Philosophy behind interval training?

You should not make it complicated. What is your current 5k fitness, and what is your goal 5k fitness?

TheIntelligence wrote:

You should not make it complicated. What is your current 5k fitness, and what is your goal 5k fitness?

Also, what is your average daily mileage and average mileage pace for the last several weeks?

I'm not trying to complicate it. Just need to know literally the only 2 variables to complete the workouts. 18 mins PR want to break 17. 55mpw @ 7:45 for easy days, 6:45 moderate. With decent amount of hills.

Also, what is your physical state after putting in those base miles. Any niggles? At the latter stages of what you call 'base', are you generally tired, or energized daily after awakening? Also, what is your age/gender?

The objective with training is to progressively load, recover and get stronger. If one overloads without sufficient recovery (due to various factors), they will plateau before reaching their full potential, or regress.

Yes, mix it up. But also yes, shorten the rests as you go on and lengthen the reps. The closer to the race you get the more the training needs to get you ready for the demands of the race.

Make sure you train at your CURRENT fitness level, not your goal times.

Okay, my last post was before your reply came through. You are probably male.

How long ago was that 18:00 PR, because your daily training indicates you are currentlyprobably in 18:40-18:50 shape.

You appear to possibly have the capacity to hit your goal in 10 weeks, if all goes well.

I feel fine. I don't have to do much strenuous work/activities outside running so i recover pretty well. No niggles except some slight remnants of shin splints that i've mainly cured through drills. Could do more miles but would like to leave some room as i increase intensity. 29 yo male.

Here are some example repetition/interval workouts, each totaling 2 miles of repetitions at average 5:17/mile pace (i.e., 5:17/1600m for simplicity). At your current fitness (assuming 18:40/5k), you should be able to do either one of the following workouts once a day, multiple times a week, instead of a sustained run, should you choose:

(a) 32x100m in 20sec;

(b) 16x200m in 40sec;

(c) 8x400m in 1min19sec;

(d) 4x800m in 2min39sec.

Starting out with repetition work, perform the shorter repetition workouts, taking near full-recovery (e.g., 1-2 minutes on the 200m reps) as required, between repetitions.

I wouldn't recommend any of these workouts or paces

intervals at mile pace :

14-16x200 r1'

8-10x300 r1'-1'30

6-8x400 r1'30-2'

intervals @ 3k pace

14x300 r 30"-1"

10-12x400 r45"-1'15

intervals @ 5K pace

10-12x500 r1-1'30

8-10x600 r1-1'30

6-8x800 r1'-2'

5x1000 r1-2'

3xMile r2'

intervals @ 10k pace

6-8x1000 r1-2'

4xmile r2'

3x2000 r2'

2x3000 r3'

you should work on those 4 paces twice a week.

once a week mile pace (3K pace the other week) and once a week 5k pace (10km pace the other week for example.

Or first half of your plan you focus on mile and 10k pace. And second you focus on 3 and 5k.

The progression every week can be adding lengh OR increasing speed OR reducing rests.

You can start with slower pace (current PR pace) with short rests and go faster every week.

Or start fast (goal pace) with higer rests and reduce progressively

As you prefer

You dont have to try every distance for every pace.

You can also mix distances and paces during the same workout but im not a big fan

TheIntelligence wrote:

Here are some example repetition/interval workouts, each totaling 2 miles of repetitions at average 5:17/mile pace (i.e., 5:17/1600m for simplicity). At your current fitness (assuming 18:40/5k), you should be able to do either one of the following workouts once a day, multiple times a week, instead of a sustained run, should you choose:

(a) 32x100m in 20sec;

(b) 16x200m in 40sec;

(c) 8x400m in 1min19sec;

(d) 4x800m in 2min39sec.

Here are some example repetition/interval workouts, each totaling 2 miles of repetitions at average 4:11/mile pace (i.e., 4:11/1600m for simplicity). At your goal fitness (i.e., 16:58/5k), you should be able to do either one of the following workouts once a day (taking near full-recovery between reps, multiple times a week, instead of a sustained run, should you choose:

(a) 32x100m in 16sec;

(b) 16x200m in 32sec;

(c) 8x400m in 1min3sec;

(d) 4x800m in 2min6sec.

