220’s Winter Training Advent Calendar (Part 19)
The weather outside is frightful, but the gym is warm (and delightful). And there's a treadmill. Get involved with these one-hour run workouts...
125 Acceleration Run
A GPS helps with this one, but a treadmill can work just as well. Set off at recovery pace for one mile and then increase to base endurance pace for mile two. Accelerate up to tempo pace for mile three and the up to lactate threshold pace for mile four. If you’re feeling fit and ready for it, build up to race tempo pace for mile five and go as hard as you can for mile six. If that’s a bit much you can do 1km segments or half miles. Brilliant for pace judgement.
126 Fartlek Run
From the Swedish word meaning ‘speed play’, fartlek running is the slightly less regimented relation of interval training. Warm up and then alternate periods of hard and easy running based on set timings (typically 30secs to 4mins). The great thing about fartleks is that you can modify the session to how you’re feeling (shorter reps and longer rests if tired) without feeling like you’re being a complete wimp.
127 Short Intervals
Interval running is probably the best way to wring the maximum benefit out of limited training time. Short running intervals last anywhere from a few seconds to 3-4mins and develop speed. A great simple session is 6 x 800m at race tempo with 3mins jog/walk recovery in between. Aim to knock 1-2secs off your 800m time each month to see progress and mix it up some weeks by doing 12 x 400m off 2mins rest or 8 x 600m instead.
128 Recovery Run
Some folk don’t think you can do any sort of recovery run, but as long as you’re pretty fit and keep it to less than 30mins, an easy jog can aid recovery, especially if you’re tired from harder biking or swim sets. Soft surfaces and a flat route help, and some gentle stretching afterwards will ease out residual tightness in quad, hamstrings and calves, which get warm when jogging.
129 Tempo Run
one of the staple old-school runner’s sessions that demands a place in any triathlete’s regime. Warm up then aim to hold a steady-state pace (bewteen tempo and race tempo) for 20-25mins. The main aim is not to slow down towards the end.
Matt Baird
Editor of Cycling Plus magazine 
