Friday Fartlek Run: Coach Holly’s 2 Miles Interval Sandwich

This session is great to improve speed for runners. It is perfect for both runners and triathletes alike.

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.

The inspiration for this session comes from an Instagram post from Coach Holly Wallace from Run4PRs @run4prs.coachholly.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

I lied! I made it out to the track one more time! 🙌🏻 Squeezed it in between an appointment and my daughter’s early release dismissal! – – This workout felt great! I really tried to go off feel for this! The 200’s always feel hard, but in the past I always felt I was working my tempos “too hard”. Therefore, I kept repeating in my head “make it feel like a 7-8, make it feel like a 7-8”😂. It worked! I clocked in at 7:08 and 6:59 and didn’t feel zoinked. Could have done more – which is the whole point! If you feel like you are so dead and you can’t do more – you’ve gone too hard! It’s actually a little better to be under lactate threshold (aka slower) than it is to be over when specifically working on lactate threshold! If you’re over – you are not completing the purpose of the workout!!! So don’t freak out if you don’t think you are on pace – just make it feel like a “7-8” and you will be fine! If it feels like a 9-10, back off! This really helps when you are training in the heat too – you can naturally adjust your pace by feel vs using all the calculators that give you a wide range! – – Also!!! Side note!!! Victoria has mentioned this before – but you go by the lines ON THE TRACK!!! Garmin is usually a little off for whatever reason – ex. It usually clocks me at a mile despite have 100 meters to go! A mile is 1600 M- not 1500😂If I had gone by my Garmin times, it would have said I clocked in at a 6:39 and a 6:27, which I would gladly take, but then I’d be lying to myself and that’s not good!! So just an FYI – if you experience the same issue, use the lines on the track!!! – – #run4prs #effortbased #teamrun4prs #boston2019 #gettingbettereveryday #trackworkout #altraescalante #marathonmomma #altrarunning #runlikeamother #goforitall #runningmomsrock #happyfriyay #runrunrun #iruntoburnoffthecrazy #womensrunning #trainsmarternotharder #noexcusesdowork #igrunners #runningcommunity

A post shared by Holly Wallace (@run4prs.coachholly) on Dec 14, 2018 at 11:45am PST

Coach Holly’s 2 Miles Interval Sandwich

• 10min WU Level II;
• 4x 200m Level V, 200m Level II RI;
• 2x 1 mile Level IV, 400m Level II RI;
• 2x 200m Level V, 200m Level II RI;
• 10min CD Level II;
• 10min Stretching

The Warm Up (WU) should be done at an intensity that is steady, but not overconsuming at Level II for ten minutes.

There are three main sets in this workout – a set of two one-mile reps sandwiched between two sets of 200s.

The first set of 200’s is done at Level V intensity and is followed by a 200m Rest Interval (RI) where you jog at Level II to recover. Complete four reps.

The next set is of two, one-mile (four laps of a standard athletic track) reps done at Level IV, followed by a 400m (one lap of a standard athletics track) Rest Interval (RI) jogging at Level II.

The third and final set is another set of 200s but only two reps this time. As with the first set complete this at Level V, with a 200m Rest Interval (RI) jogging at Level II.

The Cool Down (CD) is at a low intensity, jogging (Level II) for a minimum of ten minutes.

Finish with 10 minutes of stretching to assist with the recovery.

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

If you enjoyed this workout, here is a similar session I published 12 months ago.

Friday Fartlek Run: 4x 800m

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