The art of the interval!

Interval training year round will not burn you out?!

When we think of interval training, the first thing that comes to mind for many people is incredibly tough track workouts consisting of 200-100m reps. Well that is certainly not the case, and can be used to build endurance in the base phase, get a good lactate threshold workout in or indeed tough track intervals as you sharpen up before your key race.

The definition of an interval is a pause or break in activity. All that is required is running followed by a stop (or jog) then running again to complete an interval workout. They can be manipulated in so many ways to change the adaptation from the workout. Pace, rep length, recovery time and amount of sets/reps can all be altered to give you the optimal workout. I have seen 800m runners do many 100-200 reps at 5k pace with very short recovery to get their body working at lactate threshold without having to run long distances, by keeping their heart rates in the required threshold zone and taking sufficient rest between reps/sets to make sure they don’t cross the threshold! Too many coaches are stick to the same proven-to-work intervals for their athletes even though it may not be an optimal workout for the required benefit e.g. 5 X 1k, 10 X 400m, 3-4 X mile. Here are a few examples of workouts I like to give my athletes in the base phase of the season showing you that intervals and can be used smartly even early on in the season. I hope you take inspiration from some of these and apply it to your own coaching/training!

For my athletes in early September/October long intervals with short recovery would be a key workout in the base phase. It would be something like 3 X 12 minutes @steady pace (pace you could roughly keep for an hour) off 90 seconds (specific session is always subject to athletes training level, all example workouts given may not suit you!). This is a superb way to get in a lot of effort at threshold pace, without being too over taxing. Hilly trails/grass would be the ideal place to run these adding extra resistance for the runners.

Another great but uncommon workout during the base phase would be Kenyan hills. This should consist of athletes running up a long hill (150-300m) at a controlled effort before jogging back down the hill at a slightly slower pace (not taking a break on downhill!). This should be a continuous run up and down the hill without taking breaks. The effort of the workout should be just at or slightly above lactate threshold when doing this run (lactate threshold testing and heart rate monitors recommended!!). An example of this workout I might give to athletes are 12 minutes Kenyan hills, 5 minutes on flat @lactate threshold, 10 minute Kenyan hills, 2 minutes rest between hills and flat both times. Again great for building threshold and strength!

A twist to the classic, standard track intervals can give me athletes more threshold work while running at a faster pace. Something like 12-16 X 400m @8k pace (maybe faster towards end of workout) off 30 seconds or 4-5 X mile @around 10k pace off 90 seconds are great workouts to improve running economy and lactate threshold. While you’re on the track 4 X 150m @800m pace with plenty of recovery should do no harm afterwards to get the legs moving efficiently.

These are just a few examples but don’t forget to experiment around. Intervals are not just all out track session but can used to build aerobic endurance and everything in between!