Is it better to have an "active recovery" where you run slowly for the rest period (usually a shorter recovery time)and possible run the repetition more slowly due to fatigue.
E.g. 4x1600 in 5:20 w/ 400 jog (2 min)
Or, is it better to take a walk/jog recovery that is longer and enables you to run the repetition faster.
E.g. 4x1600 in 5:00 w/ 400 walk jog (4 min)
Should you incorporate both? I feel that I get different benefits from each type of workout.
This should apply to 5k-10k training.
I'm no expert, so take this with a grain of salt. I think it really depends what your weaknesses are. Comparing 1600 meter repeats to 5k/10k, look at how much faster your mile repeats are compared to your 5k/10k pace. If you tend to be a fast sprinter/mid distance person but lack endurance it seems it would make sense to do the shorter recovery. If you lack basic speed it seems you should do the longer recovery and try to chop your times down a little.
Also, if you can work a pretty hard 2-4 mile tempo run in each week, I would guess that would be good for increasing endurance (or lactate threshold or whatever you want to call it) so you could afford to do longer recoveries on your 1600 meter repeats. Again, though, just a guess.
lago, Most research suggests your third option of 'both'. Each way addresses different energy systems. Your second example with standing rest does not have to be as long as 4 minutes. Use your heart rate as a guide. Once it gets below 130 (a pretty good guide), you are ready to go. For most, this will take 1:30 to 2:00, so about the same rest as your first example, only standing/walking this time and trying to get the intervals a little faster.
I know that we apply the PAAVO system, but I'm still in High School so I don't know if this helps. Our interval system is set up to have a 4:00 minute jog as active recovery in between each interval. The recovery is meant to lower your heart rate below 120. In the PAAVO system there are low set (6x400) and high set (10x400) days
Example: Low Set Interval Training/High Set
Mile Warm Up Mile Warm Up
400m repeat 400m repeat
4 min. jog (about 600m) 4 min. jog
400m repeat 400m repeat
4 min. jog (600m) 4 min. jog
400m repeat 400m repeat
4 min. jog (600m) 4 min. jog
400m repeat 400m repeat
8 min. jog (1700-1800m) 8 min. jog
400m repeat 400m repeat
4 min. jog (600m) 4 min. jog
400m repeat 400m repeat
Mile Warm Down 4 min. jog
400m repeat
Total: 6 Miles 4 min. jog
400m repeat
8 min. jog
400m repeat
4 min. jog
400m repeat
Mile Warm Down
Total: 10-11 Miles
These workouts help you work through the lactic acid and help raise your threshold. It seems to have worked for me seeing as I lowered my 1600 from 5 min. to 4:44.79 by the end of the year. It also helped me in the last two laps of the two mile and the 5k felt easy as well.
Here is the schedule:
Sunday: 4-6 mile run
Monday: 6x400m repeats, 6 miles
Tuesday: 8x200m pace intervals w/mile warm up cool down
Wednesday: 7 miles
Thursday: 10x400m repeats, 10 miles
Friday: 6 miles
Saturday: Timed Mile with 4 mile jog
Total Mileage: 39-41 miles
This is what my week was when I first started but you can adjust the mileage as needed.
PAAVO system has been discussed at length on this board. Some good, lots of bad. I was trained on the PAAVO system through high school and most of college. There are lots of variations it seems. We got up to 6x800 and 8x800 for slow intervals w/3:00 recovery (I think I may have done 10x800 once) and from 24x200 to 4x1600 pace intervals. Freshman year went from 5:30 mile during XC to 4:52 first track race to 4:37 then 4:27 sophomore year.
The system works great for lactate tolerance, running at a high rate of speed while maintaining a high blood lactate level, but seems pretty poor in long endurance (showed in college where the women's team did real well but the men who run longer never did as well).
I think it's a decent high school program because your race distances are shorter, but it would be better if a taper was added. In the system the longest/hardest training is the last weeks of the season.
Alan