This session is great to improve your speed for runners aiming for an event between 5km and a half marathon.
Each week I will be posting the Friday Fartlek Run Sessions that you can do to enhance your running. Fartlek is a Swedish term that runners often use and it means speed-play. See a previous post about training intensity (levels) to know how hard to work.

Goater’s 600’s
- 10min WU Level II;
- 6x 600m Level V, 60sec RI;
- 600m;
- 400m/200m, 20sec RI;
- 200m/200m/200m, 20sec RI;
- 10min CD Level II;
- 10min Stretching
The warm-up should be done at an intensity that is steady but not overconsuming at Level II for ten minutes.
The main set is made up of six reps of 600m all done at Level V, some of which we break up into smaller reps but they still total 600m of running at Level V. The first rep is a full 600m, the second is split into a 400m and a 200m with a 20-second Rest Interval (RI) separating each sub-rep. The third rep is made up of three 200’s each with a 20-second Rest Interval (RI) between each sub-rep. Then repeat the three of them again for a total of six 600’s (two each of 600m; 400m/200m; & 200m/200m/200m). Between each rep take a 60-second Rest Interval (RI). For these Rest Intervals (RI) simply walk around to keep the legs moving in the vicinity of the start line.
The Cool Down (CD) is at a low intensity, jogging (Level II) for a minimum of ten minutes.
Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with the recovery.
I got this workout from Julian Goater & Don Melvin’s book The Art of Running Faster – Improve Technique, Training, and Performance. This is a really good book that is jam-packed and full of great advice.

If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729. Make sure you sign up for my informative newsletter.
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