OrangeTheory has been rising in popularity these last couple of years and competing with the most established fitness brands out there simply because it takes a unique approach to working out that consists of daily classes, challenges, and events. Additionally, it’s known for having one of the best challenges that allow you to put your body to the test and take your training to a whole new level. Sometimes, they can be fun and games but most of the time, they’re extremely intense. One of the more “intense” challenges is called the OrangeTheory 12-minute “Run For Distance” Benchmark, what is it about? And what are the best tips and strategies to get through it with the most distance?
The OrangeTheory 12-minutes Run For Distance benchmark is an intense challenge where you have 12 minutes to go as far as you possibly can on the treadmill. And you’re free to use any strategy such as following a steady pace, speeding up the pace, slowing it down, or even alternating between a push and a base pace.
In this article, we’ll talk about what an OrangeTheory 12-minute Benchmark is all about and some tips and strategies to get through it successfully.
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What is an OrangeTheory 12-Minute Run For Distance Benchmark?
OrangeTheory Fitness always manages to come up with the most unique classes and events that a lot of members seem to enjoy.
You have things like an Orange Voyage, Catch Me If You Can, Inferno, Lift 45, Marathon Month, Mayhem, and, of course, the 12-minute “Run For Distance” Benchmark.
An OrangeTheory 12-minute Run For Distance is exactly what it sounds like, you have 12 minutes to go as far as you possibly can on the treadmill. While it may sound terrifying at first, especially if you’re not a good runner, getting through this challenge is easy if you follow the right tips and strategies.
The Best OrangeTheory 12-Minute Run For Distance Benchmark Strategies
In order to get as much distance as possible, there are plenty of strategies that you can follow.
For this strategy guide, I’ll take the average push, base, and all out pace of OrangeTheory members (source):
Push pace (average): 7.5 mph
Base pace (average): 6.5 mph
All-out pace (average): 9 mph
Steady Pace Strategy:
This is the simplest strategy that the majority of OrangeTheory members use. You use your standard push pace throughout the whole run but go all-out during the last 6 to 1 minute.
Example using average numbers:
You start your run with a push pace of 7.5 mph then go all out with a pace of 9 mph during the last 3 minutes.
Total distance: 1.55 miles
Speeding Up Strategy:
In this strategy, you start out with your typical base pace, then speed it up every 30 seconds to 1 minute. After that, you go all out during the last couple of minutes.
Example using average numbers:
You start your run with a base pace of 6.5 mph, then you speed the pace by 0.1 miles every 1 minute. At the 3 minutes mark, you go all out using a pace of 9 mph.
Total distance: 1.47 miles
Push then Base Recovery Strategy:
In this strategy, you start out with a push pace for a couple of minutes, then go back to the base pace (with less time compared to the push pace) for recovery. Repeat this until the last minute when you go all out.
Example using average numbers:
You start your run with a push pace of 7.5 mph for 2 minutes, then you go back to your base pace of 6.5 mph for 1 minute. You repeat this process until the last minute when you’ll go all out with a pace of 9 mph.
Total distance: 1.46 miles
Run Formation Strategy:
Just like a soccer formation, you want to split your run into 4 different parts: 4-4-3-1. You start with an aggressive base pace (usually 1 mile above standard pace) for 4 minutes, then a standard push pace for 4 minutes, an aggressive push for 3 minutes, and then finally an all out pace for the last minute.
Example using average numbers:
You start your run with an aggressive base pace of 7.5 mph (1 mile above standard) for 4 minutes, then you move to a push base of 7.5 mph (for this example the pace is the same) for the next 4 minutes, after that, you use an aggressive push of 8.5 mph for 3 minutes, and then finally you go all out with a pace of 9 mph for the last minute.
Total distance: 1.55 miles
Slowing Down Strategy:
This strategy is the complete opposite of the speeding-up one. You start with an aggressive push pace, then slow down the pace by 0.1 miles every 30 seconds to 1 minute. At the final minute, you go all out.
Example using average numbers:
You start your run with an aggressive push pace of 8.5 miles, then you’ll slow down the pace by 0.1 miles every 1 minute. At the final minute, you go all out using a pace of 9 mph.
Total distance: 1.6 miles
OrangeTheory 12-Minutes Run For Distance Benchmark Tips
Just like strategies, there are some tips that you can follow in order to maximize your total distance and get the most out of your run.
Pacing:
When it comes to these long-duration efforts such as the 12-minute Run For Distance Benchmark, the most efficient way to run them is to go at a steady pace for the most part.
It’s true that I mentioned a bunch of strategies that you can use according to your own preference, but as you can already tell based on their total distances, the most effective one is the steady pace strategy.
Think of it this way: the amount of energy that it will take your body to run at a steady pace for the entirety of those 12 minutes is much less compared to what it would take if you were to alternate between paces (go from a fast pace to a slow one or vice versa).
Listen to Your Body:
At certain milestones (3 minutes in, 6 minutes, 9 minutes in, and 11 minutes in) throughout those 12 minutes of running, you should always listen to what your body is saying.
If you’re at the 6-minute mark and feel like you could be going at a faster pace, then go for it as long as you don’t overdo it and regret it later. Similarly, if you’re at the 9-minute mark and feel like you’re about to hit your limit, then slow down your pace until the last minute when you’ll go all in.
Make sure to be honest with yourself and adjust your pace accordingly using those up and down arrow keys in your treadmill’s dashboard.
Focus on Breathing:
Breathing is one of the most important factors in having a successful run. Because this challenge is 12 minutes and by the end, you want to empty out your energy tank as much as possible to get the most distance, you have to do your best to keep yourself calm throughout the intensity of the effort.
When you’re running, it’s good to have a good breathing pattern that won’t slow you down. Although the best breathing techniques vary from one person to another, the best way to do it on a run is to breathe in during 3 steps and breathe out during 4 steps.
Paying close attention to your breathing will make this intense challenge like a piece of cake since you’ll feel like you have full control over your body.
Conclusion:
Even if you implement the most perfect strategies or follow the best tips, you’ll still get nowhere if you don’t have this one thing: trust in yourself.
You should trust the process and the fitness that you’ve been building over the last few weeks, months, or even years. The hard work that you’ve been putting in throughout the entirety of your OrangeTheory journey is not all for nothing, on the contrary, you’re getting fit! You’re getting better! And if you go through this challenge with a positive mindset that you’ll give your best, I’m 100% certain that you’re going to crush it!
