Training on a track is a must for any athletes hoping to unlock more potential. The 400m oval allows you to precisely structure, control and monitor your training sessions. And is the perfect venue for measuring your progress. Here are some of my favourite (I use that term loosely as these can be torture) running training sessions to build speed and endurance.
1: 400m x 12 (2:30 rest between reps). Brutal mix of speed and endurance. Aim to run these just above threshold. The last 100m of the effort should feel really tough. Each rep will feel more difficult than the last. But the secret is to maintain consistency; try to hit each rep around the same time, the last rep should be as fast if not faster than the first.
2: 1km x 4/5/6+ (2:30 rest). This is a great session to replicate longer distance race efforts. Look at your pbs for 5km to 10km. What pace did you manage? 3:20 per k? Well, try knocking these out at 10 to 15 seconds quicker. You’ll learn what that pace feels like and ideally get comfortable sitting on that speed. Your road racing will improve – guaranteed. Reps depend on fitness and intensity, but tailor this session to suit your event. More reps for longer races.
3: 400/400 split pace x 4/5. Great session for improving a race winning kick! You’re running 800m (two laps), but the first lap should be steady (5km pace), followed by a all out, race kick for the last 400m. If you’re doing it properly, the second lap will be 10+seconds quicker. Warning: this session hurts!
4: Round the clock – 400×12 (rolling 1min rest between reps). A great endurance booster. Cut down the recovery between reps. This should feel like a fartlek session as you jog 100m between reps. That 1min rest soon feels very short if you’re doing this right. Great workout for 10km or longer runners.
5: Pyramids: 200,300,400,500,400,300,200 (2-3 mins recovery). Perfect for sharpening your edge before races. Run the reps close to or just above race pace. The last couple of reps should be all out! Try to pretend to be happy when your coach sets you this, it’s going to hurt by the end.
6: 800-700, 6-5-4 (walk back recovery between reps, 5 mins between sets). Ideal 1500m race time predicter. Run these efforts as hard as you can, tally up the time and you should see what shape you’re in over the metric mile. Run 800, finish, turn round, go straight into a 700m effort. That’s 1500m, split in two. Now jog a lap and then do the same but over 600m, walk back, 500m, walk back, 400m. Total time for each of the two sets should be within a few seconds of your 1500m race time.
Add some of these to your training programme and you’ll see results soon! Good luck.
Really love/hate these sessions
Haha! Tell me about it. Hard session on a warm summer’s evening… Love. Plodding around the track on a cold winter’s night… Hate!