Interval Run Training

Triathlon Forum
1

When doing interval run training, would you generally do the same distance wise as the race that your training for? Meaning, if it’s a 5k your training for you would do 5k worth of intervals (12 x 400m or 6 x 800m or 3 x 1,600m) at your target pace? if so, what should the rest time be between sets? I was doing 2min rest for the 6 x 800m and felt fine.

Running 4 to 5 days a week, I only do interval training once a week the rest is zone 2 with one day at tempo.

This question is just specifically about interval/speed training day.

Thanks

2

I suppose that would work for 5K or 10K but I’d hate to have to knock out 105 x 400m on 2 min rest.

3

Here is a great article on runners world describing interval training and increasing VO2Max.

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/interval-sessions-increasing-your-v02-max

4

Interval amount, type, rest, etc are all specific to the distance you are training for, where you are in your training, your specific strengths, and fitness level. If you want to get really specific with it, you need to either read a few books and do a lot of research about training or get a coach who has. Otherwise, the runner’s world type advice will have to do.

5

Keeping it simple, I always do interval pace at faster than race pace, which means the interval distance has to be less than race distance. For a 5k, 5k of intervals would be tolerable, but for HIM and IM training I would never do more than about 8k of intervals in a session. For a 10k I would usually max out at about 6k of intervals and keep the intensity high.

6

No you don’t you can vary the distance of quality/quanttiy depending on what you are working on.

e.g. I do 10x200 on 2mins a few days before a race, other times i’ll do 6x1k on 4mins.

Intervals and speed are generally two different things, race pace work and hard 200s work different systems!

For race pace stuff keep the rests shorter, for speed stuff have the rest longer.