If you’re looking to boost your running speed, interval training is hands-down one of the most effective ways.
So, what exactly is interval running? It’s a workout where you alternate between short, intense bursts of speed and slower recovery phases, repeated multiple times within the same session.
As a coach, I’ve seen athletes of all levels—beginners to advanced—reap the benefits of this technique. HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) has been a staple in athletic training for years, known for building cardiovascular strength, explosive power, and that next-level speed we all crave.
In this post, I’ll share five of my go-to interval workouts guaranteed to help you build speed and endurance. These sessions include intervals, fartleks, tempo runs, and hill reps—essential speedwork that’ll make a noticeable difference in your running game.
Interval Training Explained?
It’s a workout that alternates fast-paced segments with slower recovery periods, often done on a track, but you can adjust for any flat stretch of road.
Your typical interval session has two parts: first, there’s the “repeat,” which is the fast-paced segment where you aim for a specific speed over a set distance.
Usually, those repeats are short—think anywhere from 100 to 400 meters—or longer if you’re more advanced, maybe 800 to 2000 meters. After each fast effort, you get a chance to recover, which can last anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds, or you can match the recovery to the distance you just ran.
Doing a couple of weekly speed workouts improve your running performance, shutter your race times, and make it easier to keep up with the competition during your next race (if that’s one of your goals).
A few parameters are used to define speed work. These include (but not limited to) interval length, the number of reps, the speed, training pace, and how often you do them.
Classic examples of speedwork training include interval workouts, tempo runs, and fartlek sessions.
Warming Up the Right Way
Before diving into intervals, warming up is non-negotiable! I can’t tell you how often I’ve felt sluggish during a workout because I didn’t warm up properly.
A good warm-up increases your body temperature, gets blood flowing to your muscles, and preps you mentally for the speedwork ahead. Skip this step, and you’re inviting injury or fatigue.
Here’s how I recommend warming up:
- Start with a five to 10-minute jog to ease into it.
- Follow that with some dynamic stretches and mobility drills. My go-to’s are quad tugs, butt kicks, high knees, lunges, and inchworms.
- After that, throw in a few speed drills like strides—these are short accelerations (20 to 30 seconds) where you run at near-max effort. Aim for four to six strides to get your body primed for the hard work ahead.
My First Attempt at Interval Training
When I first tried intervals, I started small. I wasn’t about to dive head-first into 800m repeats without knowing what I was doing.
If you’re just starting out, try something like this:
- Run for 200 meters at a quick pace (something a bit faster than your 5K speed).
- Follow that with 200 meters of easy jogging to recover.
- Repeat this six to eight times.
I remember my first interval session—it was tough, but the feeling of accomplishment afterward? Worth it.
And the best part? It gets easier, and your speed will improve before you know it.
How Fast Should You Go?
The key to interval training is intensity. Most intervals are done at 85-98% of your max heart rate, depending on your fitness level.
Aim to run slightly faster than your 5K race pace for shorter intervals, with longer recovery periods (usually double the time of your fast segments). Run at your 5K pace for longer intervals with equal or slightly shorter recovery breaks.
The Basic Interval Run
I remember the first time I tried interval training—it felt like I was truly pushing myself in a way I hadn’t before. If you’re new to intervals, don’t worry; this is the perfect place to start. A basic interval workout is a great way to dip your toes into speedwork without risking injury or burnout.
A workout I used to swear by: five 800-meter repeats, with a 400-meter jog in between each one. Or, you can try eight 400-meter repeats, with a 200-meter recovery jog. It’s about building that balance between pushing hard and catching your breath.
If you’re new to intervals, start with only 3-4 repeats per session. As you get stronger, you can increase the intensity and number of intervals. Consistency is more important than pushing too hard too soon
Fartlek Fun
One of my favorite interval styles is the Fartlek workout (it means “speed play” in Swedish).
It’s one of my favorites because of how flexible it is. There’s no rigid structure; you can change your pace however you want. You pick landmarks—a tree or a streetlight—and sprint to them. Then jog to recover.
It’s more relaxed than structured intervals and less intense, but you’re still getting a great workout.
I’ve done fartlek runs where I simply sped up to catch the next tree or mailbox, then slowed down to recover. The beauty here is that it strengthens your aerobic and anaerobic systems, making you a stronger runner overall.
The key to a good fartlek session is to start with a warm-up, around 10 to 15 minutes of easy jogging.
Once you’re warmed up, pick an object ahead, like a lamppost or a tree, and run toward it at a fast pace.
Once you reach it, jog slowly to recover, pick your next target and go again.
The flexibility here is why I love it—you can make it as hard or as easy as you need based on how you feel that day.
The trick is to push just hard enough to elevate your heart rate, but not so hard that you can’t keep going.
The Treadmill Interval Routine
If you’re crunched for time but still want a killer workout, hop on the treadmill for a 25-minute interval session.
Trust me, you can make those 25 minutes count. One of my go-to routines involves alternating between high-intensity bursts and lighter recovery phases, while adjusting the incline to challenge your body.
Start with a 5-minute warm-up at an easy pace. After that, bump up your speed to something challenging—around 9 mph or faster—and hold it for one minute. It’ll take about 10-15 seconds for the treadmill to reach the pace, so stay patient.
After each fast burst, recover for a minute.
Add a 4.0 incline to mimic those outdoor hill conditions to increase the intensity. Do this for about 15 minutes, alternating between your fast segments and recovery. Finish with a 5-minute cool-down. It’s a quick session, but it gets the job done.
Hill Repeats
Hill workouts can be tough, but the benefits are real.
I like to think of hills as speedwork in disguise. You’re not necessarily sprinting at top speed, but the effort you’re putting in gives you similar gains.
Running uphill forces you to engage all the key muscles needed for proper running form—like lifting your knees and swinging your arms.
Here’s how to do it.
Find a hill that’s at least 100 yards long. Ideally, it shouldn’t be too steep, just enough to give you a challenge.
When I plan my hill workouts, I aim for a hill that takes me about 30 seconds to a minute to climb at 90% effort.
If you’re in a flat area, no worries—find a bridge or a highway overpass to use.
After a solid warm-up, hit the hill with about 5K effort (remember, this is effort, not speed).
Once you reach the top, walk or jog back down to recover, then repeat.
As you progress, you can increase the number of intervals, the incline, or even the speed of your efforts.
The 100m Dashes
Hit the track to feel (and run) like a pro sprinter. But be careful. Do this only after interval workouts and fartleks have become a part of your routine.
Before you go full speed, warm up with a 10-minute jog, then perform six to eight strides to get your muscles fired up and ready to do some intense work.
Next, perform eight to ten 100m fast bursts. Your first interval should include 40 meters at maximum speed.
To recover, walk or jog for half the duration of the faster interval before jumping onto the next one.
Aim for 95 to 99 percent of single max effort. So, for instance, if your 100-m max effort is 18 seconds, then the slowest you drop to 20 seconds.
As you get used to track training, increase the volume of reps and lengthen reps to 200 meters, sprinting nearly the entire time at top speed.
Wrapping It Up
Interval training might sound intense, but start small and build from there.
The key is consistency—show up, do the work, and you’ll see progress. Speedwork helped me break through a plateau, and it can do the same for you. So lace up, and let’s get after it!
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