[Loobyloo]

Hi All

Firstly, apologies if this has been covered elsewhere already but I don't have time to search all the forums (at work at the mo). I've heard that interval training is great to build up speed and jump start some weight loss. My question is how long should the intervals be for ? I can currently run around 5 miles at a slow steady pace (takes me about an hour). So do I interject that with quick bursts of sprinting for around 10 seconds or should the hard work be for longer ?

Thanks everyone !

Lx

 

[Steve]

It's really up to you and what you feel comfortable doing.

Try running fast between lamp posts ..say run fast for one set then jog for a set and repeat 6 times. It will be hard so you need to build up slowly.
A second option is to run hard up a hill and jog down slowly...and repeat say 6 times...depending on the hill.

 

[Elev8Performance]

Hi,

There are many ways to perform interval training, infact it is most effective as a tool to increase aerobic fitness (Vo2max).

The basic rules are:

- Get a HR monitor to ensure you are running at the right intensity which should be 90-95 of max HR

- Use a work to rest ratio (W:R) of 1:1 or 1:0.8

- Rest intervals should be active, i.e. consist of walking, light jogging, stretching

Good luck

 

[richardsimkiss]

very interesting post Elev8... should the HR not depend on the length of the interval? and also the rest periods? Last night I was running mile intervals at goal 10k pace, these being approx 5:50/mi, and I took 90secs rest between each... I think my muscles would have gone cold if I'd waited 5mins between each repetition?!

Loobyloo, I tihnk steve's suggestion of putting in bursts between lamposts would be a good starting point... it doesn't have to be lamposts, you can say "I'll run hard to the next corner", or bush, or parked car, or whatever... this kind of workout is commonly referred to as 'fartlek'

Intervals can vary massively... anything from 1minute efforts (or below if you prefer!) up to 5,6,7min efforts... by which point you're starting to enter 'tempo run' territory

Have fun... you'll sleep well after a good interval session :d

 

[Steve]

Have fun... you'll sleep well after a good interval session :d

I always sleep well after a good session..............

 

[twinkle toes]

I always sleep well after a good session..............

Are you being good or do I have to mod you?

 

[richardsimkiss]

I always sleep well after a good session..............

Aye... a session of watching cricket or Dr Who would send me right to sleep

 

[twinkle toes]

I hear you Simkiss :lol:

 

[Loobyloo]

Haha !!
Thanks for your replies everyone. I'll give it a go on my next run and see how I get on - sounds like a lot of hard work !!

 

[richardsimkiss]

with hard work comes great rewards!! or rather with hard work comes aching muscles and 'some' rewards :lol:

 

[Steve]

...including a good sleep.....!!

 

[Elev8Performance]

very interesting post Elev8... should the HR not depend on the length of the interval? and also the rest periods? Last night I was running mile intervals at goal 10k pace, these being approx 5:50/mi, and I took 90secs rest between each... I think my muscles would have gone cold if I'd waited 5mins between each repetition?!

Firstly in my opinion intervals at high intensity are there to improve aerobic capacity. I dont see the rationale for doing reps at target e.g. 10k as if you are going to be realistically capable of achieving that pace over 10k, you should easily be able to sustain that pace for much longer than 1 mile continuously, its just making things too easy. That said, each to there own, I just thought I would pass on my opinion as a conditioning coach

Based on research etc intervals for improving aerobic capacity which have used a method to measure intensity easily in the real world (i.e. % HRmax), show that 90-95% HRmax is the most effective range to work within. Work to rest ratio will depend on the sport, but for distance running I began doing 5x3 min reps at 90-95% HRmax with 2 min active rest in between. I then built this to 4 x 4 min at 90-95% HRmax with 3 min rest periods. These are shown in research, but also in work I have done to be very effective.

Hope that helps

P.S Trust me, when your in this 90-95% HRmax range, your muscles do not start to get cool, mainly because your near flat out running and you should ensure you recovery is active (i.e. walking and light jogging)

 

[richardsimkiss]

very interesting read elev8 - thanks!

Reason I was running 'only' 1mile intervals at goal 10k pace, is that when I started them, I was off-fitness, so quite a way off being able to sustain goal 10k race pace... additionally I was covering further than 10k in total, so whilst the first few reps were easy, the latter ones were definately hard work! I was specifically keeping them to 10k pace to train my body to know what goal 10k race pace feels like... sure I can train faster, but if come race day I'm unsure what pace I should be running at - there goes my PB out the window!

ooh, just out of interest I thought I'd look at what HR intensity my reps were at... they averaged around 87-88% MHR... so not too far off your recommended 90-95%, but for slightly longer periods - swings and roundabouts eh!

