Interval Training

Interval Training

For maximum aerobic improvements, nothing beats interval training.

Any great distance runner will tell you that running intervals is an absolute requirement for making and breaking personal bests. Interval training is not something to do all year round. When you are looking to maximize your performance, a weekly routine that includes at least one day per week of interval training over the course of a few months will boost your speed.

After building up a solid aerobic base by running long slow distance runs, you can embark on an interval training schedule.

The key to an effective interval training routine is:

Solid aerobic base - this means putting in months of distance runs that gradually build on each other. Not the intense lung scorching all out effort. Having a good base allows you to put in the maximum effort during interval training.
Planning - over time, your interval training should require you to run faster. If you are training for an important track race or road race, as you get closer and closer to that race, your interval training distance will become shorter. The effort will still be there, and more importantly, your speed should be faster. A decent training plan allows for recovery and maximum effort without breaking down your body so much that you can't recover for the next training run.

If you are doing interval training right, you will monitor your body just as you finish one interval. By taking your pulse rate just after you finish an interval, you can estimate about how much time you need for your heart rate to recover. Some people just give themself a fixed amount of time between intervals. Better is to use your heart rate. As your workout continues, you will end up resting more between each interval as your body needs more time.

When I was training for the 3200 meter state track meet event in high school, the last intense interval training session occurred a little more than three weeks before the event. To get to the state meet required getting through the league meet and the district meet, both of those races required a full blown effort. Plus, as the big event approaches, the body isn't being taxed as heavily during the training allowing for optimal performance at just the right time.