Running News Daily

How to progress to mile repeats, If you're not ready for mile repeats, use these sessions to work your way up to the classic distance workout

Mile repeats are a classic workout for distance runners to improve running economy and get faster. Intervals of this length and speed can be very challenging, however, and runners who are new to speedwork may not be quite ready for them. If you find yourself in this group, try these workouts to help you progress to mile repeats so you can get the most out of this beneficial workout.

The workouts

You’ll notice the first two sessions are written in minutes, rather than specific distances. Time-based intervals are a great way to introduce yourself to speedwork because they take some of the pressure away from having to hit exact paces. Instead, you can run these workouts by feel, which will help you learn how to manage your effort as intervals get longer.

This progression is made up of three workouts, with the third being your mile repeats. How quickly you progress through each workout will vary from person to person, but we recommend spending at least a couple of weeks at each stage before progressing to the next.

Workout #1

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

Workout: 6 x (1 min at 5K-10K pace / 3 min easy jog rest)

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

Workout #2

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

Workout: 4 x (3 min at 5K-10K pace / 3 min standing rest)

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

Workout #3

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

Workout: 3 x (1 mile at 5K-10K pace / 3 min standing rest)

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