Workout of the Day: 3 x (4 x 1 Mile)
3 x (4 x 1 Mile)
Intensity — 15K pace to 10K pace
Recovery — 2 minutes between reps, 3 - 5 minutes between sets
Exertion — 8/10
Context & Details
I really like the design of this session. I first came across it in the book Inside a Marathon co-written by NAZ elite coach and athlete duo, Ben Rasario and Scott Fauble.
The workout construction is 3 sets of 4 x 1 Mile, with the first 3 miles in a set at roughly 15K (or general Lactate Threshold) velocity with the fourth mile in the set being a “surge” mile at 10K pace. That final “surge” mile is a stroke of brilliance — kudos to Coach Rasario on the design.
This workout accomplishes a lot in an effective manner.
Some physiological enhancements include: the “surge” mile repeat in each set upgrades a runner’s resistance to fatigue, increases their tolerance to lactate by forcing an improvement in their clearing ability, and sends a strong signal to elevate running economy.
Some psychological enhancements include: a demand to keep focused on the present, an upgrade in “toughness” or “grit” to maintain race-specific velocities (or better) under compounding fatigue, and a recalibration of how much discomfort a runner can handle, especially in the final set.
This session is best performed in the Specific Period of training when the 1/2 marathoner is refining their race-specific speed-endurance extension abilities. It is a good race stimulator, so it could be done at least once, at most twice, about 3-4 weeks apart and before the target 13.1-mile competition.