TrackWorkouts

I save this one for the hottest days.

5X400 @ 5k

5X300 @ 3k

5X200 @ mile

5X100 @ whatever

200 rest between everything except 100s

If you do 25 miles a week or less, or have a hard time in the heat, you can switch to 4X everything.

Its going to be hot, so we’ll retreat to the woods for some Fartleks on trails.

3 X (3min, 2min, 1min) equal time recovery.

Pace is by feel, but figure 10kish effort for 3min 5k for 2min and faster than 5k for 1 min.  Start the first few slower than you think you should, you can always go faster.

BTW since I have an overnight race Fri/Sat.  I’ll be running, but hanging near the back.

This is called the Michigan, so named because it is a staple workout done by the University of Michigan. It is a little complicated.

1200 @ 10k pace

2-3 min jog rest to the start of a mostly grassy mile

1 Mile @ LT over hills and fields, this is by feel and should be comfortably uncomfortable you will return to the track

2-3 min jog rest

800 @ 5k pace

2-3 min jog rest

1 Mile @ LT (grassy)

2-3 min jog rest

400 @ as fast as you can

We’ll map out a reasonable loop for the mile @LT during our warm up.

(FYI there are other versions that start with a longer first interval 1600, 1200, 800, 400 etc)

We’ll do one of my favorite workouts

8-12×400 (break into 4 sets of 2-3) 200 rest between everything.

2-3@5k

2-3@5k -2-3 seconds

2-3@3k

2-3@3k – 2-3 seconds

It is going to be hot, ridiculously hot.

We’ll head for the shade of the woods, bring water, we’ll run a little slower.  When conditions are not ideal, we run to the level of the conditions not to a pace chart.

First 10 X 1 min on 1 min off fartleks (effort should be about 3k/mile effort)

Then

8-10 X 30-40 second hill repeats, full recovery between each (walking and jogging down the hill may be enough, but if you need more rest take it)

Shorter intervals with longer rest hopefully will make the heat somewhat more bearable. If the heat is too much, call it, don’t be a hero.

Looks like a rainy day.  We’ll aim to keep you moving continuously.

This will be our first LT workout which is the pace you could maintain for a 1 hour race, and is typically 15-20 per mile (4-5 per lap) seconds slower than your 10k race pace.  30-40 seconds slower than your 5k

3-6 X 1 mile @ LT 100 meters or 1 min rest between

This should feel comfortably uncomfortable, careful not to go too fast cause the recovery between is short, really just a mental break.

Do 1 for every 10 miles a week you run.

Split pace 1000’s

4-6 X 1000 First 600@10k pace last 400@5k  200 rest between

Number is dependent on your weekly mileage. About 8% of your weekly mileage in intervals of this speed is about right.

4=30 mpw

5=40 mpw

6 = 50 mpw

5-8 X 800 @ 8k pace (2 sec a lap slower than 5k pace), 200 rest, do your last one at 5k pace.

Number is dependedant on your weekly mileage and relative experience with track workouts.  About 8% of your weekly mileage in intervals of this speed is about right.

5=30 mpw

6-7=40 mpw

7-8 = >50 mpw

If like me you raced last night (most of us did), this is not a good workout to do, so you have a few options if you still want to come.

You could provide company to a runner slower than you, who might not otherwise have a workout partner.

You could do 8×200 followed by a longish 30 min cool down

You could just go for an easy run, maybe in the woods.

Tonight we’ll head into the woods for our inaugural trail fartleks.  These are by feel, and should be at about 5k effort, always better to start a little slower on the first few and find the right pace.

8-10 X 2min on 2 min off

During the rest period the people in front will jog back to regroup with the people in back.

If you have a race on Saturday, and don’t want to fatigue yourself too much, doing about half of your normal volume  is a good way to get a workout and not much fatigue.