How to fartlek: rest periods

It's fartlek. That translates to speed play. Play is meant to be fun; don't overthink it too much. That said, as you get fitter, the recovery should be more than a slow jog...don't make it any slower than you need to in order to make the pickup a proper pickup, if that makes sense.

Why do people call interval sessions fartlek just because they are off the track.

kipkenji wrote:

It's fartlek. That translates to speed play. Play is meant to be fun; don't overthink it too much. That said, as you get fitter, the recovery should be more than a slow jog...don't make it any slower than you need to in order to make the pickup a proper pickup, if that makes sense.

exactly. you pick up the pace until you don't feel like picking it up anymore. then you slow down. you start and end each 'interval' whenever you feel like it. A fartek is not really a work out, no need to even involve time.

Why do illiterate people ask questions and put a period at the end?

Exactly

ukathleticcoach wrote:

Why do people call interval sessions fartlek just because they are off the track.

Use of tempo is suspect as well.

kipkenji wrote:

It's fartlek. That translates to speed play. Play is meant to be fun; don't overthink it too much. That said, as you get fitter, the recovery should be more than a slow jog...don't make it any slower than you need to in order to make the pickup a proper pickup, if that makes sense.

Nice touchy feely answer. Fartlek might theoretically mean speed "play", but these types of structured fartlek sessions are more benefit.

The 1 min hard 1 min easy - do the 1 min hard marginally slower (2km speed), and the 1 min recov at 60% of that speed. Work out a course in a park if you can. This is classic vVo2max training - google Veronique Billat.

2 min hard 1 min easy - the recov should be long run pace, no slower.

ukathleticcoach wrote:

Why do people call interval sessions fartlek just because they are off the track.

bingo

it ain't fartlek if it's structured

it ain't fartlek if either the hard or easy segments are measured and/or consistent

Put the GPS away and put the watch away if you want to run a Fartlek.

I liked to run hill fartleks. Run hard every time you get to an uphill. If no hills, pick a point in the distance like a driveway or mailbox and run hard until you get there.

Don't pre-plan segments, run it all by feel. When I do fartleks I bring a watch just to keep track of my total run time. Vary the pick-up lengths and efforts based on feel. Dellinger said a fartlek can be the hardest workout you do or the easiest. Keeping it unstructured allows you the freedom to adjust mid-run if you aren't feeling very good or if you feel strong.

whweohbwqlKHHDUDLW';',., wrote:

I usually run fartleks in a few different styles:

1min hard:1min easy (hard periods at about mile effort) for 20 minutes total

2 hard:1 easy @ sub-tempo effort for 4-6 miles

2x4min @tempo effort, 2x3min @5-10k effort, 2x2 min @ 2mi effort, 2x1 min @1mi effort (all with 2min rest)

what kind of pace should I maintain for the rest periods. I generally do a pretty slow jog in between to try and get recovered for the next fast section. These are usually comfortably hard sessions for me. Should I run faster rest or change these up majorly?

I do these kinds of workout in my base training for both xc and track

Personally i kind of split the recovery in two - first half a slow jog to catch breath back then speed up a bit after that. As you get fit you can reduce that first part accordingly.

The key in these workouts IMO is not to cheat on the recoveries - ie. you need to run the main segment fast and then deal with whatever is there during the recovery rather than put the hand break a bit on the fast leg and then do a fast recovery which could give you a faster average at the end and also give a sense of fitness which isnt really there...

Good point. I do the same thing. In fact, I just ran one yesterday and probably did the first 10-20 seconds of each recovery at a jog and built it back to a moderate pace.

Play is hard....... wrote:

Put the GPS away and put the watch away if you want to run a Fartlek.

I liked to run hill fartleks. Run hard every time you get to an uphill. If no hills, pick a point in the distance like a driveway or mailbox and run hard until you get there.

+ 3:11:45