Running repetitions at your Threshold pace with short rests is great for developing your threshold pace. (Makes sense, doesn’t it? To get good at something, practice doing it). This session is great for runners and triathletes especially those training for an event between 5km & half marathon 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 week’s workout comes from an Instagram post from Mike Trees @run.nrg who is a triathlon and running coach at NRG.
run.nrg’s 400’s
- 10min WU Level II;
- 12x 400m Level IV, 2:1 ratio RI;
- 10min CD Level II;
- 10min Stretching
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) of ten minutes of easy jogging at Level II.
The main set is made up of twelve reps of 400m, run these at your goal 5km pace (see below). The first few reps should be relatively easy to achieve (hold back, yes I know you can run faster), the middle few reps you will be starting to feel it but still achievable and in the last few reps, you should be feeling the burn but still able to hit your target time. There is a 2:1 work-to-rest ratio, which means if you are targeting 400m times of 2:00min, you take a 1:00min Rest Interval (RI).
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.
Here are the target paces, times, and Rest Interval (RI) for various target 5km times.
| 5km Target Time | Pace /km | Pace /mile | 400m time | RI |
| 16:00 | 03:12 | 05:09 | 01:17 | 00:38 |
| 17:00 | 03:24 | 05:28 | 01:22 | 00:41 |
| 18:00 | 03:36 | 05:48 | 01:26 | 00:43 |
| 19:00 | 03:48 | 06:07 | 01:31 | 00:46 |
| 20:00 | 04:00 | 06:26 | 01:36 | 00:48 |
| 21:00 | 04:12 | 06:45 | 01:41 | 00:50 |
| 22:00 | 04:24 | 07:05 | 01:46 | 00:53 |
| 23:00 | 04:36 | 07:24 | 01:50 | 00:55 |
| 24:00 | 04:48 | 07:43 | 01:55 | 00:58 |
| 25:00 | 05:00 | 08:03 | 02:00 | 01:00 |
| 26:00 | 05:12 | 08:22 | 02:05 | 01:02 |
| 27:00 | 05:24 | 08:41 | 02:10 | 01:05 |
| 28:00 | 05:36 | 09:01 | 02:14 | 01:07 |
| 29:00 | 05:48 | 09:20 | 02:19 | 01:10 |
| 30:00 | 06:00 | 09:39 | 02:24 | 01:12 |
| 31:00 | 06:12 | 09:59 | 02:29 | 01:14 |
| 32:00 | 06:24 | 10:18 | 02:34 | 01:17 |
| 33:00 | 06:36 | 10:37 | 02:38 | 01:19 |
| 34:00 | 06:48 | 10:56 | 02:43 | 01:22 |
| 35:00 | 07:00 | 11:16 | 02:48 | 01:24 |
| 36:00 | 07:12 | 11:35 | 02:53 | 01:26 |
| 37:00 | 07:24 | 11:54 | 02:58 | 01:29 |
| 38:00 | 07:36 | 12:14 | 03:02 | 01:31 |
| 39:00 | 07:48 | 12:33 | 03:07 | 01:34 |
| 40:00 | 08:00 | 12:52 | 03:12 | 01:36 |
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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