Fartlek Training for Runners

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1. "Fartlek" is a Swedish word for "SPEED PLAY"; and in the form of "ladders" it provides a FUN introduction to speed work. Fartlek's semi-structured form allows you to play and experiment with speed and to develop a feel for different levels of pace before moving on to the more structured environment of the track.
2. As you progress from ENDURANCE to STRENGTH and SPEED PHASES, do not forget to keep working on your endurance base, following the programme and putting lots of nice, easy miles "in the bank" (in your legs!). Remember, you will derive much more benefit from strength and speed workouts if you have a good and ever-improving cardiovascular endurance base to build on.
3. Pick interesting routes for your FARTLEK workout; LADDERS should bring a JOY to your improving level of fitness. Ups and downs, twists and turns add interest, spice and excitement, and help with the FREE-FLOWING nature of "SPEED PLAY".
4. Make sure you WARM-UP AND WARM DOWN for at least a mile or two on either side of your workout (15 to 20 minutes). THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! A little stretching, especially of hamstrings, quads, calves and Achilles, would also be very beneficial in helping AVOID INJURY.

   REMEMBER, in HALF-MARATHON AND MARATHON training, it is usually those who remain injury-free longest who improve most.

5. Sample ladder (or pyramid) workouts: warm-up, 1.5 to 2 miles, VERY EASY, then run…

   1 minute HARD
   1 minute EASY
   3 minutes HARD
   3 minutes EASY
   5 minutes HARD
   5 minutes EASY
   3 minutes HARD
   3 minutes EASY
   1 minute HARD
   1 minute EASY

   Warm down for 1.5 - 2 miles, very easy.

   NOVICES: try 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute pyramid.

THE OBJECT OF EXERCISE is to help you and your body develop a "feel" for different levels of pace. Clearly, you cannot run 5 minutes hard at the same pace as one minute hard. LATER, you can move onto do "pace intervals" on the track at speeds similar to your 3 and 5 minutes hard, and "speed intervals" at around your 1 mile hard pace.

GET A FEEL FOR SPEED AND HAVE FUN WITH IT!!!

Government warning: too much speed too soon is likely to be injurious to your health!

Compliments of the Canada Running Series - www.canadarunningseries.com