I think if you want to design your own training, just have fun with it. Mix it up with distances and paces. But also keep in mind to make sure as you progress in your workouts the demands of the planned race are met. So an example of workouts that would progress you to running a 5k would be 12 x 400 @ 5k pace w/ 400m jog in between for recovery and then progress towards something 5 x 1K @ 5k pace with 60 seconds rest in between. Reps get longer, rests get shorter.

Maybe for the first half of your training block do 400s-600s around current 5k pace, 800s-1000s around current 10k pace, mile repeats-tempos around half marathon pace, steady state around marathon pace. And the second half of the training bump the paces up a bit.

Thank you for the workouts guys but this was more of what i was looking for. I don't want to mindlessly do someone else's training plan. 400m jog seems like a lot (i already trialed 8 x 400 at race pace w 2mins rest and it was fine) but i guess its only a starting point.

As for TheIntelligence's post. 100 & 200m interval session for a 5k? Aren't these a bit off topic? I already do hill sprints for speedwork.

Simply one of the worst posts regarding training I've ever seen. Thank you, we're now all dumber, having had to read this.

Goal Fitness (i.e., 17:00/5k) race pace is 5:29. When at your goal fitness, you should be able to do a volume of repetitions totaling 6 miles, at average goal race pace, performing either of the workouts, with near full-recovery, in-lieu of a daily sustained run, should you choose:

(a) 96x100m in 20.6sec;

(b) 48x in 41.3sec;

(c) 24x400m in 1min22sec;

(d) 12x800m in 2min45sec.

Yes, the total time duration (taking recoveries) of these workouts will be quite long when repetition distance totals 6miles in volume, but you should be pleasantly tired (instead of completely wiped out) at the end of a workout when performed at contemporary fitness.

nomadiclife wrote:

Thank you for the workouts guys but this was more of what i was looking for. I don't want to mindlessly do someone else's training plan. 400m jog seems like a lot (i already trialed 8 x 400 at race pace w 2mins rest and it was fine) but i guess its only a starting point.

As for TheIntelligence's post. 100 & 200m interval session for a 5k? Aren't these a bit off topic? I already do hill sprints for speedwork.

Hill sprints are great - keep those up to keep developing FT fibers and build strength in your legs. I also love 200s for 5k runners, maybe once every 2-3 weeks, a session like 3 x (5-6 x 200) at around your 3k>1 mile race pace, no faster, with 200 jog rest between, or 1 minute or so. Short enough reps to run relaxed and often enough to keep your economy in check.

After a bit, perhaps alternate with something like 2 x (8x300) at around your goal 5k pace, with similar rest.

Those, combined with a healthy dose of sub-threshold tempos and LT work, will get you to where you want to be.

TheIntelligence wrote:

Goal Fitness (i.e., 17:00/5k) race pace is 5:29. When at your goal fitness, you should be able to do a volume of repetitions totaling 6 miles, at average goal race pace, performing either of the workouts, with near full-recovery, in-lieu of a daily sustained run, should you choose:

(a) 96x100m in 20.6sec;

(b) 48x in 41.3sec;

(c) 24x400m in 1min22sec;

(d) 12x800m in 2min45sec.

Yes, the total time duration (taking recoveries) of these workouts will be quite long when repetition distance totals 6miles in volume, but you should be pleasantly tired (instead of completely wiped out) at the end of a workout when performed at contemporary fitness.

Hey bud, please leave, and for the love of God, never try to help anyone train.

These training principles originate from the likes of WaldemarGerschler, G. Pirie, and Zatopek.

nomadiclife wrote:

As for TheIntelligence's post. 100 & 200m interval session for a 5k? Aren't these a bit off topic? I already do hill sprints for speedwork.

Are you using a HR monitor yet?