These running WODs are designed to push your engine and conditioning to new levels.
If you’re feeling brave then choose a number from 1 – 10 BEFORE you scroll through the WODs.
Make your choice then find out what your next running workout will be.
Running WODs 1 – Loredo
6 Rounds for Time
- 24 Air Squats
- 24 Push-Ups
- 24 Walking Lunges
- 400 metre Run
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 6 rounds.
Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.Score is the time on the clock when the final 400 metre Run is completed.
Tips and Strategy
There are enough movements (and low enough volume per set) in “Loredo” to avoid any major muscle fatigue.
Pick a strong pace from the beginning, and go faster as the rounds progress. Round 6 should be a sprint.
Intended Stimulus
This is a workout designed to challenge your bodyweight strength and your cardiovascular endurance.
The athlete should be moving fast and breathing heavily for the majority of the WOD. This workout should feel a little too long, like it should have only been 4 rounds—not 6.
Scaling Options
Scale the volume (either the total number of rounds or reps) as needed to move smoothly and quickly. A strong pace—and minimal rest breaks—is important to get the benefits of “Loredo.”
Beginner
4 Rounds for Time
- 24 Air Squats
- 24 Push-Ups
- 24 Walking Lunges
- 400 metre Run
Read more: How To Run a 5-Minute Mile
Running WODs 2 – Lumberjack 20
For Time
- 20 Deadlifts (275/185 lb)
- 400 metre Run
- 20 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- 400 metre Run
- 20 Overhead Squats (115/75 lb)
- 400 metre Run
- 20 Burpees
- 400 metre Run
- 20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
- 400 metre Run
- 20 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- 400 metre Run
- 20 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (45/35 lb)
- 400 metre Run
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written.
Score is the time on the clock when the last 400 metre run is completed.
WOD 3 – Helen
3 Rounds for Time
- 400 metre Run
- 21 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
- 12 Pull-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the 3 rounds of work in the order written.
Score is the time it takes to complete 3 rounds.
Good Times for “Helen”
– Beginner: 15-17 minutes
– Intermediate: 11-14 minutes
– Advanced: 9-10 minutes
– Elite: <8 minutes
Tips and Strategy
“The first goal in Helen is to push for unbroken sets on the work inside the gym. In order to do so, we are looking at pacing the runs to ensure we can accomplish these numbers in big, consistent chunks across all three rounds.
Just like on “Nancy”, we would rather slow down the runs a touch if that allows you to hold onto the bell and pull-up bar. If we have the movements on the inside of the gym unbroken without a doubt, it’s the opposite approach – it’s a question of how hard can we push the running.
For athletes with previous scores, doing the math for what split they need to hold across the three rounds will help them feel out if they are on track when they leave the building after round one.” – Ben Bergeron
Intended Stimulus
Helen is meant to feel fast and light. The volume on this workout is relatively low, so the movements should be unbroken. If you have to rest for long periods of time or break the Pull-Up/Kettlebell
Swings into more than 2 sets, you’ll lose the intended intensity. Scale as needed to achieve a fast pace throughout the WOD.
Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.Scaling
This benchmark workout is an all-out sprint. The swings and pull-ups should be easy enough that you are still able to push the pace on the runs. Intermediate athletes can complete this as prescribed.
Beginner Option
3 Rounds for Time:
- 200 metre Run
- 15 Kettlebell Swings (1/.75 pood)
- 9 Jumping Pull-Ups
Running WODs 4 – Whitten
5 Rounds for Time
- 22 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- 22 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- 400 metre Run
- 22 Burpees
- 22 Wall Ball Shots (10/9 ft, 20/14 lb)
Running WODs 5 – Kelly
5 Rounds for Time
- 400 metre Run
- 30 Box Jumps (24/20 in)
- 30 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform the prescribed work in the order written for 5 rounds.
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of Wall Ball Shots is completed.
Good Times for “Kelly”
– Beginner: 34-40 minutes
– Intermediate: 25-31 minutes
– Advanced: 19-22 minutes
– Elite: <18 minutes
Tips and Strategy
Start out with a moderate pace on this high-volume benchmark workout—a fast pace out of the gate will prove to be a mistake.
