The ability to run at your top-end intensities will enhance your performance. This session will develop your VO2 Max intensity, challenging your anaerobic, as well as your aerobic energy systems. This is a perfect session for runners and triathletes running events up to Half marathons in distance.
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 is often used by runners and it means speed-play. See a previous post about training intensity (levels) to know how hard to work.
The inspiration for this post came from a post on Instagram from @fit.n.food.friends
Claire’s Fartlek
- 10min WU Level II;
- 6min Level V, 3min RI;
- 5min Level V, 2:30min RI;
- 4min Level V, 2min RI;
- 3min Level V, 1:30min RI;
- 2min Level V, 1min RI;
- 1min Level V;
- 10min CD Level II;
- 10min Stretching
The Warm Up (WU) 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. Each rep gets shorter, as does the recovery between reps. Start off by running for six minutes at Level V, before taking a Rest Interval (RI) of three minutes. Take this time to walk around, gently stretch and recover.
The second rep is now only five minutes long and is also at Level V. Take a Rest Interval (RI) of two minutes and 30 seconds walking around and gently stretching before the next rep.
The third rep is four minutes at Level V, followed by a two-minute Rest Interval (RI).
Next up is three minutes at Level V, with only 90 seconds of Rest Interval (RI).
The second to last rep is only two minutes long. Run this at Level V and if you can go a bit faster than the other reps, bring it on home and wrap up this session a bit qwiker. If you are fatigued, do your best to maintain the pace of the previous reps. Don’t slow down at the end. Take a 60-second Rest Interval (RI) after this rep.
The last rep is only 60 seconds long also at Level V, run as fast as you can for this final rep. Take a little bit of a Rest Interval (RI) after this rep, but get into the Cool Down as soon as you are ready.
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.
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.
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If you enjoyed this workout, here is a similar session I published.
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