Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Medium

A single-modality 3-mile trail run demands sustained aerobic output and terrain awareness but minimal skill complexity and no external load. Most athletes will work 20–40 minutes, making this a moderate-duration endurance test. Hills, footing, and heat can elevate difficulty, yet the movement is universally accessible and easily scalable for newer runners.

Benchmark Times for Ranch Loop

• Elite: <18:00
• Advanced: 21:00-24:00
• Intermediate: 27:00-30:00
• Beginner: >48:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Endurance (9/10): Primarily an aerobic engine test. Sustained, rhythmic breathing and heart rate control over 20–40 minutes on mixed terrain are required to maintain pace and manage small surges on climbs and descents.
• Speed (6/10): Maintaining a brisk, sustainable cadence and managing pace changes on terrain are key. Top-end sprint speed matters less than pacing and turnover efficiency.
• Stamina (5/10): Legs and trunk must tolerate continuous contractions for thousands of steps. Calves, quads, and hip stabilizers accrue fatigue, especially on hills, though no single muscle group is isolated to failure.
• Flexibility (1/10): Basic ankle and hip range of motion support efficient stride and safe foot placement on uneven surfaces. No extreme mobility demands are present.
• Power (1/10): Explosive output is minimal. Short surges may occur on steep pitches or to crest hills, but the priority remains steady-state output over bursts.
• Strength (1/10): No external load is used. While eccentric leg strength helps on descents, maximal force production is not challenged in this workout.

Movements

• Run

Scaling Options

Scale to: 2 miles on flat terrain • 24-minute run/walk (3:1) on track • 5,000 m row or 12,000 m bike erg at steady effort

Scaling Explanation

These options preserve the aerobic time domain and steady-state intent while adjusting overall impact, terrain complexity, or duration to the athlete’s current capacity.

Intended Stimulus

Sustained, steady cardio with controlled surges on hills. You should feel in control early, breathing hard but rhythmic by the middle mile, and able to push the final mile for a slight negative split. Legs will feel worked from climbs and descents, but you should avoid redlining until the last 800 meters.

Coach Insight

Pace the first mile conservatively—let the course reveal itself. Lock into a sustainable rhythm and open up on smoother sections. One tip: Run the tangents and manage your effort on hills—shorten stride, quicken cadence uphill; stay tall and soft-footed downhill. Avoid starting too hot, overstriding on descents, and ignoring hydration or heat if it’s warm.

Benchmark Notes

These tiers span from a walk/jog approach on rolling terrain (48–42 minutes) to competitive trail running speeds (sub-21 to sub-18). L5 targets about 10:00 per mile on mixed footing. Use your recent 5K or 3-mile PRs and adjust for hills, heat, and surface quality.

Modality Profile

This is a pure monostructural piece: nonstop running. There are no gymnastics or weightlifting elements. All demand is allocated to cardiovascular endurance, pacing, and terrain management, with energy spent exclusively on forward locomotion and minor adjustments for hills and footing.

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