Running is an amazing form of cardiovascular exercise. We’ve covered some of the benefits of running regularly here, but in a nutshell, running helps to:

• Improve your cardio fitness
• Strengthen your core and lower body muscles
• Promote better sleep
• Maintain or lose weight
• Improve mental health

If you’re running regularly, you might find times when you feel less motivated to get outside or hop on the treadmill. Signing up for a running event is one way to get your mojo back, but what if it’s off-season or you just don’t feel like racing?

Setting yourself a running challenge can be a great way to make running more fun and motivating. We’ve created two 30-minute running challenges, one for outdoors and one for the treadmill, so you can try these anytime, in any weather!

These challenges are designed for people who already run. If you’re not a runner yet but want to be, check out our guide to getting started with running.

Running can be tough on the body. The best way to ensure injury-free running is to properly warm up before each run. We’ve shared some of our favorite dynamic stretches to do before you run. Pair these with 5 minutes of brisk walking to get your muscles nice and warm, and you’ll be ready for those running challenges!

Whether you’re exploring new areas or sticking to your favorite routes, running outdoors is always an adventure! Combining running with fresh air and nature is a fantastic way to boost your mood, and the mix of uneven terrain and wind makes outdoor running naturally challenging.

Our outdoor challenge uses hills or stairs to make this 30-minute run even more intense. Hill training is great for building stamina, speed, and strengthening your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. Plus, it burns more calories compared to running on a flat surface.

1. Warm up with a brisk walk and/ or dynamic stretches.
2. Run at moderate intensity (around 6-7 RPE) for 10-minutes.
3. Run up a hill or stairs for 2-minutes, followed by a 1-minute rest.
4. Repeat the hill runs 5 times.
5. Cool down with a slow jog for 5 minutes.

Outdoor running is awesome when the weather’s nice, but if it’s scorching hot or pouring rain, the treadmill can be a lifesaver. While some might see it as less exciting, treadmill running has plenty of benefits, like being able to adjust and track your pace and incline, and it’s easier on your joints.

For our indoor 30-minute running challenge, we’ve adopted an interval training structure. Interval training mixes high-intensity exercise with recovery periods, and many studies have found that shorter intervals can be just as beneficial as longer, steady-paced workouts. Some of the benefits of interval running include improvements to your aerobic and anaerobic endurance and VO2 max, more calories burned, and a decreased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

1. Warm up with a 5-minute brisk walk and/ or dynamic stretches.
2. Jog at a comfortable pace for 10 minutes (around 5 RPE).
3. Sprint for 1 minute (9 RPE) followed by walking at a slow pace for 1 minute.
4. Repeat the sprints 8 times.
5. Cool down with a slow jog for 5 minutes.

Once you’ve cooled down, wrap up your workout with some stretches. Make sure to stretch your hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calves since these muscle groups will have been working hard during your runs! If you have the time, finishing off with a full-body stretch is a great idea.

Looking for an even bigger challenge? Why not try our 20-week marathon training plan.