If I am doing 7-10 1:30 Fartlek’s…what pace should I do these? 10k, 5k?
how much time between each? I’d say probably 5k pace, with clarifications.
I once read, and now like to tell the people I coach to “run as fast as you wish, recover for as long as you want, and change it up” keeping in mind fartleks are technically non-structured. But, when I’m coaching the workout, I usually have a set “on” and “off” time (which I guess makes them intervals, technically). And based on that it depends on the pace, often mile pace, often 5k pace.
My “on” bursts vary from 15 seconds to two or three minutes. Between bursts, “off” time often equals 2/3 of the on time. The shorter the burst, the faster the pace.
1 min rest
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I’m sure opinions will vary, but I’d say mile or 5k pace.
Last night I had people doing repeats (x5) of 1/2 mile at “mile pace” with 90 seconds recovery. In reality people went somewhere between mile and 5k pace. You’re doing more (7-10) so I’d say shoot for 5k pace, but overall, try to keep them consistent, in other words, don’t go out so hard that your last 2 are sluggish.
I was under the impression Fartlek where: “whatever pace for whatever distance”:
I will run all out until that post then nice and easy until whatever…I will run @ 10K pace for 2 mins…then nice and easy until whatever… etc…
Fred.
Mrdavidalex,
As previously mentioned, true fartlek is unstructured, but that doesn’t mean a modified fartlek isn’t useful. The best way to approach your question is looking at the total duration of running. In your case that’s 10.5-15 min of “on time” or fartlek running. I’m guess your not racing your 5K’s in 15 minutes or less, so the logical approach would be to attack your fartlek interval at 1 miles pace, keeping it under control enough to complete your entire set. The main question would be what physiological system are you targeting. At mile pace for 7-10 intervals this would be something harder than lactate training.
Have a great run,
Matt
“Fartlek” is swedish for “Speed play”… Basicly you “play” with your “speed”. It is not structured. Structured “intervals” of speed increases are:: Yep, you guessed it “Intervals!” Fartlek is simply saying. “Okay, next 3 lights I will go all out”… “okay I run 10k pace until I see a Yellow car”… uhm, you get it, right?
The ironman plan that I am following has a run workout with them in it.
Unless your in a taper/race prep phase, I think 10K pace would be more appropriate.
Cheers,
Matt
Last night I had people doing repeats (x5) of 1/2 mile at “mile pace” with 90 seconds recovery.
Repeats of 1/2 mile at mile pace?
Mile pace would be close to what Daniels would identify as repitition pace. When doing rep work, it’s usually 200s and 400s that are prescribed. Reps of 800s would be pretty killer.
Unless your in a taper/race prep phase, I think 10K pace would be more appropriate.
Cheers,
Matt
I am 6.5 weeks out from the race. I was planning on 10k pace but wanted to see what others thought.
“Fartlek” is swedish for “Speed play”… Basicly you “play” with your “speed”. It is not structured. Structured “intervals” of speed increases are:: Yep, you guessed it “Intervals!” Fartlek is simply saying. “Okay, next 3 lights I will go all out”… “okay I run 10k pace until I see a Yellow car”… uhm, you get it, right?
Bingo. Loved fartlek days back in high school cross country, but not as big of a fan of it solo. One person in the group chooses the pace and time for each burst of speed, so most of the time you don’t have to think about it.
We often do 200s or 400s, but yesterday was meant to be a killer workout. Which it was 
Be creative and figure out what your trying to improve upon.
A few of my favorite sets that I do on the trails in racing flats.
I usually do 1 fartlek run per week in the winter, and 2 per week when I am in-season.
10 min warm
4 X :15 sec at my 1600 pace very fast feet, :45 sec recovery
10 min easy jog
10 X :60 sec. @ 5k pace with :60 recovery
10 min warm down
20 min warm
5 min, 4 min, 3 min, 2 min, 1 min at 10k pace w/2 min easy recoveries in between
10 min warm down
10 min warm
10 X 10 sec, 10 sec hard into 10 sec easy
10 min recovery
15 X (:30 sec @ 10k into :30 sec @ 5k into :30 @ 1600) with :30 walk recovery inbetween
20 min warm down
30 min easy warm up (my favorite)
4 X (:20 @ 10k pace w/:40 sec recovery jog)
4 X (:20 @ 5K pace w/:40 sec recovery jog)
4 X (:20 @ 1600 pace w/:40 sec recovery jog)
4 X (:20 @ ALL OUT SPRINT on your toes pace w/:40 sec recovery jog)
30 min easy jog/warm down
I like this one during tapers but I reduce my warm up/down to :15 min.
Unless your in a taper/race prep phase, I think 10K pace would be more appropriate.
Cheers,
Matt
I am 6.5 weeks out from the race. I was planning on 10k pace but wanted to see what others thought.
remember, to build a house you need more then one tool.
If I am doing 7-10 1:30 Fartlek’s…what pace should I do these? 10k, 5k?
When I see the word fatlek, I imagine a fairly unstructured workout. A workout where you just “express” your speed in a free way. If you want a more structured workout, you can do repeats of a set distance for a set time.
For fartleks, the pace should be best average pace for the whole set. So you don’t want to go out too hard, but try to judge the pace you can hold for the whole workout.
Stick with cruise intervals or straight tempo workouts at 10-15k pace. If you don’t understand the nature of the unstructured workout and its associated paces, then it can effectively work against you. Six weeks out from an IM, the benefits of 5k work are vastly outweighed by the costs - though that’s essentially true for the entire IM training season.
I was under the impression Fartlek where: “whatever pace for whatever distance”:
I will run all out until that post then nice and easy until whatever…I will run @ 10K pace for 2 mins…then nice and easy until whatever… etc…
Fred.
This. We were always told it was “as you feel” - go harder, not as hard, longer, not as long, whatever.
Once you start putting x minutes at Y pace w/ Z rest interval - that’s INTERVAL training, not a Fartlek.
+1
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