Speed Work: What, When & Why

When thinking about running and training, try to picture a pyramid. 

The foundation is recovery, which includes rest and cross training.

The base is mostly conversation pace running, which is the bulk of training.

As you move up the pyramid, you have the strength phase, which includes tempo, hills and fartlek followed by the sharpening phase, which includes long intervals (800m-2000m), short intervals (200m-600m). These phases of the pyramid provide variety to our training, help with strength, efficiency, form and even recovery and also help us adapt to a specific goal

At the top of the pyramid, you have peak performance, which includes taper, where a reduced workload helps us prepare for final efforts at race pace (if applicable) and then racing. 

Depending on your running or racing goal, different aspects of the pyramid may play a more pivotal role and it is important to keep your main priority in mind. A coach can help with this! 

In the spirit of this morning's interval workout, which I ran on (somewhat) flat, even, paved terrain (but not on a traditional track), let's take a look at the various types of speed work, we have the following: 

Fartlek: 

Fartlek is a fast bout of running followed by a bout of rest. It means "speed play" in Swedish. 

The goal is to practice fast running without the specific speed and rest intervals of a conventional track workout. The main difference between a fartlek and intervals in general is specificity. Intervals specify distance, pace, recovery, time and / or effort. Fartlek, on the other hand, does not need to specify. It is more go-as-you-please training. 

Tempo: 

Tempo runs have a number of training benefits:

• Improves endurance with lower muscle stress

• Promotes more efficient running form

• Teaches patience while managing low grade physical discomfort

When you think of tempo pace, think of it as "pay attention pace". Basically, you could have a conversation at this pace but it is fast enough that you need to focus on staying steady and in control. It should be comfortably challenging, but it is not intended to be a time trial or a race simulation. Tempo runs are done at a swift, sustained pace generally for 20-30 minutes. This is steady state, controlled running.

Intervals: 

If we think of training like a pyramid, with conversation pace running as the base and foundation and peak performance at the top, intervals are very close to the top of the pyramid, or peak performance. Intervals are highly demanding and a very technical workout and we won't get to these for a while, but it's still helpful to understand what they are, the benefits they offer and where they fit in the training. Interval training is fast running with little rest and the benefits include:

• Efficient use of oxygen

• Improved fast twitch muscle ability

• More efficient running form

• Patience while managing physical discomfort

• Increased strength

When we think of speed work, we have fartlek (speed play), tempo (steady state) and intervals (specificity).  

The key word and what specifically sets intervals apart from other speed work is "specificity." Variables can include distance, speed/time, duration/distance, repetitions.

Intervals are generally thought of as an uncomfortable pace at a speed that is harder and harder to handle over longer distances. These sharpening sessions help us adapt to a race-specific goal. Once again, emphasizing that intervals are extremely demanding and, like any workout, do have the risk of injury and fatigue. Intervals are intended for experienced athletes running more than 20 miles per week who have completed strength running training (tempo, hills, fartlek) and have a strong base of at least 500 miles. Intervals are not intended for beginner or novice runners. And even experienced runners benefit from training with a coach when it comes to intervals in parallel to overall training and effort sessions.

It is useful to think of intervals in two categories — long intervals (~800m-2000m) and short intervals (~800m and less). In interval training, the recovery portion is often half of the interval, whether that is measured in duration (resting recovery) or distance (active recovery). 

Speed work, when done safely and effectively, can be fun, provide variety and increase running performance and recovery. If you want to learn more about ways you can incorporate speed, or other types of running workouts, into your training, we are here and happy to help!