Workout Schedule Deep Dive: How to Master the 75 Hard Phase 1 Indoor/Outdoor Rule
3 PM on a Saturday. My family needs a ride to the amusement park. Drop-off at 3, pickup at 9:30 PM. Right in the middle of when I’d normally get my second workout done.
I could feel the excuse forming: “Well, this is out of my control. Family comes first. I’ll just skip today and restart tomorrow.”
But here’s what I’ve learned during 75 Hard Phase 1: we have so much time in our day. There are really no excuses. You can always wake up earlier or stay up a little later.
So I adjusted. Got my morning run done as planned. Shifted my afternoon walk to fit around the family obligation. Both workouts completed.
Because I’d rather say “I’m glad I did” than “I wish I did.”
The Real Challenge: Planning Your 75 Hard Phase 1 Workout Schedule
Everyone talks about workout variety like it’s the hardest part of the indoor/outdoor requirement. It’s not.
The real challenge is creating a 75 Hard Phase 1 workout schedule that actually works. The timing. At least three hours between workouts. That’s what forces you to actually look at your schedule and plan instead of just hoping things work out.
Here’s my typical weekly workout schedule to show you what intentional planning actually looks like:
Monday: Legs in the AM (usually very tired legs from Sunday’s long run) + Walk in the afternoon
Tuesday: Push workout in the AM + 8-mile run during lunch
Wednesday: Tempo/speed run in the morning + Walk or mobility in the afternoon
Thursday: Pull workout in the AM + Walk in the afternoon
Friday: 8-mile run in the AM + Walk or mobility in the afternoon
Saturday: Upper body in the AM + Walk in the afternoon
Sunday: Long run in the AM + Second run in the afternoon (Last Sunday: 18 miles AM, 10 miles PM. This Sunday: 20 miles AM, 10 miles PM)
Notice the pattern? I always lift indoors and run outdoors. Some days both workouts are outside (walks, double run days). The variety isn’t complex—it’s consistent.
This 75 Hard Phase 1 workout schedule isn’t about creativity. It’s about building a system that fits my life and my goals.
Mastering the Mundane: Why I Don’t Get Bored
About a year ago, something clicked for me. I realized I’d been getting sucked into looking for “hacks” for workouts—the perfect program, the optimal split, the secret routine that would unlock results.
But it’s all about the basics. The repetitive things you do daily are what give you results.
Bruce Lee said it perfectly: “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”
That’s what 75 Hard Phase 1 has reinforced. I’m not trying to make my workouts entertaining or novel every single day. I’m mastering the fundamentals through repetition.
I know my training is for my 43-mile run. I have a goal in mind. When workouts feel boring or routine, I remind myself: “I’ll be happy I did vs I wish I did.”
And honestly? I actually like routine. It’s easier that way.
Planning Your Indoor/Outdoor Workout Timing Strategy
Here’s my flexible structure for scheduling two workouts daily:
Wake up at 4:00-4:30 AM. Lift before 6:00 AM. Second workout during lunch, afternoon, or evening depending on my schedule.
The key word there is “flexible.” I have a default plan, but I’m not rigid. I’ve done walks as late as 8 PM when the schedule demanded it. I’ve shifted runs to lunch when mornings got busy.
Living in San Diego, I haven’t had to worry much about weather. We’ve had some hot days, but we got it done. The environment isn’t my obstacle—time management is.
And that three-hour minimum between workouts? It’s not arbitrary. It forces intentional spacing and recovery. It prevents you from just banging out two quick sessions back-to-back and calling it done.
Focus on What’s in Front of You
Here’s how I balance intensity between two daily workouts: I show up for that workout. I don’t think about the other one.
On Sundays when I’m doing double run days—18 miles in the morning, then another 10 in the afternoon—I’m not thinking about the afternoon run while I’m doing my morning miles. I focus on what’s in front of me, not what’s in the future.
One step at a time. One workout at a time.
This mindset keeps me from psyching myself out. If I’m lifting in the morning and start thinking “man, I still have to run 8 miles at lunch,” I’m creating mental resistance that doesn’t need to exist yet.
Do the work that’s in front of you. The next workout will take care of itself when you get there.
The Fueling Strategy I Learned the Hard Way
One mistake I made early: not fueling enough between my AM workout and lunchtime run.
I bonked hard. Felt completely exhausted, couldn’t hold my normal paces. My body was telling me I’d asked it to do two workouts without giving it the energy to perform.
