If you’ve ever Deputy Editor, Health & Fitness, only to completely bonk halfway through, then you need a progression run on your training schedule. A progression run basically means you get faster with each effort, whether you’re doing a form of a tempo run or interval work.

Runner’s World coach, Jess Movold, chose intervals You can also follow along in the video above where Coach Jess talks you through the workout progression run, giving you short recovery breaks between work periods—and requiring you to hit a quicker pace with each effort.

The Benefits of a Progression Run

“A progression run provides an excellent opportunity to practice Ab Exercises for Beginner Runners negative split,” says Coach Jess. That means your average speed in the second half of a race is faster than the first half.

The reason a progression helps with that negative split: It teaches you control. “You are holding a specific pace, rather than a max-out effort/speed. It takes control and practice to learn paces and execute them on race day,” Coach Jess adds.

running on the treadmill paces feel like, and how to hold onto them, is also one of the advantages of doing this progression run on a treadmill, specifically. The numbers are right in front of you, so, as Coach Jess says, you can’t hide from them—you have to keep pushing through. “This teaches discipline and awareness,” she says. “When you set the pace to something uncomfortable, focus on mental control, excellent form, and then just settle in and keep going.”

In addition to better pacing technique, a progression run can help you with a finishing kick A 30-Minute Treadmill Progression Run power and stamina required to pick up the pace on tired legs. As you The Benefits of the Stair Climbing for Runners with each round in this workout, and fatigue settles in, you teach the body and mind to keep moving. “By the third round, you’re going to feel exhausted and tired,” Coach Jess says. “Pushing hard in the final one-minute effort will help teach your body how to muster strength and resilience just like when you see the finish line [and hit a high gear].”

Minute Indoor Workout running on the treadmill itself. You get to forget about the weather, terrain, wind, or other runners and instead focus on what’s in front of you—learning, practicing, and executing your interval paces, Coach Jess says, sans distractions.

“In short, this workout will teach you pacing, increase your ability to work hard, generate endurance Mallory Creveling, CPT mental stamina,” she adds.

A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, shes now based in Easton, Pennsylvania

Start your workout with a six-minute easy jog or walk. This should be at a super easy pace—something you can run while also having a conversation.

Then you have three rounds of intervals, with 60 seconds of rest between each effort. The first three minutes of effort require your threshold or half-marathon pace, How to Stick to Your Goal Pace During Intervals effort. The next two-minute effort interval calls for a 10K pace or about 85% of your all-out effort. And the final minute means kicking it up to 5K pace, or about 90% of your all-out effort. To make it a little easier, each of these intervals should be at a pace that’s about 10 to 15 seconds faster than the previous push.

Finish up your workout with a cool down, Races - Places. Foam rolling or stretching works, too.

Save the Workout Plan

You can also follow along in the video above where Coach Jess talks you through the workout.

treadmill training workout plan for a progression run
    Headshot of Mallory Creveling, CPT
    Mallory Creveling, CPT
    Deputy Editor, Health & Fitness

    Mallory Creveling is an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, who also holds certifications in kettlebell training, sports performance, and more. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition for a wide range of publications, and nearly 10 years of experience as a trainer and fitness instructor. Mallory stays on top of her continuing education in fitness, as well as the latest science in wellness. She has worked with some of the best experts in their medical fields, and regularly interviews researchers, trainers, athletes, and more to find the best advice for readers looking to improve their performance and well-being. As a freelance writer, Mallory's work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, Pennsylvania.