Cardio is Hardio...Unless You Have a Goal

You’ve heard of #squadgoals, well I have #quadgoals. Cardio is hardio so I need some motivation!

When you need to complete a certain amount of cardio each week, it can a drag. Currently, I need to complete 30 minutes of steady state, 20 minutes of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and then one day where I just run as fast as I can for one mile. Each session has its role, but sometimes the thought of cardio isn’t very motivating. I even wrote a post about getting back your running mojo if you’ve lost it.

That’s where a new goal comes in handy. I’ve been wanting to break my 5k time of 26 minutes for years. As I get older, it doesn’t seem to get easier. My dream PR time is 25:30, which means I need to run an 8:12 minute per mile pace for the entire race. Well, right now running a 10:15 pace for one mile feels painful!

So let’s go back to my cardio sessions and see how I can make my 5k PR goal happen, while also getting those much-needed, fat-burning cardio sessions in…

30 minutes steady state — easy run (10:30 min/mi pace) or walk at 4.0-4.5 mpg at an incline of 15-20. The goal here is to breathe heavy, with a heart rate of around 125-130

20 minutes HIIT — speed-work time with running intervals. This means run 1 minute at 6.0-6.5 mph (around a 10-minute mile) and then sprint for 45 seconds to 1 minutes at 8.0-8.5 mph (around a 7-minute mile)

Fast 1 mile — currently I do this — run one mile as fast as I can — on the treadmill and I’m tracking between 7:21 min/mi and 7:30 min/mi…mind you, I also feel like vomiting when I’m done! Update: Just yesterday I ran my new best time: 7:02 min./mi. Woohoo!!

I’m looking at doing a 5k on Nov. 12 (not to mention my Girls on the Run 5k on Nov. 19) so I have approx. 4 week of this training to improve my running time.

UPDATE
So I completed the Girls on the Run 5k with my daughter (always an amazing experience), but it was also an amazing day because my 65-year-old, recently retired mom ran her first-ever 5k. Three generations doing a 5k made the day that much more incredible. If you’re just starting out, I highly recommend the Run Your Butt Off book that my mom followed. It is a great beginner’s program.

Now it’s onto the next goal…I found a Feb. 3 5k. While it will be cold, I’m hoping it keeps me focused on getting my running time down. Let’s see if that 25:30 min. PR (personal record) is in my future…

Stay tuned and let me know if you're training for any upcoming races.