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Interval Workouts (Read 865 times)

    So what's your favorite interval workout? I'm planning on pulling some into my workouts consistently, but what's your favorite? I know I have to find what works for me, but it never hurts to check others ideas. Also, what pace would one recommend to just have standard training? Check my log to see about where I am at, but intervals are the one thing that I'm not too familiar with.
      For a starting point, plug your MOST RECENT race if it's in the past couple months, or what you honestly think you could run into McMillan's Running Calculator Your 15K race suggests 90 -100 second 400's as a starting point. Try the 3 minute rule - start a 400 every three minutes
      jEfFgObLuE


      I've got a fever...

        Here's a thread on that subject.

        On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

          Ah, yes, I always forget to consult McMillans. Anyways, what's a logical interval workout to try? I dunno if I am stupid brave enough to try Jeff's idea. I'm just looking to do some 800's, but at the end of the workout, I want to feel that I have done something. I have done intervals before, and I don't think that I've done a hard workout because at the end I just feel like I did a small 3 miler or something. Or maybe, I'm doing it right and think I should feel spent?
          JakeKnight


            Depends on your goal - specifically your goal race. Are you shooting for a faster 5-k? Insert some speedwork into marathon training? Big difference. For just general interval work for no particular reason, I like to do varying combinations of 400s and 800s, with occasional 1200s or mile intervals. I like doing ladders - like a couple 200s, a couple 400s, a couple 800s, then back down ... something like that. Or just do 6 x 800 or 12 x 400. All assuming there isn't much specific purpose other than picking it up a bit at the track. For pace I do roughly follow McMillan - mostly to prevent going too fast. If you have a goal race in mind, then the details matter more obviously. Of course, 400s will always be the greatest interval distance.* * A now ancient inside joke. Yet still true.

            E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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            jEfFgObLuE


            I've got a fever...

              Of course, 400s will always be the greatest interval distance.*
              That was before my time at RA, but I stumbled upon that thread yesterday whilst searching for something else. Several hours minutes of my life that I wish I could have back.

              On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

              jEfFgObLuE


              I've got a fever...

                Anyways, what's a logical interval workout to try? I dunno if I am stupid brave enough to try Jeff's idea.
                I honestly wouldn't recommend the "track meet" workout. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I was sore for days because I ran every one of those as segments hard as I thought I could go and still complete the workout. I can still remember my times for every segment and can feel the burn like it was yesterday. A memorable workout, but not a smart one. I see you ran a marathon, but what races are you training for? It's good to have a specific goal for an interval workout (other than hurling). I agree with the recommendation of running at the speeds recommended by McMillan.

                On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

                  Well, my next planned race is Indianapolis Marathon in October. I hope to pick up some shorter races between now and then obviously. That's a long long time away for a marathon, but I know if done correctly then intervals can work. With that said, I'm assuming that there isn't really any good interval workout for marathon training this early. As of right now, I was planning on doing 6x800's with 400m rests in between, and then closing it out with a 1 mile sprint. Like I said though, this is definitely something I would love to begin incorporating into my workouts, because I'd really like to shave a lot of time off of my marathon time.
                  jEfFgObLuE


                  I've got a fever...

                    As of right now, I was planning on doing 6x800's with 400m rests in between, and then closing it out with a 1 mile sprint.
                    That sounds like a decent workout, but I'd lose the mile at the end.

                    On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

                    JakeKnight


                      That was before my time at RA, but I stumbled upon that thread yesterday whilst searching for something else. Several hours minutes of my life that I wish I could have back.
                      That was a long ago, simpler time. When the world was black and white with few shades of gray, when I was a simple farmer boy from a desert planet and Mikey was a darkly helmeted evil Sith lord. Things are so confusing now.

                      E-mail: eric.fuller.mail@gmail.com
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                        That sounds like a decent workout, but I'd lose the mile at the end.
                        Agreed, add some easy running before and after the speed for some milage. I've ended up with 19km on a speed workout by running 10km before the workout.
                        Mr R


                          I don't believe that marathoners need intervals. Strides, yes, but not intervals. Tempos are so much more important. It's better to just add more tempo runs than an interval workout that will just beat up your legs and stress systems that are only distantly related to performance at your chosen distance. The only intervals I advocate for marathoners are threshold intervals, which are basically just like tempos, but more interesting. One example might be 10x1 mile at marathon pace, w/200 recovery. Another good one is 2x5k at HM pace. I've known experienced runners to run 2x10 miles at marathon pace, with a 20 minute fluid break in between. I wouldn't try anything like that unless I were sure that my body could recover in a few days. As a fast-twitch guy, that would probably knock me out of commission for a while.

                          What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes. The Trial of Miles, Miles of Trials. How could they be expected to understand that? -John Parker

                            Well, as I'm in waiting for October to come around, I hope to pull out some 5k's and 10k's. That's why I see benefit from doing some interval workouts. I've only taken out 2 marathons and one 15k in my life, so I definitely wanna add some shorter races.
                              300s and 1000s are the only intervals for me (for now).

                              Runners run

                              dev_08


                                I prefer to do more of stamina building interval workouts. These are repeats of 1k to 1 mile done at slower than 5k race pace (~10k race pace). Rest is only a 200M jog (2 minutes or under) so you can't run them too fast or you'll be in trouble quickly. The old standby of 3 * 1 mile at as fast as you can handle with 4-5 minutes rest tends to wipe me out and I'm not even sure you benefit from them compared to the "slower" intervals. btw, I believe these are what internet coach/guru Tinman refers to as CV workouts.
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