Craig's Track Tempo
Workout - Craig's Track Tempo
- 1.6km @ 5'30''/km
- 4 lots of:
- 200m @ 5'00''/km
- 200m @ 5'30''/km
- 6.4km @ 3'10''/km
- 1.6km @ 5'30''/km
- 5min @ 5'50''/km
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Intro: Here’s a breakdown of Craig Engels: Your Mother’s Favorite Runner, a standout episode from the Running Warehouse channel that’s definitely worth watching. We’ve distilled the main ideas so you can put the workout into practice right away. Check the full video for Craig’s deeper thoughts and additional training stories.
Key Points:
- Tempo-run focus: Craig’s previous team relied on 8-mile tempo runs at around 4:40 per mile, which burned out the runners; they switched to shorter 4-5 mile track tempos to make training more sustainable.
- Super-shoe strategy: Wear a high-stack “Super Shoe” for speed work, then follow up with sand drills or barefoot running to build foot strength and reduce Achilles strain.
- Foot-size check: Correct shoe sizing—often a half-size larger than standard—can help you avoid ongoing foot problems.
- Consistency & injury-prevention: Stable training weeks mixing easy runs, tempo sessions, and strength work kept Craig healthy and prevented the fatigue and setbacks that plagued his earlier programs.
Workout Example:
4-5 Mile Tempo on the Track
- Warm-up: 1 mile easy, then 4 × 200 m strides at 5K effort
- Main set: 4 miles at target 4:40 per mile (roughly 7:20 per mile) on the track, maintaining an even pace (a GPS watch or manual splits work fine).
- Cool-down: 1 mile easy followed by 5 minutes of sand drills (high knees, bounding, or barefoot shuffles) to reinforce foot strength. Adjust the distance or pace to your current level—aim for 3 miles at 5:00 per mile if you’re newer to this type of work.
Closing Note: Take this tempo-track session for a spin and cap it off with sand drills, then customize the paces in the Pacing app to suit your own targets. Get after it, stay healthy, and dive into the full episode for Craig’s deeper insights and more training stories!