4 x 400m, 2 x 800m, 1 x 1 Mile
4 x 400m, 2 x 800m, 1 x 1 Mile
Designed for 3000m runners
Intensity
3,000m pace
Recovery
400m walk/jog in 2-3 minutes as needed
Exertion
8/10
Periodization
Specific Period, Intensification Block
Context & Details
Of all the performance variables, when it comes to 3,000m races, I think Resistance to Fatigue may be the most important to competitive success.
Oftentimes, coaches (myself included) justify their workout selection by the physiological enhancements sought. Improvements to “the plumbing” matter a lot and influence performance success. But it’s not the sole determinant. Mental toughness matters too. However, we don’t have as detailed of means to measure “grit” as we do VO₂ Max or Lactate Threshold, so we sometimes end up overcompensating to improve what we can measure and neglecting what we can’t — even though it all matters.
Resistance to Fatigue is the ability to sustain a high-quality running velocity for an extended time without a falloff in pace or intensity.
It’s an important predictor of running performance, but lacking in any specific measurements. There are physiological factors, mental, as well as neural, all of which influence Resistance to Fatigue. Additionally, Resistance to Fatigue is individualized and varies day-to-day. One runner’s natural Resistance to Fatigue baseline may be another’s peak condition.
So how can coaches effectively train a moving target?
As my buddy Steve Magness would say, “do hard stuff.”
And that’s what brings us to today’s workout.
You’ll notice this is an “uphill” workout, meaning the reps get longer as the session progresses. Cutdown sessions are more popular as they’re easier mentally since the reps get shorter as the athlete gets more fatigued, but a good “uphill” workout has immense benefits. Namely, mental discipline and physical durability.
All the reps are at 3,000m pace. You’ll notice it’s basically 3 x 1 Mile with the first 2 sets sliced & diced into 400s and 800s.
The quarters and 800s at 3K pace are not too taxing, especially with 2’-3’ recovery, but they’re taxing enough. These reps get the athlete calibrated to their 3K pace without exhausting them. That’s saved for the final 1 mile rep — the main stimulus of the workout.
By breaking up the early loading of 3K pace practice into 400s & 800s, the coach has delivered the athlete to the final 1 mile of the session in a similar condition as on race day. They have a fair amount of energy left, but it’s fading. They’re tired, but not exhausted. However, all that will change real quick.
The final mile of a 3K is a grind — no matter the runner’s fitness level. Each step is a battle between wanting to quit and not quitting. It sucks. It’s hard. But that’s the reality of the 3K race. A reality the runner must learn to deal with.
The final 1 mile rep of this workout is meant to callous the runner emotionally and mentally to this reality.
About 600m into the final 1 mile, you can expect a sharp influx of fatigue to manifest. The pace of the final 1K may be slower than planned, but that doesn't matter. The goal is to teach the athlete to cope, mentally more than anything, with this fatigue, and resist giving in to it.
My wife’s high school coach would often tell her and her teammates, “you can do ANYTHING for 3 minutes.”
It’s true. It’s good advice. And a talking point coaches can use to help the runner prepare for the final rep:
“After 600m in it’s not going to feel pleasant, it’s going to feel harder than you’d like it, but you can keep the pace by resisting the fatigue, don’t give in — it’s only 3 minutes and you can do anything for 3 minutes.”
And by practicing doing the “hard stuff” now, it will make it less hard later.
Continue Learning
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Good books on 3,000m training
Better Training for Distance Runners by Peter Coe
Winning Running by Peter Coe
Running Science by Own Anderson
Modern Training and Physiology for Middle and Long-Distance Runners by John Davis