Running News Daily

Use this short-interval workout to help you surge to the finish line

Depending on how much effort they exhausted or how much speed training they’ve done, the final 100 meters of a road race can be a make-or-break moment for runners. There’s nothing worse than being passed in the final few meters or losing a neck-and-neck race to the finish line. The belief that you are either born with speed or you’re not is erroneous. Although we won’t ever run 9.58 seconds for 100m, there are still ways you can improve your finishing time with the right workouts, like interval training.

The purpose of interval training is to improve aerobic capacity for maximum oxygen consumption while running (VO2 max). Aerobic capacity is generally a reflection of aerobic power and the body’s ability to perform strenuous activity.

The workout

Three to five reps of three minutes at 5K goal pace, off 30 seconds jog, then 30 seconds at stride/sprint speed, with two minutes rest between reps.

(10 to 15-minute slow jog warm-up before). This workout can be done on the track or the road, but still use time as the marker.

Aim to do each of the three-minute reps around a 5K goal pace, then slow jog for 30 seconds, then quickly accelerate to a comfortably fast speed for 30 seconds while maintaining good form; two minutes walk rest between each rep, then repeat.

The goal of the 30-second sprint after the three-minute interval is to get the body used to pushing at a near-max effort on minimal rest, which will simulate the last 100 to 200 meters of a race.

The more you practice short-interval training, the better your finishing kick will get at the end of a race. If you have an upcoming 5K or 10K, implement a workout like this into your training plan every two weeks.