Fartleks are back!

Wow. I forgot what these were like. It has been so long since I last ran a fartlek...

Our coach hits high intensity fairly quickly in our training regimen. He will obviously say that we are starting off slow and easing into it, but for some of us this is already high intensity.

Tonight we ran a fartlek. A fartlek is speed work. I think. The program of the fartlek is after a 2km warmup run, we divide the next 48 minutes into 12 minute segments. Each of the four 12 minute segments is broken up into 3 segments of 4 minutes each.

• The first 4 minute segment is run at a slow pace, usually about 30 seconds slower than half-marathon pace.
• The second four minute segment is run at moderate pace, generally half-marathon pace.
• The third 4 minute segment is run at fast pace, generally at 30 seconds faster than half-marathon pace.

After the 3 segments are complete (12 minutes total), you repeat, slow, moderate, fast, etc.

The run was a total of 12km, including a 2km warmup, 9km fartlek, and 1km finishing and cool-down.

I ran the fartlek at about 6:10m/km, 5:40m/km, and 5:10m/km.

Wiped. Out.