Fartlek is speed play. It is a fun way to develop speed and build endurance. The great runners in Sweden in the 1920s and 1930s were the first to use it, on soft trails. The beauty of Fartlek is that it can be spontaneous. Short speed runs broken up by easy runs, long speed runs broken up by similar easy runs. Most elite middle distance runners use Fartlek.
2015 USATF Club Cross Country Champs, photo by Justin Britton
Tuesday, December 27, 2016: Warm up, A fun fartlek, A minute easy, a minute hard, do that twenty times, and then, cooldown. Warm up and cooldown about ten to fifteen minutes.
Week 19: A time to build, a time to race, a time to recover…
All the big stuff is over. Your next two to three weeks are holidays. Some are already running indoors, but remember, the next focus will be the spring time. We will include some running, fartlek, and some break days. Keep it relaxed. Enjoy the holidays, your body needs a break.
Monday : Warm up; 4-mile run with friends, cool down.
Tuesday: Warm up, A fun fartlek, A minute easy, a minute hard, do that twenty times, and then, cooldown. Warm up and cooldown about ten to fifteen minutes.
Wednesday: Take a day off, or run no more than four miles, easy.
Thursday: Warm up, Holmer Fartlek. This is old school. Warm up ten minutes, then, run somewhere in fifteen minutes, and see if you can return in 14 minutes, cooldown for ten minutes.
Friday: Warm up; 4-mile run, run on a soft surface, cool down.
Saturday: Take a break, relax with friends. Enjoy the holidays.
Sunday: Long, relaxed run of 7-9 miles with friends. Long runs are great way to get the body moving during the holidays.
