Runners - interval training suggestions

[Panticus]

Hello fellow runners I'm trying to get a bit more consistent with incorporating intervals into my training. Does anyone have any good session formats they use?

At the moment I mix it up between:

• 5 x 800m with 90s reco
• 8 x 400m with 90s reco
• 2 x 600m, 4 x 400m + 6 x 200m with 60s reco (this one is great)

It's getting a little boring so I'd love to know what format you use. I need inspiration

What are you training for? Intervals for a 5k should look very different in length to intervals for a marathon. Post your goal and I can give you some ideas.

Thanks madaboutrunning, that would be super

I'd just like to improve my speed over all distances - I generally run anywhere between 10-22km, not wanting to go much further than that. I have fallen into a bit of a rut of doing too many long[ishj] slow runs. PB for a 1/2 is ~1:47 and for 5km is 24:50 (which I think should be faster).

OK, there's quite a bit you could do to vary your sessions:

• you could run reps according to time rather than distance, so something like 10 x 20 secs, with recovery intervals of 30-45 secs for shorter distance work (and then build up how many blocks of that you do) or something like 10 x 2 mins with recovery intervals of 2 mins for longer distance work. You could mix and match times within one session, so do say 3 x 2 mins, 4 x 1min, 5 x 30 secs etc.

• you could do fartlek, so random intervals. Just pick something ahead to determine when you'll speed up or slow down. Vary the length of the sections. This is great fun and you can do it anywhere.

• do some of your reps/intervals on an uphill, and some on a downhill

• you could vary what you do in the recovery intervals, so very easy running, walking or a stationary recovery. You could also challenge yourself by doing some strength work in the interval time, so do x squats or a 30 sec wall sit for example.

• you could add some harder effort running into your longer, slower runs, for example by doing 10 secs at a hard effort at the end of every k or something like that (you can build up to doing say 30 secs). this is great for teaching your body (and mind) that you can still work hard when tired towards the end of a long/hard run.

That's a few ideas to get you started. At the end of the day to get stronger and fitter, and therefore faster, you need to challenge your body to do new things. Be a bit creative and have fun planning what you'll do!

When I do intervals I tend to do hill reps because they’re effective and quick. I do it by time rather than metres too.

Two things that I have found good for increasing speed are doing "pyramids", e.g.

5 mins @ 11,5 km/h
5 mins at 12 km/h
5 mins @ 12,5 km/h
5 mins @ 13 km/h
5 mins @ 12,5 km/h
5 mins @ 12 km/h
5 mins @ 11,5 km/h
(Psychologically, I find coming down the pyramid far harder than going up.)

and ending a long run at race pace, i.e. doing the last 3-5 kms as fast as you still can. This idea came from a running magazine years ago and has definitely worked for me.

Awesome, thanks guys. It sounds like I need to start incorporating:

• Hills (I actually do heaps of these on my long runs, but very slowly)
• Time based intervals

It's going to hurt

Some I do are
A
4 x 3 min at 10k pace 90 sec rest
Then
4 x 1 min at 5k pace 1 min rest

B
3 x 5 min - 5k pace - 3 min rest

C
10 x 1 min / 1 min rest

D
10 min easy / 10 min Marathon pace / 10 min threshold/ 10 min easy

E
4 x 30 sec / 30 rest
2 x 10 min threshold / 2 min rest
4 x 30/30 again

F
10 min Threshold Pace 90 seconds Fast
3 min Rest
6 min Threshold Pace 60 seconds Fast
3 min Rest
2 min Threshold Pace

G

2 min Fast (Flat)
2 sets of:

• 60 second uphill
• jog back recovery 2 min Fast (Flat)

H

8 min at 5km Pace 2 min Jog
90 seconds Fast
2 min Jog
4 min at 5km Pace 2 min Jog
45 seconds Fast
2 min Jog
2 min 5km Pace
2 min Jog
30 seconds Fast