This session provides you with a regular and consistent recovery period after each easily attainable effort period. It can be done on the athletics track, the road, or even off-road.
Each week I will be posting the Friday Fartlek Run Sessions that you can do to enhance your running. Fartlek is a Swedish term that runners often use and it means speed-play. See a previous post about training intensity (levels) to know how hard to work.
Mona Fartlek
- 10min Warm Up Level II;
- 15sec Hard Level V, 15sec Easy Level II, 15sec Hard Level V, 15sec Easy Level II;
- 30sec Hard Level V, 30sec Easy Level II, 30sec Hard Level V, 30sec Easy Level II;
- 60sec Hard Level V, 60sec Easy Level II, 60sec Hard Level V, 60sec Easy Level II;
- 90sec Hard Level V, 90sec Easy Level II, 90sec Hard Level V, 90sec Easy Level II;
- 2min Hard Level V, 2min Easy Level II, 2min Hard Level V, 2min Easy Level II;
- 90sec Hard Level V, 90sec Easy Level II, 90sec Hard Level V, 90sec Easy Level II;
- 60sec Hard Level V, 60sec Easy Level II, 60sec Hard Level V, 60sec Easy Level II;
- 30sec Hard Level V, 30sec Easy Level II, 30sec Hard Level V, 30sec Easy Level II;
- 15sec Hard Level V, 15sec Easy Level II, 15sec Hard Level V, 15sec Easy Level II;
- 10min Cool Down Level I-II;
- 10min Stretching
The warm-up should be done at an intensity that is steady but not over consuming at Level II.
For the main set run, the hard efforts were reasonably solid. The easy efforts are described as a float, you should feel you are gliding over the ground during them. Two hard at 15 seconds, each followed by 15 seconds float, then two hard at 30 seconds with 30 seconds float following. Repeat as you build up to 2 minutes, then decrease down again to 15 seconds. Try and maintain your form as you work your way down the other side of the workout.
The cooldown is at a low intensity, jogging the remainder of the workout.
Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with the recovery. This isn’t necessarily included in the 60-minute workout and can be conducted whilst showering post-workout.
This session is credited to Steve Moneghetti, an Australian runner, who won medals at the Commonwealth Games in ’86, ’90, ’94 & ’98. His first marathon was at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games where he won the bronze medal. He is still the record holder for Sydney’s City to Surf run which he set 25 years ago (the 2015 event was held last weekend).
He holds PBs of:
- 5,000m – 13:25.77
- 10,000m – 27:47.69
- Half Marathon – 1:00:27
- Marathon – 2:08:16
Here is a link to me doing this workout earlier in the year.
If you would like further advice feel free to contact me.
I am the Head Coach & Director of Qwik Kiwi – Endurance Sports Consultant.
I specialise in assisting first-timers and recreational athletes to achieve their sporting goals. I can be contacted at coachray@coachray.nz and 021 348 729.
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Download the Garmin (.FIT) and Zwift (.ZWO) files for this workout for FREE
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