Short for time? Combine your tempo and your long run

For busy runners, fitting an interval session, tempo run, a long run and a couple of easy runs in each week can be difficult. Throw in a couple of strength training sessions, mobility work and stretching, and it’s nearly impossible. If you’re tight for time and you don’t know how you’re going to get it all done, try combining your long run and your tempo run into one session.

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All you have to do to combine your tempo and long run is to make your warmup and cooldown longer. Instead of a 15 to 20-minute warmup, make it an easy 30 minutes, complete your tempo, then follow it up with another 20 to 30-minute cooldown. Here’s an example:

Warmup: easy 30-minute jog, followed by form drills and mobility

Workout: 20-30 minute tempo run, starting at half-marathon pace and gradually working your way down to 10K pace

Cooldown: 15-20 minute easy jog, followed by light mobility

Here’s an example by distance:

Warmup: easy 5-6 kilometres, followed by form drills and mobility

Workout: 4-6 kilometre tempo run (half-marathon to 10K pace)

Cooldown: 3-4 kilometre cooldown

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