W1/D3- Fartlek Fun

Fartlek workouts feel the most natural on the trails; in fact some ppl will say that they run Fartlek style without thinking of it. Because Fartlek literally means "Speed Play" in Swedish; it's important you focus on the "PLAY" part of this workout. Trails take you over varied terrain; ups and downs, etc so it's natural to have a constantly changing pace. Unlike Intervals, a Fartlek workout does not have a strict structure, but you will do your best to keep running after each "effort" as opposed to Intervals where you can run hard then walk if needed. Also, you can take longer rest periods in a Fartlek- the key is to get your heart rate down after each effort, so jogging slowly is important to help make that happen. Beginner- Run 7 minutes as an easy warm-up, then pause and do some dynamic stretches for 3 minutes: pull knees to chest, quad stretches, calves, etc. Remember to keep them dynamic & not static stretches. Once finished, you'll begin the 30 minute Fartlek Workout. Run at Aerobic pace for 5 minutes then do a 30 second effort. Effort should be done at a 7/10. Once you're done, jog easy until your heart rate gets down and then do another 30 second effort. Do this a total of six times. You have 30 minutes to fit 6 efforts into your run so have fun and run strong! Intermediate- 10 min warm-up includes jogging and dynamic stretches. Then begin 40 min Fartlek workout with 8x30 seconds. Advanced- 10 min warm-up w/dynamic stretches. 50 minute Fartlek w/10x40 sec