Team Relays

An hour of racing in teams of four — the session where nobody notices they are training.

Bootcamp
All levels
60 min
Works for 8–28 (teams of 4; short teams borrow a repeat runner)
1 instructor
Effort 4/5
Park or pitch
outdoor
team
relays
running
games

The ClassPlans programming teamLevel 3 group-fitness qualified · 10+ yrs teaching

Kit: 16 cones for lanes, 4 mats per team base, 4 dumbbells or sandbags (5–12.5kg) for the medley leg. Bibs or coloured markers help teams bond fast.

Warm-up8 min

Draft Day

RPE 3–4

Setup: Four lanes marked, 20 metres long, mats stacked at the start of each as team bases. You pick the teams — balance runners and non-runners deliberately, never captains picking.

How it works: Two minutes easy jog as a group around the lane area. Then dynamic prep in team lines: high knees to the far cone and walk back, heel flicks, side shuffles, open-the-gate walks, two runs at building speed. Finish with each team choosing a name and a two-second celebration — you will use both all session.

What to say

“Build the run-throughs — last one at eighty per cent, not a race yet.”
“Side shuffles: stay low, push off the outside foot, do not click the heels.”
“Balanced teams make the whole hour work — trade people cheerfully now.”

Easier

All drills at march pace; run-throughs as brisk walks.

Harder

Add two accelerations at ninety per cent with a full walk-back recovery.

Workout14 min

Straight Shuttles

3 races × 2 rotations · ~2 min rest betweenRPE 7–8 in bursts

Setup: Teams queued behind their start cone, one lane each, turn cone 20 metres out. First runner ready, hand raised.

How it works: Race one: out and back, hand-tag the next runner, two full rotations — every runner goes twice. Race two: same, but everyone waiting holds a plank until their turn. Race three: out is a run, back is a backpedal at half speed. Score 3-2-1 points down the places each race and keep the totals loudly. Rest two minutes between races; the queue is the recovery.

Common mistakes

Lanes too close together — collisions at the turn cone; give each lane three metres of width.
Letting one athlete anchor every race; rotate the running order each time.

Rounds: Races 1–3 of the day's 6

What to say

“Tag hand-to-hand at the cone, not a metre early — call the cheats with a grin.”
“Turn low around the far cone: small steps in, push off the outside leg.”
“Backpedal: short steps, weight forward, glance over the shoulder.”
“Fast people run fast, new people run their fast — the tag makes them equal.”

Easier

Walk-jog the length; kneel instead of plank in the queue.

Harder

Runners carry a dumbbell on race two; planks become plank shoulder taps.

Workout14 min

Work-Station Relays

3 races × 2 rotations · ~2 min betweenRPE 7–8

Setup: Same lanes. Halfway cone added at 10 metres in each lane. Mats at the team base.

How it works: Now the runner earns the metres: race four — run to halfway, five squat jumps or squats, continue to the far cone and back. Race five — bear crawl to halfway, run the rest, run all the way back. Race six — the whole team moves together in a line, jogging the lane out and back three times, and the race is judged on the team finishing together, not first. Keep scoring 3-2-1; race six everyone finishing as one earns full points.

Common mistakes

Skipping the crawl demo — half the group will sag at the hips unless you show it slow first.

Rounds: Races 4–6 of 6

What to say

“Squat jumps: land soft and quiet, heels down, then spring again.”
“Bear crawl: hips low and level, opposite hand and foot, look at the grass not the sky.”
“Race six is the coaching gold — fastest runner sets the slowest pace.”

Easier

Squats instead of jumps; bear crawl becomes a fast hands-and-feet walk or a lunge walk.

Harder

Eight jumps at halfway; crawl the full 20 metres; race six at a stride, still together.

The rest of this class plan is free — along with 3 more this week.

ClassPlans programming team

Free on ClassPlans — new class plans weekly.