Build speed and control with this unique workout, alternate between short and long intervals to practice smart pacing

A lot of running workouts focus on building speed, endurance or a combination of the two, but there’s another important component to running well that often gets neglected: control. In a long-distance race, you need to be able to control your pace throughout the run so you can get to the finish line as fast as possible, without having to stop before you get there. This unique workout teaches control, while also giving you a chance to get some speed on your legs.

800/400 intervals

This workout involves alternating between 800m and 400m intervals. The 400s are run at a faster pace than the 800s, so runners have to control their pace in the first half of every set to make sure they can speed up in the 400s. The rest is intentionally short between the short and long interval to force you not to run too hard in the 800s.

You can do this workout multiple times during a training cycle, and adjust the paces as your fitness increases. To start, aim to run the 800s at 10K pace and the 400s at 5K pace, but once you’re able to run all the intervals at consistent speeds, you can add sets and/or increase the pace.

The workout

Warmup: 10-15 minute easy jog, followed by form drills and strides

Workout: 3-4 x 800m/1 minute rest/400m/2 minutes rest

Cooldown: 10-15 minutes easy jog, followed by light stretching

posted Saturday February 26th
by Brittany Hambleton