Workout of the Day: 10 x 500m
10 x 500m
Intensity — 5,000m pace
Recovery — 100m jog/float after each rep
Exertion — 9/10
Context & Details
This workout comes from University of Colorado head coach Mark Wetmore.
It’s about the closest session there is to running a 5K.
Here’s how to measure progress: the pace on the 500m reps stays constant, but the time taken on the 100m recovery gets shorter.
Usually the recovery period will naturally be 60” - 90” for most seasoned runners on a first attempt at this session. As they get more fit, further revisits will see the recovery interval drop, eventually to 20 to 30 seconds. When this happens it provides a big confidence boost to the athlete.
As a coach, keep track of both the total time of the session as well as the time for the 500m and 100m recoveries independently. When the total time for recovery intervals is less than 6 minutes, the athlete is ready for a good 5K race day performance.
This workout is best done about every 10 days in the early and middle stages of the season. When the target 5,000m racing season starts, you can abandon this workout and shift the athlete’s focus what matters most — 5,000m of good, hard racing.