Building your ability to sustain higher speeds gives a number of physiological benefits to you. This session is great for runners and triathletes wanting to improve their performance over 10km, but with plenty of cross-over benefits to also the 5km and half marathon distance.
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 is often used by runners and it means speed-play. See a previous post about training intensity (levels) to know how hard to work.
The inspiration for this post came from a YouTube video by The Running Channel about how to run a sub-45min 10km. You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTFsBV36qKw Although not the first organisation to suggest running a session of this nature, the video is the source of inspiration for this week’s workout.
The Running Channel’s 10k Interval Session D
- 10min WU Level II;
- 5x 400m Level IV (10k pace), 60sec RI;
- 3min RI;
- 5x 400m Level IV (10k pace – 10sec/km), 60sec RI;
- 3min RI;
- 5x 400m Level IV (10k pace – 20sec/km), 60sec RI;
- 3min RI;
- 5x 400m Level IV (10k pace – 30sec/km), 60sec RI;
- 10min CD Level II;
- 10min Stretching
Start the workout with a Warm Up (WU) of ten minutes of easy jogging at Level II.
The Main Set involves running four sets of four reps of 400m, with a 60-second Rest Interval (RI) after each rep. At the end of the set take a three-minute Rest Interval (RI) prior to the next set.
The first set is done at your 10km pace. I.E. if you are wanting to run a 50min 10km you would do these 400’s at 5:00min/km pace (2:00 min for the 400m), if you are aiming for a 40min 10km you would do these at 4:00min/km pace (1:36 for the 400m). See the table below to see your target times.
The second set is done ten seconds per kilometer quicker than your 10km pace. 10km pace minus 10 seconds per kilometer. I.E. if you are wanting to run a 50min 10km you would do these 400’s at 4:50min/km pace (2:00 min for the 400m), if you are aiming for a 40min 10km you would do these at 3:50min/km pace (1:36 for the 400m). See the table below to see your target times.
The third set is run at a pace that is a further ten seconds per kilometer quicker. That is your 10km pace minus 20 seconds per kilometer. See the tables below for your respective target times.
And the final set is run a full 30 seconds per kilometer quicker. See the tables below for your respective target times.
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.
| 10km Time | Target Pace 1st Set | Target Pace 2nd Set | Target Pace 3rd Set | Target Pace 4th Set |
| 0:35:00 | 0:03:30 | 0:03:20 | 0:03:10 | 0:03:00 |
| 0:40:00 | 0:04:00 | 0:03:50 | 0:03:40 | 0:03:30 |
| 0:45:00 | 0:04:30 | 0:04:20 | 0:04:10 | 0:04:00 |
| 0:50:00 | 0:05:00 | 0:04:50 | 0:04:40 | 0:04:30 |
| 0:55:00 | 0:05:30 | 0:05:20 | 0:05:10 | 0:05:00 |
| 1:00:00 | 0:06:00 | 0:05:50 | 0:05:40 | 0:05:30 |
| 10km Time | Target Time 1st Set | Target Time 2nd Set | Target Time 3rd Set | Target Time 4th Set |
| 0:35:00 | 0:01:24 | 0:01:20 | 0:01:16 | 0:01:12 |
| 0:40:00 | 0:01:36 | 0:01:32 | 0:01:28 | 0:01:24 |
| 0:45:00 | 0:01:48 | 0:01:44 | 0:01:40 | 0:01:36 |
| 0:50:00 | 0:02:00 | 0:01:56 | 0:01:52 | 0:01:48 |
| 0:55:00 | 0:02:12 | 0:02:08 | 0:02:04 | 0:02:00 |
| 1:00:00 | 0:02:24 | 0:02:20 | 0:02:16 | 0:02:12 |
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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