The Best Running Interval Workouts to Improve Your Cardio Fitness

If you are looking for running workouts, you can take them to a local track. Look no further than this mix of intervals, sprints, resistance running and goal-mile pace workouts. Choose from the workouts below and build your conditioning to accommodate multiple options on your track day.

Because you will run faster than usual, start with a thorough, dynamic warm-up. Warming up your hamstrings, Achilles' tendons and hips will help you push some of the perceived limits of your current running speed.

Dynamic warm-up: Squat/Toe Touch/Run Pyramid 1-10 -- Run 100-meter warm-up jogs between sets + run one mile progressively from slow to fast jog/run:

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Do one squat and toe touch, then jog 100 meters on the track or the field inside the track. Do two squats and two toe touches before jogging another 100 meters. Keep increasing up to 10/10 and jogging 100 meters between sets. Keep these slow and feel free to add in more dynamic stretches as needed in some of the 100-meter distances (see dynamic warm-up ideas). Then run one mile, increasing your pace each lap if you feel ready to run faster.

The 100-100 run/jog interval workout: As you improve your conditioning, try this sprint/jog workout every minute on the minute (EMOM). Run 100 meters fast, then turn around and jog 100 meters back to the starting line. Depending on your speed of running and jogging, you will typically have 5-10 seconds to rest.

Repeat 10 times.

• Run 100 meters fast.
• Jog 100 meters easy.
• Do this EMOM.

Tabata running intervals: Though you can do these on cardio machines and even with calisthenics exercises, this 20-second sprint with a 10-second rest protocol is a classic way to develop your speed and conditioning. Studies show these intervals improve VO2 max when done 1-2 times weekly for less than 10-15 minutes. You can set your time for Tabata intervals for eight minutes or see whether you can complete a mile run using the Tabata protocol. You may find the eight-minute and mile distance are similar.

Norwegian four-minute interval: Run (or bike) four minutes as fast as you can, then rest four minutes. Here is how it works: Complete 2-4 intervals (depending on your abilities), each consisting of:

• Run four minutes as fast as you can maintain at 85%-95% of your maximum heart rate.
• Walk/jog 3-4 minutes of active recovery to catch your breath.

The goal-pace interval: Depending on your abilities and future goal in mile-paced events for shorter or longer timed-run events, you set your goal pace for the 800-meter distance sets below to be 30 seconds faster than your current time. For instance, if you currently run a seven-minute mile for the 1.5-mile timed run (10:30), your next goal is to get that pace down to 6:00-6:30 per mile. That means your goal-pace intervals for the workout below would be 3:00-3:15 per 800-meter set. Walk 100-200 meters, depending on your current conditioning.

Repeat four times.

• Run 800 meters at your goal pace.
• Walk 100 meters.

Bleacher run cooldown: Run the bleachers for 10-15 minutes, stopping to stretch your thighs, hamstrings and calves every five times up/down the bleachers.

You can try as many of these track workouts as you like in a single session or break them up over the week to focus on a fast-running interval day, steady goal-pace day and a leg PT run day complete with bleacher runs and extra calisthenics (squats, lunges, jumps, etc.).

Related: The Best Workout to Improve Your Leg Strength and Cardio Fitness 

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