With the 2010 Reggae Marathon a pleasant but slowly fading memory and the 2011 race still some months away, staying in shape can be a challenge.  But all is not lost.  Jeff Galloway has some shortcuts you can use to maintain your fitness during these winter months.  Here are his four 20-minute workouts build strength, speed, endurance and whole body fitness so you can stay in top shape:

1. BUILD STRENGTH Find a nearby hill. After a five-minute jog, run up the incline. At the top, walk for 30 to 60 seconds, and then run back down. Walk for one to two minutes. Repeat the sequence two to three times. Do the workout once a week, adding an additional one to two repeats.
2. BUILD SPEED Go to a local track or jogging trail with distance markers. Jog for five minutes. Run at an easy pace for half a lap (or one-eighth of a mile). Note how long it took to run the half-lap. Walk the remainder of the lap. Continue walking for two minutes. Repeat the sequence two to four times, each time aiming to complete the run portion of the lap one to two seconds faster. Do this once a week, adding segments as you feel comfortable.
3. BUILD ENDURANCE Stringing together several 20-minute runs across a single day can boost your stamina. Identify a weekend day that’s destined for a lot of “hurry up and wait.” Run for 20 minutes at a pace that’s three minutes per mile slower than your regular pace. Return home; spend the next 30 to 90 minutes doing work around the house, then head out for another run. Every seven to 14 days, do up to three of these segments.
4. BUILD WHOLE-BODY FITNESS Make up a home-gym circuit: Walk (or run) the stairs for one minute, do push-ups for 15 seconds, walk for one minute, do crunches for 30 seconds, walk for one minute, lift hand weights for 30 seconds, then walk for one minute. Repeat as time allows.

If you have any training tips, leave a comment.  We’d love to hear from you.

Until next time…

Reggae Marathon RunninGuy

(NOTE:  Featured image courtesy of Florida Running, Reggae Marathon 2010)