If you are a member who finds yourself “conveniently” needing to grab your water bottle or tie your shoe laces when the coach announces a run in the WOD, you are not alone. Running can feel intimidating, but there is one absolute truth: Not running won’t improve your running. Embracing Running Scaling can help you overcome this challenge.
The key to fixing running isn’t sprinting; it’s consistent, scaled exposure through methods like Running Scaling. At CrossFit Chiltern, we use specific time and distance caps to ensure you get the stimulus you need without hitting complete system failure.
Here are 4 critical coaching strategies to help you stop dodging the runs and start building your endurance engine with Running Scaling:
1. Master the Time Cap (The Safe Zone)
You should never spend an excessive amount of time running, as it kills the metabolic stimulus of the WOD. We coach specific time domains for standard distances.
- The Guide: Know your limits. If a WOD calls for a distance, ensure you complete it within these typical time domains:
- 200m: Under 1:10
- 400m: Under 2:30
- 800m: Under 5:00
- 1600m (1 Mile): Under 10:00
- The Scaling: If you can’t hit the cap, you must reduce the distance. Even scaling down to a quarter distance is better than walking the entire 400m. Some of our older athletes even use shuttle runs for the required time rather than distance to ensure they hit the correct time cap.
2. The Golden Rule of Walking (The Permission Slip)
Many athletes feel like a failure if they have to walk during a run. This is false. The failure is not running at all.
- The Fix: Walking is Permitted, Avoidance is Not. Do not worry if you have to walk some of the run. Your goal is to continue moving forward and return to running as quickly as possible. The blend of high-intensity running and brief recovery walking is effectively interval training—a fantastic way to build your cardiovascular base.
3. Attack Your Weakness (The Sub-Run Strategy)
If you are constantly avoiding running, you are building a massive gap in your General Physical Preparedness (GPP). You must make the run a non-negotiable part of your training.
- The Hack: Half-Run, Half-Sub. If the WOD calls for multiple runs, perform half the runs and substitute the other half for a different movement (e.g., half the time on the rower or bike). This ensures you get exposure without destroying your body, allowing you to train other skills.
4. Apply the Lesson to Your WOD Scaling
The moment you see running in a WOD, you must make a strategic decision to conserve energy elsewhere so you can focus on the run.
- The Hack: Conserve for the Road. If the WOD is Run + Heavy Squats, scale the squat weight down to 50% so you conserve the energy necessary to focus on the run intervals. The goal is to spend the energy where your weakness lies (the run), ensuring you are building your endurance engine, not just maintaining your strength.
Stop Dodging, Start Running
The best way to get better at running is to run. Embrace the interval, respect the time cap, and know that every step, even a walking one, improves your capacity.
Book a Discovery Call today with one of our team!
Let’s discuss your goals and how we can integrate strategic conditioning work into your routine to ensure you are ready for anything.
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