Minutes Fartlek for 800/1600m Runner in Precompetition Phase?

Training Advice/Discussion 1500

7 years ago 02/14/2017 11:49pm EST

Hi, I am a young HS distance coach looking for some feedback. I have a group of 800/mile guys running 40mpw who are in 4:40-50 mile shape. I would like to give them a challenging fartlek type workout that builds aerobic strength and prepares them for the hard intervals that will come when we hit the track. We are transitioning from our base phase to precompetition.

I would like the fartlek to be time based and touch on different paces. I have been thinking about "minutes workouts" like 4min,3,2,1-3,2,1 or 3x3,2,1 with easy running recovery of half the time of the previous interval and 2min between sets. The longer intervals would be run around 8k-5k pace and the shorter intervals would get down to 3k-mile pace.

Any feedback on workouts like this or other ways to structure a good early season fartlek would be appreciated.

Thanks!

SnE

7 years ago 02/15/2017 1:10am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

7 years ago 02/15/2017 2:33am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

It is all about leg turnover, your faster training sessions need to really focus on increasing turnover. You seriously need to add a 30s or two in the middle of the session. Otherwise sounds ok, don't do any long reps (1k+) or 3-5 min fartleks in the days leading up to an important race, clogs the muscles with lactic acid and saps your energy. You probably already know that.

7 years ago 02/15/2017 7:18am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

That looks good.

I had a 1:55 guy and another guy who ran 8:57 and 4:10.

The 2 miler couldn't out kick my 90 year old mother at the end of his junior year.

We added some 50's and 100's very fast- gradually building up speed throughout- with long recovery.

They both got a lot faster. It is about leg turnover and just raw speed.

The mileage and long run will take care of the endurance to sustain.

7 years ago 02/15/2017 7:51am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

I think fartleks usually substitute for tempo-like efforts, so the rest between "sets" seems weird. Intervals serve that purpose. 5-4-3-2-1 can start at 5k pace and seems like a workout oriented at distances longer than the mile, not to mention the 800. You could try 60-45-30-15 with even rest.

I am used to fartleks preparing runners for tempos, but if you want this as pre-intervals training, you could try just lower intensity versions of interval workouts like the ladder with jogging recovery.

7 years ago 02/15/2017 9:00am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

Others have mentioned leg turnover and I'll echo that. If your goal is to prepare them for hard interval training, then you need to have them run bouts near the effort they will be starting the intervals at. For instance, if you want to prepare them for mile-paced intervals, having them run a fartlek at 5k effort doesn't really achieve that goal (unless 5k effort is the fastest they've gone so far).

I would also spread the bouts out across the whole 40 minutes (assuming they are not using the first x minutes as a warm-up). So 10 x :30 to :60 bouts could have anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes of easy running between them. I don't like structuring my fartleks to be a perfect 5/4/3/2/1 w/ x min easy. I prefer to have them a bit more random. Giving them extra recovery on some and cutting the recovery on others keeps them on their toes and keeps it more interesting for them. I also like to have a longer easy period later in the run, say 5-10 min depending on the overall length, in order to keep them fresh for the last half.

7 years ago 02/15/2017 9:18am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

Speed and Endurance wrote:
Hi, I am a young HS distance coach looking for some feedback. I have a group of 800/mile guys running 40mpw who are in 4:40-50 mile shape. I would like to give them a challenging fartlek type workout that builds aerobic strength and prepares them for the hard intervals that will come when we hit the track. We are transitioning from our base phase to precompetition.
I would like the fartlek to be time based and touch on different paces. I have been thinking about "minutes workouts" like 4min,3,2,1-3,2,1 or 3x3,2,1 with easy running recovery of half the time of the previous interval and 2min between sets. The longer intervals would be run around 8k-5k pace and the shorter intervals would get down to 3k-mile pace.
Any feedback on workouts like this or other ways to structure a good early season fartlek would be appreciated.
Thanks!
SnE

Coach I suggest you read some books on coaching high school athletes rather than ask for advice on a forum where most of the people have no idea what they are talking about.

Here's one to get you started: "The Youth and Teen Running Encyclopedia: A Complete Guide for Middle and Long Distance Runners Ages 6 to 18"

It's available on Amazon

7 years ago 02/15/2017 10:58am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

I'm a collegiate runner & we do 1x4, 2x3, 3x2, 4x1 min starting at 5k pace then the 1min near mile pace. Solid workout

7 years ago 02/15/2017 11:43am EST

re: Speed and Endurance

I would do equal time recovery rather than half time

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