Interval training explained

[Chinkoflight]

Here is a link to the latest Parkrun article explaining interval running. I found the examples not exactly clear but if you've heard about intervals but not sure what they are and why do this in your training it's helpful.Here's the link

blog.parkrun.com/uk/2022/12...

And a photo of my irritating companion today who looked to be particularly good at slow running, my version of intervals,

Slower, slower, slow, slow, slower!

Take care, it's slippy outside. Keep running, keep smiling.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Thanks for sharing this. A lot of the Nike Run Club speed runs are interval sessions. I love them. They’re a challenge but with a bucket full of endorphins attached. I found as a quite a new runner, it took a good while to feel I was ready for this sort of training. Basically graduating and then graduating again from the magic plan before I was really ready. I would caution against pushing too hard too early (as ever!) because it’s not worth getting injured.

On the NRC runs, the intervals come with an effort to try to run at so it’s your own 6/10 or 9/10 pace (for example!) rather than an actual speed you need to hit. It’s just about challenging yourself.

[Chinkoflight in reply to MissUnderstanding]

The article has lots of explanations and caveats about finding your own pace to start from, rather than being all about speed. It is written for Parkrunners not club athletes. It is essentially linked to finding a way of improving your endurance once you have plateaued in your running.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Chinkoflight]

Absolutely! We often get questions about whether a particular speed is fast enough on here so I thought it was worth saying again!

It’s always worth saying to take care when you’re trying something new like this, especially when you’re quite a recent c25k graduate. That’s just my experience that I was keen to share.

[Chinkoflight in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Yes I understand the importance of the caveat. On NRC, I know many people find it a great companion, but it does have an athlete feel to much of its approach and I'm not convinced about the 6/10 etc. I've deleted it because it's quite a marketing tool for Nike. What is my 10, I never run so I can't hold a conversation so I'm yet to find my 10! This is HU so most come via the C25K route, I haven't posted this link there. When you're starting point is a minute run, people find out about pace early on and realise or are reassured that slow is good and the mantra of mentors. But my take from the article is that endurance, stamina and as a bonus speed can come from shorter interval runs as a mix in training. This is really useful to know as the approach of C25K and JuJu is increasing time and distance to achieve this goal. I do think interval training is appropriate for those that might be time constrained in the Bridge/post C25K. The aim was for people to read the article and hopefully not be put off or directed elsewhere before they had read it.

[Mothmoss]

Thank you Chinkoflight - will bookmark this page for when I have consolidated after C25K.