Best lactic acid building workout for 1500

Probably an 800 where you go out at your best 600m time.

Three 800s or 1000s at 1500m pace. 10min recovery.

One of Lagat's:

4X800 with 2 min + 2X400 with 2 min

The 800s are run at 4 min mile pace (and maybe at altitude) and the 400s in 58 and 56. This was from his training in 2009 and posted by Dr. Li.

When you're a double world champion medalist maybe you can do this, but 4X800 at mile pace with 2 min rest is too hard for D1 athletes, so we increase the rest to 4-5 min.

But 3X800 with 15 min is for crossfitters.

One of Lagat's:

4X800 with 2 min + 2X400 with 2 min

The 800s are run at 4 min mile pace (and maybe at altitude) and the 400s in 58 and 56. This was from his training in 2009 and posted by Dr. Li.

When you're a double world champion medalist maybe you can do this, but 4X800 at mile pace with 2 min rest is too hard for D1 athletes, so we increase the rest to 4-5 min.

But 3X800 with 15 min is for crossfitters.

300s or 400s with short recovery at 800-1500m pace.

Something like 4x400m at 1500m pace with 1 minute recovery directly into

4x300m at 800m pac with 1 minute recovery.

"As Seb approached his peak, he was able to run at high speed with very short rest periods and one particular set became his personal measure of readiness for top-class competition. With that set of six or eight 300m intervals, each in around 36 to 38 seconds with only 45 seconds recovery between the runs, we also used a similar session of four 400m runs in 51 to 52 seconds with 45 to 60 seconds rest."

Page 116 or Winning Running by Peter Coe

*of Winning Running

Speed work is king.

Bump

You could always just start your workout with an all out 300 or 400 to get lactic going pretty quickly, then do your workout. At that point, you'll be fighting it off from the gun.

Why? Just why?

Brooks Johnson's go to lactic acid/"booty lock" workout for years has been 300-quick jog 100-300. 400 runners just do one or two sets. 800m and up do 3-6 sets.

I agree with dfasfsd. I used to do 3x1000m around 1500m race pace with 8-10min of rest. I really liked this type of workout but I usually didn't run well that same week (workout on Monday, race on Saturday). However, the week after I usually PR'ed. Another alternative that is pretty similar is 1000-800-600 with 5min rest at 1500m pace.

Another option is to go for shorter distances with less rest. Something like 4x400m at race pace or a little faster with 1min rest, or 5x300m at race pace with 45sec rest. These type of workouts didn't take me as long to recover and I would recommend something similar if you have an important race that same week.

The Michigan workout

3x 800m (1:2+ work:rest ratio), but really the amount required to complete the work at pace - these are "Repetitions", not Intervals per se, so the essence isn't really to keep the rest short (unless you are Lagat). Can be done as Tempo-change Reps (various configurations) which requires a longer recovery than even pace distribution.

2 x 1000m (1:3+) at Pace. This should be enough, 3 is too much at 1500m pace IMO. 1 x 1200 + 300-500m could be a progression from the 1k's. You could do a combination/simulation of 400+800+300m as well (standing or jogging recovery). Another variation is 800m(200jog)300m (100jog)100m - so 1200m (see below)at Pace and faster, total of 1500m. This would be good for working on your kick, as opposed to Tempo-change reps (600m as 400RP/200kick).

Shorter Reps are more Interval type. Could be a progression of 4x300m (100m float) - so 1200m at Pace, 300m float - covering 1500m in each set. Progress to 3x400m (100/200m float); Progress to 600m(300 float)600m. This is tougher than a standing recovery for many people, as long as the float does not become a jog.

someone had to do it wrote:

"As Seb approached his peak, he was able to run at high speed with very short rest periods and one particular set became his personal measure of readiness for top-class competition. With that set of six or eight 300m intervals, each in around 36 to 38 seconds with only 45 seconds recovery between the runs, we also used a similar session of four 400m runs in 51 to 52 seconds with 45 to 60 seconds rest."

Page 116 or Winning Running by Peter Coe

I find that hard to believe. 4 x 400 at 800 race pace on 45-60 secs' rest?

Karma Police wrote:

someone had to do it wrote:

"As Seb approached his peak, he was able to run at high speed with very short rest periods and one particular set became his personal measure of readiness for top-class competition. With that set of six or eight 300m intervals, each in around 36 to 38 seconds with only 45 seconds recovery between the runs, we also used a similar session of four 400m runs in 51 to 52 seconds with 45 to 60 seconds rest."

Page 116 or Winning Running by Peter Coe

I find that hard to believe. 4 x 400 at 800 race pace on 45-60 secs' rest?

Long distance sloggers and wimps need not apply.

I like about 5-8 laps of: 50m sprint, 50m float.

This absolutely floods the legs with lactic. I don't know if it is the "best", and don't really care. It is brutal, and over oh-so-quickly. First time I attempted it, I had to jog a lap recovery after only 3 laps. 5 total laps was enough for me.

It is great for final sharpening because you recover much quicker from it than other hard workouts with longer repeats.

A study was done that lactate tolerance was best improved in a workout that changed pace multiple times within each interval.

Ex. 8x300 running the 100m splits @ 800pace-Mile-800pace or Hard-float-Hard

45 sec. recovery

Or 6x400m changing pace at 150m and 250m with 60-75 sec recovery.