[Definitive Guide] Interval Training For Runners – Part 2

This is the second part of the [Definitive Guide] Interval Training For Runners – Part 1.

In the first part of this article series, we talked about what interval training is, how interval training will help your marathon training, and the triple threat components of interval training. My one goal with this post and this blog is to push you outside your comfort zone. Try interval training at least once before you make any final decisions.

Why You Need to Sprinkle Interval Training Into Your Marathon Training

There are many benefits to interval training but a few dominant benefits can make a dramatic impact on your marathon time.

By running at higher intensities, you have the ability to develop your muscles and transform your current form to an efficient form. Running at higher intensities over and over again, your muscle memory kicks in and creates an “imprint”. Next time you run at that intensity, your muscles will remember how they worked last time so you can further perfect the running form through the current run.

photo credit: tonivc

Training at higher intensities also reduces the likeliness of injury, believe it or not. If you are thinking, “How the heck am I NOT supposed to get injured when I’m running like the wind?!?” The fact of the matter is that when you consistently implement interval training, you build a higher threshold for your joints and muscles to endure without feeling any pain, discomfort or “hit the wall” early in your run.

The Key To Interval Training Success: Warm Up!

Runners don’t want to warm up because it’s boring, it’s time consuming and it’s lame. You know what’s more boring and lame? Sitting at home on race day because of a stupid, preventable overuse injury that took out your knee.

Instead of thinking of a warm up as a waste of time, perceive it as insurance. Warming up is your back up which is similar to insurance; “just in case”. You know that no one plans to get in a head on collision. This goes for running as well: no runner prays for a paralyzing knee injury.

Do a quick 5-minute warm up before your training session and a 5-minute cool down after your race.

Example of an Interval Training Session

• 5 minutes of Warm Up + Stretching
• 3 minutes of low intensity work – run at a pace where you could comfortably talk to the person beside you
• 1 minutes of high intensity work – Hit your target heart zone
• 3 minutes of low intensity work – reduce your pace so that you’re back at that comfortably speaking pace. If you are just too tired too continue, stop completely and start again after the full rest. Turn it down a notch on your high intensity runs.
• 1 minutes of high intensity work – Hit your target heart zone. You’ll find that you might be tired but you get more comfortable with the level of intensity.
• 3 minutes of low intensity work – reduce your pace so that you’re back at that comfortably speaking pace.
• 5 minutes of cool down.

The above example is based on the 1:3 Work/Rest ratio we discussed. If you didn’t read that, go through it to understand what it means. This example is to illustrate how to structure your interval training sessions. You can easily tailor them to your own fitness levels.

Taking Action!

Please, please, PLEASE don’t make this blog another one to skim through and brush it off. I taught you why you need interval training in your marathon training and a beginner’s example for an interval workout. If there’s anything I can do to help explain interval training in a way where you can understand it thoroughly, please ask.

PS: What are your experiences with interval training? Liked it? Hated it? If you still have questions, give me a shout below! :)