Fartlek Run

Description

This exercise may sound funny to say out loud, but it is actually a great training tool. Fartlek training -- the word means "speed-play" in Swedish -- has been around for about 50 years and is very effective in increasing a runner's speed and endurance. Basically, Fartlek involves varying your pace throughout your run. In other words, you integrate intense sprints into your workout, followed by a recovery run or slow jog slightly below your normal running pace. For example, if you are a beginner, you might include five short sprints ( 30 seconds or so ) -- that's every 6 or 7 minutes -- over the duration of a 45-minute run. As your fitness level improves, you can increase the number and duration of sprints. The idea here is that each time you kick up your speed, you are putting stress on your cardiovascular system, which allows your system to improve its threshold. Thus, you will be increasing both speed and endurance.