Quote:
Originally Posted by Jolt
I've been thinking it might be good to incorporate some interval work into my running and see if it makes me any less slow, so on today's 45-minute trail run I did some sprints on an easier section with walking in between. For those who do interval workouts regularly, how exactly do you go about it as far as how many to do and how fast you go in between? I feel like I should be doing slow running in between the sprints but I just don't think I can manage that yet. (And I've been running for how long??) Meant to wear my HRM on this run, but forgot it at home. However, I'm sure it was through the roof at times...
For all out maximum strength intervals, I walk the rest interval, and increase it to 1:1 work:rest. For everything else, it's usually an easy jog during the rest interval (or for hill repeats, jog downhill), and the rest is about half of the interval period. You might have to increase your stamina a bit before you can manage a jog, or do your intervals a little slower to the point you can jog inbetween. You'll still benefit from them.
The longer the interval, the fewer I do. For something that lasts 4-5+ minutes, I only do 4-5 of them. For something that lasts 1-2 minutes (and hills), I will do 6-8 of them. And for all-out intervals of 30-60 seconds, I will probably still only do 6-8 of them (but walk inbetween), maybe sometimes 10-12.
One good one that I like is the step counting - do 100 steps, 50 easy (or walk), do 200 steps/100 easy, 300 steps/150 easy, 400 steps/200 easy, start over at 100, repeat to the 45 minute mark (or whatever minute mark is relative to your level of difficulty, maybe only do 30 minutes). That way it's relative to your pace, there's variety, and it's time-based.
For something like mile repeats or several minute efforts, it's about the hardest reasonable amount of effort I can do and still feel like I am sustaining my form (about a 5k pace, I guess). For those 1-2 minute efforts, it's somewhere harder than that (+5-10 beats). For all out efforts, it's all about moving fast (+5-10 beats of that or +10-20 from sustainable max effort).
Somewhere I was reading an article that referenced this calculator for speeds, though I use feel/HR more than speed it was nice to see a relative guide:
www.runbayou.com/jackd.htmYMMV, of course... I imagine we'll all have some input for this one!
