Fitness Junction

This week:

• Knowledge Corner: Interval training for endurance goals

• Monthly Challenge Update: Getting outside in February

• Meme Center: Spotter or nah?

Knowledge Corner: Interval Training for Endurance Goals

Looking to get your 5k time down? Logically speaking, one would think the best way to achieve an endurance goal would be to mimic the event you want to improve as closely as possible. For example, if you’d like to shave several minutes off your 5k, you should just run that distance more often right? While that is a way, it is not the most effective.

Interval training combines bouts of high intensity work with rest periods and it is the most efficient way to improve endurance. To apply interval training, start by breaking your goal event into chunks – these are your intervals. Then train to complete those intervals at the pace needed to achieve your goal. You then increase the size of your intervals, getting closer to the full length of the endurance event, or you can reduce the time of rest in between intervals.

Returning to the 5k (3 mile run) example, let’s say your goal is to run a 5k in 24:00min. Here is how interval training would be used to achieve that time:

• Determine what pace you need to maintain to reach your goal. In this example, it would be an 8:00min per mile pace.

• Chunk your race into intervals that are challenging for you to currently complete at your goal pace. For a 5k, you could run 1 mile at an 8min/mile pace, walk/rest for ~5min, and repeat this interval two more times. You can start with 1/2 mile or smaller intervals as well.

• Once you can complete your intervals at the required pace, reduce your rest time and/or make your chunks bigger. Instead of 5min of rest in between miles, you'd work your way down to 4min, then 3min, etc. Or you can run 1.25 miles at the required pace, then 1.5 miles, etc. Both methods (reducing rest and increasing the length of the work interval) can be combined as you work closer to your goal.

You'll be surprised at how quickly you can improve your run time utilizing this method, even though you never run the full three miles. By starting with smaller, manageable intervals, you will build the capacity to support your endurance goals. Doing workouts that are equal to, and even longer, than your desired race, are also beneficial, but they should a supplement, not the main focus of your training program. Especially for those of us with busy schedules (everyone right?), interval training will get you the most bang for your buck.

Trivia

What is the world record for a 5k?

• A. 12:59 (~4:20 per mile)

• B. 13:21 (~4:27 per mile)

• C. 14:06 (~4:42 per mile)

• D. 12:35 (~4:12 per mile)

February Challenge: 15min Outside, 5x Per Week

I'm glad I chose this challenge. Otherwise, the only time that I would have spent outside this week would've been walking to my car. While I never really looked forward to going out into the Wisconsin winter, I never regretted it afterwards. For those of you joining me in this challenge, reply with pictures of the fun stuff you do outside in February and I'll include them in future editions!

Meme Center

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Trivia answer: D. 12:35 (4:12 per mile). Insanity. It is impossible for 99.99999% of us to run a 4:12 mile, let alone three of them in a row. But Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda pulled it off on 20 Aug 2020. He also has the world record in the 10,000m. Ethiopia's Letesenbet Gidey holds the female record for the 5,000m with a blistering 14:06 (4:42 per mile).