Quality breathing during all of today’s movements (especially the Wall Ball Shots) is necessary to keep the heart rate from spiking too high.
Match the breath with the movement (i.e. inhale to catch the Medicine Ball, exhale to throw it to the target) to help keep the breath steady and consistent.
Intended Stimulus
This should be a long grind with a healthy number of reps.
Scaling Options
Scale the skill level of the Box Jumps and/or the volume of the repetitions/rounds to move smoothly and effectively through the WOD.
If the athlete takes longer than 7 minutes to complete the first round, they should scale back. This workout shouldn’t take much longer than 35-40 minutes.
Intermediate
5 rounds for time of:
- 400 metre Run
- 30 Box Jumps (20/16 in)
- 30 Wall Ball Shots (14/12 lb, 10 ft)
Beginner
4 rounds for time of:
- 200 metre Run
- 20 Box Step-Ups (20/16 in)
- 20 Wall Ball Shots (14/12 lb, 9 ft)
WOD 6 – Dee
4 Rounds for Time
- 40 Air Squats
- 30 Hand-Release Push-Ups
- 20 Burpees
- 400 metre Run
On a running clock, perform 4 rounds of the prescribed work in the order written as fast as possible (“For Time”).
Score is the time on the clock when the last Run is finished.
Running WODs 7 – Nicole
AMRAP in 20 minutes
- 400 metre Run
- Max Pull-Ups
On a 20-minute clock, perform a 400-metre run, then complete as many Pull-Ups as possible in a single set (unbroken, meaning a drop from the pull-up bar, touching the ground, or otherwise resting in any position other than a hang counts as a break and the end of the set).
Continue immediately to another Run and another max set of Pull-Ups. Repeat until the 20-minutes is up.
Score is the total number of Pull-Ups completed (cumulative across all rounds) before the 20-minute clock stops.
Running WODs 8 – Becky
For Time
- 800 metre Run
- 30 Squat Snatches (95/65 lb)
- 400 metre Run
- 30 Hang Cleans (95/65 lb)
- 200 metre Run
- 30 Back Squats (95/65 lb)
- 400 metre Run
- 30 Push-Ups
- 800 metre Run
- 30 Pull-Ups
With a running clock, complete the prescribed work in the order written as fast as possible (“For Time”).
Score is the time on the clock when the last Pull-Up is completed.
WOD 9 – Eva
5 Rounds for Time
- 800 metre Run
- 30 Kettlebell Swings (2/1.5 pood)
- 30 Pull-Ups
With a running clock, perform 5 rounds of the prescribed work in the order written as fast as possible (“For Time”).
Score is the time on the clock when the last round of pull-ups is completed.
Good Times for “Eva”
– Beginner: 59-66 minutes
– Intermediate: 44-54 minutes
– Advanced: 35-39 minutes
– Elite: <32 minutes
Scaling Options
This classic benchmark is a long workout with significant volume. Reduce the volume or go lighter, but expect to need multiple sets to complete each set of 30 reps.
Intermediate
4 Rounds for Time
- 800 metre Run
- 30 Kettlebell Swings (24/16 kg)
- 30 Pull-Ups
Beginner
5 Rounds for Time
- 400 metre Jog
- 20 Kettlebell Swings (16/12 kg)
- 20 Pull-Ups
WOD 10 – Triple 3
For Time
- 3,000 metre Row
- 300 Double-Unders
- 3-mile Run
Scaling Options
Massively reduce the volume. This should be a long-duration workout, but not so long that you die. Try single-unders. Keep it long.
Beginner
For time:
- 1,000-m row
- 100 single-unders
- 1-mile run
Running WODs
Want to venture onto the trails? Find out how to start trail running and how to recover from running. Or improve your running with these tips from Legendary Ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter.
Enjoyed these workouts? Try these Renegade Row, Devil Press and Pegboard WODs.
Image Sources
- Colleen Fotsch ruck run: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
- running chyna cho: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.
- Running-WODs-Panchik-Bridges: Photo Courtesy of CrossFit Inc