Interval Runs for Endurance - Sessions to Save #2

oliverbridge7
Oct 28
3 min read

Updated: Nov 5

How to run faster? How to run better? Running advice for training and racing from things I have learned over 15 years of trial and error, lots of reading, talking and getting to a place I never thought possible when I started.

For any distance above 1500m I recommend 4 types of runs, ideally within a week but if not to spread these throughout a run plan. They are Intervals, Easy, Tempo, Long (see article here on this fundamental approach and another on how to position this in a block)

Here we are talking multi-purpose Intervals for endurance over a wide-ranging distance. Intervals is of course just a road to mean repetitive differences in pace and that could be ANY pace or ANY distance. In my training plans I use Intervals only for short distances at a very high pace, so meaning pace Zone 4 and above. I love to do interval training on a track and it works brilliantly to relax your mind and able to run in 100m increments and not check your watch for anything except pace.

Of course you can do these ANYWHERE and another way to think about it is between streetlamps that are roughly your distance. Why to do intervals I explain elsewhere but to summarise, real top end speed enables your body to naturally understand how to run quicker and improves your technique, power, contact time on ground.

Here are workouts for any distance from 5km up or triathlon that you can take for your next training session. I am no short-distance runner and have never trained it so I won't pretend to know if these work for anything under 5km.

What on earth do these mean index?

WU = Warm-up

WD = Warm-down

Strides = progressive pick ups of pace with an exaggerated stride to almost sprinting over no more than 100m

Dynamic Stretches = things like lunges, squats, quick repetitive stretches for under 5s, heel touches, knee to chest raises, hip openers and closers (see article)

Float = NO stopping or walking, maybe not even jogging but you're running slow enough that your heart rate is coming down

#1: Race Pace Pyramid

A fantastic session that will make race pace seem easy!

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WU: 1-2km, slow easy and relaxed running at easy conversation pace, mentally prepare

Dynamic stretches (see recommendation)

Main:

The 800s will be at your target race pace and the rest will increase by around 8-10% per km with 200m floating in between VERY easy. By doing that your pyramid is neatly divided into 5 kilometres.

So taking an example of target race pace of 4:30 per km, this could be:

1 x 800m @ 4:30 per km

2 x 400m @ 4:10 per km

4 x 200m @ 3:50 per km

2 x 400m @ 4:10 per km

1 x 800m @ 4:30 per km

TOTAL(remember the 200m jogs): 5km

WD: 1-2km, shake it out

Total: 7-9km

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#2: High Speed 200s

Warm-up is very important for this one!

This is the real top end speed one, you won't be covering much distance so make it worth it and appreciate that you are working your system in a different way that feels counter intuitive to endurance but these are really important to good run technique for ANY distance.

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WU: c. 1-2km, slow easy and relaxed running at easy conversation pace

Dynamic stretches (see recommendation)

Main:

Strides first - no injury risks!

10 x 200m @ 95% full out sprint spreed

Walking back to your starting line OR if you are on the track you can do this to the next 200m line.

WD: 1-2km

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