW selfie of you doing one of our workouts and post on either of our Facebook or Twitter pages to try to win!

(1) Prize: (1) Nuun tube, (1) pair of Lock Laces, (2) Honey Stinger waffles and a $20 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods!

Rules:
1. Post your selfie on the Workout Wednesday post and use the #WorkoutWednesday tag. Photo can be submitted on either RunningDad.com or RunaissanceMom Facebook or Twitter accounts.
2. Each photo equals one entry. Only one entry per Workout Wednesday will be counted. 5 Wednesdays in May = 5 chances to win.
3. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, Nuun, Honey Stinger, Lock Laces or Dick’s Sporting Goods.
4. Contest will close at midnight EST on June 1, 2017. One winner will be selected and contacted on June 2, 2017.