Don't worry, i'm also doing shorter reps at higher paces

 

[LazyJones]

I think 6 x 1 mile at 10k pace with 90 secs is a great workout Richard, I'd stick with these sessions. Sorry to disagree, Elev8.

It's a terrific session for improving your lactate threshold (stamina to you and me). This is great training towards a 10k and I would say this kind of session is more important than a VO2 max session for 10k. To peak for a race I'd consider some VO2 work too (quicker shorter reps), but the 10k pace session is crucial.

As Elev8 says, you could run at this pace for longer, but why would you, your training not racing! Your getting the benefits similiar to a 10k race but without beating yourself up - smart training surely.

 

[Elev8Performance]

I think 6 x 1 mile at 10k pace with 90 secs is a great workout Richard, I'd stick with these sessions. Sorry to disagree, Elev8.

It's a terrific session for improving your lactate threshold (stamina to you and me). This is great training towards a 10k and I would say this kind of session is more important than a VO2 max session for 10k. To peak for a race I'd consider some VO2 work too (quicker shorter reps), but the 10k pace session is crucial.

As Elev8 says, you could run at this pace for longer, but why would you, your training not racing! Your getting the benefits similar to a 10k race but without beating yourself up - smart training surely.

Yeah lactate/anaerobic threshold is a major determinant, but why not run at this threshold continuously? For example if I'm training someone for a half marathon I get them running continuously at their estimated threshold based on HR (steadily building up mileage), but not in intervals, otherwise you are working at the threshold, then during recovery stepping off and building back up again. This is in no way running specific and therefore is why I do continuous runs at LT. I see your point about your training not racing, but our bodies responses to training are what determine our racing performance, and this can only occur if training is predominately sport specific.

I am not saying this way is the best and only way , but its just my opinion based on my work and thought it would be worth sharing. Good luck with the training, I know itnervals hurt but they are effective!:d

 

[LazyJones]

Lactate Threshold Pace would be about 10 mile pace for Richard, so I can see a continuous run of say 4-5 miles at this pace would be a good (& hard) workout. Though I'd contend that intervals at this pace would have value too.

But Richard was running 10k pace in this case, significantly faster than 10 mile pace. So I think it makes sense to break this into intervals IMO, to allow you to do enough volume without the fatigue of running a whole 10k - Sorry to hijack you as a lab rat Richard

Also when you say 'this is no way running specific' surely running at goal 10k pace for 6 miles (even with intervals) is about as specific as you can get, without just running a 10 race!

I also remember reading that Yobes Ondieki (he was the first man to run sub 27 mins for 10k in 1993) did exactly this sort of training.

He would do interval workouts so that each interval was run at fractionally faster than 10k world-record pace. He would cover a full 10 kilometres during an interval workout, with short recoveries.

If it's good enough for him, I'm sure it's good enough for us mere mortals!!!

 

[Elev8Performance]

All valid points, although the elite athlete is built and operates different to us, plus training methods have moved on since 1993, but I agree this approach does work.

My argument is that the approach I have suggested can be more effective. In relation to volume, 6 x 1 miles reps is the same as 6 mile continuous run, my view was that by maintaining intensity, which the person running is capable of, you continue to operate at around the threshold (as you would during a race). However with reps blood lactate would go up and down due to the rest periods (lets say roughly by 1 mmol.l/~7% during 30-60s rest). Thus you would spend less time at the threshold in comparison to continuous running, even though the training is of the same volume and intensity.

Both approaches make sense, I am just trying to explain why i think this one does more. That's not to say I'm right though, each to their own

 

[LazyJones]

Fair enough - I agree totally that the continuous run vs the intervals of the same distance is better. It has to be.

But in practice most of us and even elite athletes cannot sustain thatkind of punishment week in week out with their other miles, so breaking it into intervals allows us to get the majority of the benefits without ending up injured or stale.

 

[Elev8Performance]

But in practice most of us and even elite athletes cannot sustain thatkind of punishment week in week out with their other miles, so breaking it into intervals allows us to get the majority of the benefits without ending up injured or stale.

Fair point, we all respond differently, plus I thnk with short distance running i.e. 1500m, race pace intervals can be useful due to high intensity of runs and you could hardly do a 600m threshold run! Good discussion anyway Lazy, valid points from both of us

 

[richardsimkiss]

Very interesting to read guys... love it! feel free to get stuck in with more technical stuff in some of the other threads :d

I can understand maintaining the effort for longer would be beneficial... but if I were able to maintain my goal 10k pace for 10k... I'd be a very happy man and wouldn't need to train because I'd already be at my goal pace! lol. Edit: Goal 10k pace is around 13secs per mile faster than current 10k race pace

As I adapt to cope with the goal pace, the number of reps will drop and the distance per rep will increase.