Question About Rest Between Intervals

Depends what you are trying to accomplish, and how fast the 400s are. If they are at mile to 3k pace, the rest should be a really slow walk/jog, as just standing around doesn't help "pump" out the metabolic byproducts accumulating in your muscles. But if you were doing 12 or 16 400s at 5k pace or a bit slower as sort of a "threshold" type workout, it'd be less important if you stood around or jogged or whatever.

The intervals *are* the rests...

Rest BETWEEN intervals? Um, the rest period IS the "interval". The work piece is the repeat. Get it right! Oh, and +1 to the guy above me. Seriously, great question. Refreshing.

Actually, the word "interval" refers to the rest period. So what you are asking is how much rest to take in between your rest.

I recommend reading 'better training for distance runners'

the rest totally depends on what you're trying to get out of the workout.

say you're doing 15 x 400 meters at 10k pace... the recovery is going to be a lot shorter.

the whole reason we have recoveries is so that we can... recover.... from the repeat.

the answer to your question is right in front of your nose.

do a repeat. recover such that you can do another one with good form.

Tx, isn't your live in boyfriend your coach? Why not ask Nikeman? He's on these boards peddling his "coaching" services day and night...surely he could spare a moment to help you out.

bangalangadanga wrote:

I recommend reading 'better training for distance runners'

the rest totally depends on what you're trying to get out of the workout.

say you're doing 15 x 400 meters at 10k pace... the recovery is going to be a lot shorter.

the whole reason we have recoveries is so that we can... recover.... from the repeat.

the answer to your question is right in front of your nose.

do a repeat. recover such that you can do another one with good form.

you need to generalize this a bit more.

for example, even limiting it to 15x400m at 10k pace, you can adjust the rest period in order to get different workouts. depending on the rest, that workout could be a threshold workout, a pace practice workout, an easy run, or maybe even a vo2max workout.

quick question wrote:

for example, even limiting it to 15x400m at 10k pace, you can adjust the rest period in order to get different workouts.

Exactly. Most people think of season-long workout progressions as being about pace and interval length (sorry, I'm not a stickler for the "interval" / "repeat" terminology), but you can create a perfectly good progression with the main variable being recovery length. The workouts get increasingly difficult as the recovery either gets shorter, or transitions from static (standing around or walking) to active (jogging).

Dan

I have NEVER "peddled" my coaching services here. I have only replied to posters who ask about options for online coaching. Care to prove otherwise ?

txRUNNERgirl wrote:

When doing an interval workout, which is better and why: complete rest between for a short amount of time or jog rest for a little longer? For example, 12 X 400m with 45 seconds complete rest or 12 X 400m with 200m jog rest (say that takes 60 seconds or longer).

This is an interesting subject. Here are some posts that I've saved by Renato.

Renato Canova wrote:

[Merga] simply walks. When you have intervals very fast, it's a mistake recovering jogging. Also Bekele, in his training before bettering the WR of 10000m in 2005 (in St. Moritz), when ran 4x2000m in 5'10" / 5'12" with 4' rest + 1x1000m in 2'27", simply walked without jogging.

More here

Ask nikeman.

If you stand or walk the recoveries, you usually want the rest to be even longer, to help ensure complete recovery. It's best to think about 2 kinds of interval training: let's call one "anaerobic" and the other "aerobic". The distinction here is whether you want a workout with partial recovery during the rest intervals, or a complete recovery.

If you want complete recoveries, make them passive (walking or standing), and longer (e.g. 2x-5x the time of the rep.). This leaves you equally fresh (almost) for all of the repetitions. This allows you to accumulate lactate during the repetitions, and then gives you plenty of time to clear the lactate away before the next repetition. The pace of the rep might also be faster (e.g. mile pace to 3K pace), but some say the interval recovery length is the more important variable. This brings more "anaerobic" benefits.

If you want partial recoveries, make them active (jogging) and short (e.g. equal time or half the distance of the rep.) Since recoveries are incomplete, there is a cumulative effect and a building fatigue as you progress through the reps. Lactate accumulation is not completely cleared between reps. This provides a different kind of stimulus, as you are not starting each new repetition in a fresh state, but rather a progressively fatigued state. This also places a natural limit on how fast the repetitions can be, because if it's too fast, you won't be able to complete the workout. The pace of the rep can also be slower, e.g. 3K-5K or 10K pace. This kind of workout brings more "aerobic" benefits. It's also closer to the conditions of real racing then if you use longer, passive recoveries.

rekrunner wrote:

This kind of workout brings more "aerobic" benefits. It's also closer to the conditions of real racing then if you use longer, passive recoveries.

So if I run 10x 400 in 60 seconds with 400 jogs in 2 1/2 minutes, this is more aerobic than running 6x 400 in 60 seconds with 5 minute standing recoveries?

Yes I'm sure. In this context, I would call both of your examples "anaerobic". You give two examples of fairly "complete" recoveries, one more complete than the other, and to be considered "aerobic", you need "partial" recovery, e.g. 200m jogs in 60 seconds, and not more.

are you sure about that wrote:

So if I run 10x 400 in 60 seconds with 400 jogs in 2 1/2 minutes, this is more aerobic than running 6x 400 in 60 seconds with 5 minute standing recoveries?

nikeman wrote:

I have NEVER "peddled" my coaching services here. I have only replied to posters who ask about options for online coaching. Care to prove otherwise ?

Well now you're just peddling semantics...

Just curious though...what are your qualifications as a coach? Please be specific.

rekrunner wrote:

You give two examples of fairly "complete" recoveries, one more complete than the other, and to be considered "aerobic", you need "partial" recovery, e.g. 200m jogs in 60 seconds, and not more.

Okay, so if I run 10x 400 in 60 seconds with 200 jogs in 60 seconds, that will be considered aerobic.

Thank you for the clarification.

200m in 60 seconds isn't really a jog. I say it's better to walk for 60 seconds. Just walk 30 seconds in one direction, then turn around and come back. Or walk 100m in 60 seconds and start your next interval from there.

The answer is that you can do either.

I have done 12X400 with coach Cook and the same workout with Centro/Gags.

We did standing rest with Cook and jogging rest with the Enclave.

Both programs are successful.

Ask your Coach wrote:

Tx, isn't your live in boyfriend your coach? Why not ask Nikeman? He's on these boards peddling his "coaching" services day and night...surely he could spare a moment to help you out.

Nikeman very rarely posts about his coaching services.