Here’s what I do now:
After workouts, I get protein in ASAP. Between workouts, I make sure to have a balanced meal so I’ll have the energy for the second session.
On days when I lift in the morning and run at lunch, I’ll have protein immediately post-lift, then a small sandwich with carbs and protein before the run. I also drink a carb/electrolyte drink that helps fuel me.
Recovery isn’t just about rest days (which you don’t get on 75 Hard). It’s about giving your body what it needs to show up again three hours later.
When Life Throws Curveballs: The Amusement Park Example
Back to that Saturday. Family needs a ride to the amusement park. Drop-off at 3 PM, pickup at 9:30 PM.
I’d already completed my morning run. My afternoon walk was scheduled for around the time I needed to do the drop-off and be available for pickup.
So I adjusted. Completed the walk earlier in the day. Made it work.
Because here’s the truth: we have so much time in our day. When unexpected family things come up, you always have options. Wake up earlier. Stay up a little later. Shift things around.
The commitment is to complete both workouts. The schedule is a guide, not a prison.
The Best Indoor/Outdoor Workout Combinations for Phase 1
You don’t need to overcomplicate your 75 Hard Phase 1 workout schedule. Here are the combinations I’ve found most effective:
Lift indoors + Run outdoors: My default. Weights require equipment; running just needs space.
Run outdoors + Walk outdoors: Double outdoor days work great. Fresh air, vitamin D, mental clarity.
Lift indoors + Walk outdoors: Perfect for recovery days when your body needs movement but not intensity.
Run outdoors + Mobility indoors: Active recovery that still counts as a workout.
Notice what’s not on this list? Complicated workout programs. Fancy equipment. Novel routines every day.
Just the basics, executed consistently.
What “Creative” Actually Means
When people talk about getting “creative” with the indoor/outdoor rule, they often think it means inventing new workouts or finding loopholes.
That’s not creativity. That’s distraction.
Real creativity in this challenge means:
- Planning your week in advance so workouts fit your schedule
- Being flexible enough to adjust when life happens
- Finding the workout combinations that serve your actual goals
- Fueling properly so you can perform twice a day
- Focusing on one workout at a time instead of overwhelming yourself
The indoor/outdoor rule isn’t designed to be entertainment. It’s designed to force you outside your comfort zone—literally, by making you train outdoors regardless of conditions.
Creating Your 75 Hard Phase 1 Workout System
Here’s my complete approach to mastering the indoor/outdoor requirement through strategic planning:
Sunday Planning: Map out the entire week’s workout schedule. Look at my calendar, consider family commitments, plan both daily workouts accordingly.
Daily Flexibility: The plan exists, but I can move things around. The commitment is to complete both workouts, not to stick rigidly to specific times.
One Workout at a Time: Don’t think about the second workout while doing the first. Stay present.
Fuel Between Sessions: Protein immediately after. Balanced meal before the next workout. Carb/electrolyte drinks when needed.
Default to Basics: Lift, run, walk, mobility. No need to reinvent the wheel every day.
Remember the Why: “I’m glad I did vs I wish I did.” This simple mindset shift eliminates excuses before they form.
Beyond the Rules
Here’s what mastering the indoor/outdoor requirement has actually taught me: it’s not about workouts at all.
It’s about proving to yourself that you can adapt. That you can plan ahead. That when life throws unexpected obligations at you—family needs, schedule changes, exhaustion—you can still execute.
I went from someone who could barely run a mile a few years ago to running 28 miles last Sunday. The transformation isn’t just physical. It’s mental.
Every time I adjust my schedule to fit both workouts, I’m building adaptability. Every time I focus on the workout in front of me instead of worrying about the next one, I’m building presence. Every time I choose “I’m glad I did,” I’m building the person I want to become.
The indoor/outdoor rule isn’t a constraint. It’s a framework for becoming someone who can handle anything.
Fourteen days left in Phase 1 until October 17th. The workouts aren’t getting easier. But I’m getting better at showing up for them.
How do you plan your 75 Hard Phase 1 workout schedule? What’s your biggest challenge with indoor/outdoor workout planning when life disrupts your plans?
Currently navigating 75 Hard Phase 1 and sharing practical strategies for workout scheduling and planning. Follow along for more insights on two-a-day workouts, mental toughness, and doing hard things consistently.