Crush It. Then Cool It

New research suggests you may enjoy runs more if you get the tough parts out of the way early.

- Cindy Kuzma

PROGRESSION RUNS that end fast. Races where you finish with a kick. Long kilometers that toughen as they pile on. Many running experiences involve easing in – and finishing hard.

But a new study in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology supports flipping that format. Participants who ramped down as a workout progressed instead of building up rated the experience as more pleasant, says study author Panteleimon Ekkekakis, PhD, of Iowa State University. Those good vibes probably increase the odds they’ll exercise again, he says.

Still, many runners enjoy difficult efforts, but even they can benefit from an occasional easy-finish run. Here’s how to put ramping down into practice.

EVERYDAY RUNS

A new or recently rebooted running routine nearly always feels tough. Muscles and joints ache until your body adapts to the regular pounding of feet against ground. And your heart struggles to shuttle oxygen-rich blood to your muscles, leaving you huffing and puffing, says Dr Greg McMillan, coach and exercise physiologist.

Starting with run walk intervals decreases physical and mental strain, says De Mary Jung, an exercise psychology researcher at the University of British Columbia in the US. A ramp-down plan may trigger a surge of feel good hormones earlier so you feel better during and after your workout, Ekkekakis says.