This intensity is just below their Anaerobic Threshold. It allows them to work hard, but not so hard that they are uncomfortable.
It does not lead to improvements in their Aerobic Capacity, nor does it increase their Anaerobic Threshold or VO2max.
So when I stumbled on a new approach to training the different "gears" of the body, in a single workout, I immediately tried them out, had a great time doing them, and best of all, saw a definite improvement in my running.
With the nice weather starting to show its face again (in the Northern Hemisphere) and race season around the corner, give on or more of these Mixed Sessions a whirl and see your performance improve.
Tempo and Hills - for those of you wanting to finish strong on a hilly course
200m hill - Repeat 2-4 times (depending on your fitness) hard
Recovery is the time it takes you to slowly run down to the bottom of the hill
3 miles (4.8km) run at your Anaerobic Threshold Heart Rate or Half Marathon pace.
200m hill - Repeat 2-4 times (depending on your fitness) hard
Recovery is the time it takes you to slowly run down to the bottom of the hill
Long repeats & Tempo work - Improve your pacing in a Half Marathon and Full Marathon
1 X 1200m - faster than your Half Marathon Mile pace
2 miles (3.2km) - run at your Anaerobic Threshold
Repeat 2 times
Long repeats & Sprints - Will help you run a faster 10km or Half
3 - 4 X 1200m at Threshold and slightly above
Recovery - 50% of the time it took to complete the 1200m interval
2 - 6 X 200m at 5km pace
Recovery - same amount of time it took to complete the 200m interval.
Speed work - to improve your Marathon running speed
6 - 10 X 600m at 10km pace
Recovery - 1:1 - recover for the same time it took to complete the interval.
Speedwork and Sprints - to reduce your rate of fatigue in a 5km or 10km race
400m on a track - at Threshold Heart Rate / 10Km race pace
Repeat: 8 - 12 times
Second last 400m should be run as hard as you can (record your time)
Each of these sets will ensure you get out of that "default training zone" that you so often slip into, and will challenge you to work outside of your comfort zone - where improvement lies.
What are your favorite performance boosting sessions?
