Forums >Running 101>Interval Training?
I have never completed an interval training session before, yet I have a race in 2 weeks and I feel an interval session tomorrow may help in peaking. Normally I would solely train around trail fartleks, mountain endurance runs and grass steady runs. I am aiming for 34:30 for 10k. I have run in total 19 miles over hilly/ mountain/trail terrain this week (over three runs) as well as a steady state road session. I am resting tonight in preparation for tomorrows interval session.
Here is what I have planned:
Warm-up and cool down consist of a 1.5 mile jog @ 6:50 pace.
10 x 400m @ target 10k pace of 5:34 with 1:30 recoveries, followed by 8 x 100m all out sprints.
The paces here are much slower than what I am capable of running as a straight one flat out mile. But I would prefer to practise 10k pace without getting injured.
Does anyone have any suggestions for amending my planned schedule?
Wipe the sweat from your face with the hair of the scalps of the fallen competitors you have slain in your unrelenting quest for a personal best. What? How dare you say this is over the top? I challenge you to a race!
http://www.runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=20421
Pretty interesting reading.
Will that single workout help your race in 2 weeks? Who knows. It may "work" as a confidence builder, or a reminder of what going fast is like.
If your goal time is at all realistic you're already a pretty speedy fella. I'm suprised you're not already working some speedwork into your regular routine.
Good luck with your race.
Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and roguesWe're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes
Who knows. It may "work" as a confidence builder... Good luck with your race.
I'd bet "DistanceHero" already has plenty of confidence.
But, yeah, good luck. If nothing else the workout will help to lock on race pace.
Feeling the growl again
I have never completed an interval training session before, yet I have a race in 2 weeks and I feel an interval session tomorrow may help in peaking. Normally I would solely train around trail fartleks, mountain endurance runs and grass steady runs. I am aiming for 34:30 for 10k. I have run in total 19 miles over hilly/ mountain/trail terrain this week (over three runs) as well as a steady state road session. I am resting tonight in preparation for tomorrows interval session. Here is what I have planned: Warm-up and cool down consist of a 1.5 mile jog @ 6:50 pace. 10 x 400m @ target 10k pace of 5:34 with 1:30 recoveries, followed by 8 x 100m all out sprints. The paces here are much slower than what I am capable of running as a straight one flat out mile. But I would prefer to practise 10k pace without getting injured. Does anyone have any suggestions for amending my planned schedule?
That will help you lock in the pace, but it is not a workout I would recommend for "peaking" or for really getting your most bang for the buck for what you put into the workout. Pace is too slow and recoveries too long.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills
What pace/ recoveries would you suggest?
I had an idea the workout was too conservative. I had in mind 24 x 1:10min 400's off 2:00 recoveries before the mountain runs earlier this week scuppered those plans.
Your target 10k is sub 33 minutes - what interval session do you believe helped crack 34 minutes?
In a recent 3000m race, I ran 9:30 without touching interval training - how necessary is it to success?
Personally, I prefer 3 x 10minutes at a fast clip (above tempo pace), long hill runs, trail fartleks and just running 5 minute single miles regularly as opposed to systematic sessions.
When I was training for 34-34:30 10Ks a good 400s workout was 10-15X400 starting at 75sec and working down to 70sec, on 1min recovery. If you have done zero speed work, however, you may need to slow this a tad.
Only you can know how much you have to put into it this week. If you are a little on the tired side from other work, and you are just looking to sharpen and make 10K goal pace feel easier, try something like 8X400, 2min recovery, but starting at 1:10 and working down to 67-68sec. This will make the slower 5:30ish pace feel like cake.
Intervals are not mandatory....but if you really want to do your best at 10K you need them. Not killer speed ones, but solid sets of say 800s/1000s at around 5K pace on shorter recovery (for you, 1min for 400, 90sec for 800, 2min for 1000m) are the ticket.
Ah, - the 18 year old 5 minute mile zero warmup guy. You keep changing your handle, it's hard to keep up.
I'd trust Spaniel's advice though.
Is it really him? Oh, well, if so, he probably won't listen anyways but...
A workout such as 10X400 should have been done weeks before your race. I would NEVER do a kind of workout at that volume 2 weeks before an important race (unless this one is not that important).
Suppose this is 2 weeks to an important race; and if you hadn't done any intervals prior to this, 10 days before (so, what, this next Wednesday or so?), do 1k @ 10k pace + 2 X 400m @ 5k pace + 3 X 200m @ a mile pace; run 2k @ 10k pace on Saturday; and do 3 X 200m at 800m pace the following Wednesday--3 days before the race. This on the assumption of you running 10-miles a day (wasn't it?) as well as you do "warm-up" @ 5-minute mile pace (for one mile). If you never done intervals and if you DON'T do your warm-up that fast, I would not have you do such fast workout all of a sudden.
To me, doing a workout like 10 X 400m 2 weeks before is what I'd call "half-a$$" workout. No, wait. A no-man's land workout.
When one talks about reps at 5k,10k and mile pace - is this target pace or present PB's?
My present PB's are ancient, since I do not race during the spring season and it was a harsh winter in NI with few races on.
This race is perhaps my biggest race of the year. It is on a very hilly 10k course, and I dont expect to PB there. Hence, I have had a very heavy focus upon pure leg strength and trail/fell runs.
I will post the workout here later with the actual paces and distances (@6pm BST) for your perusual, complete with brisk mile warmup and a new moniker.
Always current ability on the given day. I know, how do you know it? You go by feel. If desperate use a RECENT race time as a guide.
Now our Distance Hero has morphed to a Lightning Bolt. Don't know about others, but its tough to know who is talking when you keep changing like that. Good luck with those workouts and the race.
Kinda reflect what Spaniel has already said. You should be running, if at 5k pace, the pace you think you can hold for the entire 5k distance. If mile pace, the pace you think you can hold for 4 laps. If you have no clue, you'll be in trouble.
I don't want to argue with someone like Dallasboycow but, personally, any "ancient" time is NOT, or perhaps I should phrase it as "should not", be considered as PB particularly when you are discussing about what pace you should be running at. I would even limit you should base your training pace on the most recent PB in the last 3 months. A few years back I went for a run with this guy who was approaching 70. I had to slow down for him and wait for him. His PB for the mile is 3:54 which he ran when he was 24. I wouldn't brag about the fact that I ran better than someone whose PB is 3:54.