Transcription
Whether you're lacing up for your first 5K or striving to set a personal best, interval training is one of the most effective and time-efficient ways to improve your running.
Often associated with elite athletes, interval training can seem intimidating to beginners. But it shouldn't be. In fact, those just starting out arguably have the most to gain.
So, what is interval training? At its core, it is alternating faster or harder running with slower or easier running. And this can take many forms from short sprints as hard as you can go with a walking recovery to longer intervals of steady pace running with a jog in between or even hill repeats. The goal is to build your cardiovascular endurance, improve your efficiency, and build your strength all in a structured workout that provides adequate recovery.
Runners who haven't tried interval training will often reject the idea out of hand because, "I can barely make it through my run at the slow pace I do it now. I can't possibly run faster," or, "I only have one pace. I don't run faster." Well, if that's you, you might be exactly the person who should try interval training. And here's why.
You can build fitness fast. Short bursts of high-intensity exercise stimulate the breathing and heart rate to go up, which stimulates the aerobic system to adapt quickly. Even a small stimulus can see big improvements.
You break up the monotony. If you're a runner who only has one speed, running can get repetitive and boring. Intervals help you break up that monotony and the time will fly by.
You improve your running form. Running faster naturally requires you to run better, even if it's just for short periods. You have an improved posture, a better running cadence, and a more efficient foot strike. And this carries over to your slower running.
You burn more calories in less time. Interval training naturally elevates your body's metabolism and heart rate, causing you to burn more calories both during the session and after the session, helping you to maintain fitness and lose some weight.
And you reduce your injury risk. Contrary to what some might fear, by running fast, you can actually reduce your injury risk by improving your strength and your coordination and by varying the load you place on your body.
If you're still not convinced or you're still hanging on to the fear of, "I can barely run my slow pace, one hard interval, and I'll just have to walk home," then maybe we should explain further what intervals are and what they are not. Before we do, hit that like button if you're enjoying this video and don't forget to subscribe to the channel. It really does help us make this free content.
There are many types of intervals: short, medium, long, some mix of these, even hill reps. All you really need to know is that the harder interval needs to be a bit harder than your normal run pace to see those gains, but not by much. Let's take a look at each of these.
Short intervals of 20 to 60 seconds. These improve speed, neuromuscular coordination, and will make the most difference to your running form. For example, 10 by 30 seconds fast with 60 to 90 seconds walk/jog. The hard effort should be around 80 to 90% of your max. Not quite all-out sprints. These are best for beginners working on your leg turnover or runners training for shorter events, but everyone all the way up to ultramarathon runners should be doing some of these occasionally.
Medium intervals, 1 to 3 minutes. These boost your aerobic capacity, your VO2 max. They also teach mental toughness and holding a sustained effort. For example, five by 2 minutes hard with 2 minutes recovery. These should feel comfortably hard. You're working but not gasping. And these are best for well, everyone. There is no runner of any distance who wouldn't be a better runner for doing these intervals every week or two.
Long intervals, 4 to 6 minutes. These increase your lactate threshold, your aerobic endurance, and your pacing control. For example, three by five minutes at threshold pace with two to three minutes jog recovery. These efforts should feel like a seven or eight out of 10. Hard but sustainable. And these are best for runners training for longer races or triathlons.
So, I finally convinced you to give intervals a go. So, how do you include them in your training program? Well, don't just go adding them to every run session next week. Start with them just once a week. And try adding something short like 6x one-minute efforts. Use effort, not pace, to judge your session. Uh, and don't get hung up on the times for each interval. Make sure that you prioritize recovery. This means both between the intervals but also after your interval session. Make sure the day after is either a rest day or a very easy run day. And make sure you do a warm-up and a cool-down. And interval running is harder than your normal running. And you don't want to risk injury by doing them cold.
Intervals are not reserved for the seasoned runner. Beginners can see massive gains in their strength, their endurance, and their confidence by including intervals occasionally. Including a mix of different types of intervals will see you get closer to your running goals, whether it's your first triathlon or a PB. And remember, if you are just starting out with intervals, they don't have to be extreme or extremely fast. Even small doses of speed can make a big difference. Actually, let me rephrase that. Even small doses of slightly faster running can make a big difference. Hope you guys have enjoyed this video and happy running.