Rock n Road Runners Thursday Intervals: Speed Endurance Fartlek

This is a 60 minute group run focused on building strength, stamina, power and speed through interval-based training.

This session is lead by fully-qualified run coaches Dan & Rik and entails a thorough warm up consisting of easy running, mobilisation work, dynamic stretching, drills and strides. This warm up also focuses on improving various aspects of run technique, biomechanics and efficiency. Not will interval training improve your performance at all distances but it’s a really fun and social way to train. Anyone and everyone can benefit from interval-training regardless of experience level or goals.

The main set is usually interval-based, meaning that there is some faster-paced running for a set time or distance, interspersed with recovery which is either easy jogging, walking or standing. The aim of each interval session is to improve a certain aspect of our physiology, such as our pace at Lactate Threshold, Vo2 Max or increase our Running Economy and Neuromuscular Efficiency.

These sessions are also individualised for each attendee as we regularly carry out 3k and 5k time trials (or use a recent race result) to ascertain pace zones for different running intensities. This allows you to run at the right effort and avoid overexerting and overtraining.

The first session is free and all subsequent sessions are £5, unless you are a member of the Rock n Road Runners run club. If you would like to join the club click here or email rocknroadrunnersclub@gmail.com for more info.

THIS WEEKS SESSION

– Warm Up: Easy jogging, mobilisations, drills

– Strides: 4-6 x very short bursts of speed

– Main Set: Speed Endurance Fartlek

15-20 x 30s ON / 90s OFF

The ON intervals should be run at Speed Endurance effort (9-10/10) and the OFF’s should be a very easy jog/walk

Gently accelerate into the 30s intervals and run them fast, relaxed and smooth. Don’t try to hit a certain pace or strain for a particular intensity

This is a continuous session. Stop the workout when you start to fall off the pace for the 30s intervals or slow down your recoveries even more so you can achieve the right effort

If you are feeling fatigued still from racing at the weekend, take this session a little easier or run easy for the duration

– Feel free to carry out your own cooldown. This won’t be included in the 60min session