1 x 1200m, 5 x 800m, 2 x 400m
1 x 1200m, 5 x 800m, 2 x 400m
Designed for 1500m runners
Intensity
1200m @ 3K
800s cutdown from 3K to 1500m
400s @ 800m
Recovery
3 minutes after each rep
Exertion
7/10
Periodization
Performance Period, Realization Block
Context & Details
Alan Webb did this workout in the summer of 2007, ten days before he set the 1 Mile American record of 3:46.91.
Here were his splits:
1200m — 3:18.5
5 x 800m — 2:05.9, 2:02.3, 1:58.7, 1:54.8, 1:53.0
2 x 400m — 54.5, 52.8
This is a great example of a maintenance workout for a miler in the heart of their performance period.
According to Viru, in a coaches must-read book Biochemical Monitoring of Sport Training, there are 5 different types of workout loads:
Excessive
Trainable
Maintaining
Restitution
Useless
The total load is the sum of the influences of all exercises performed during the session and depends on the intensity of exercises, the volume of work performed, and rest intervals between exercises.
For Alan at that time, the overall load (speed, volume, and density) was moderate, meaning the desired impact of the workout was to maintain his abilities rather than stress and stimulate growth. Or as Viru describes the difference is a trainable load results in the signaling of adaptive proteins whereas a maintenance load is “insufficient to stimulate adaptive protein synthesis but sufficient to avoid a detraining effect.”
Maintenance workouts need not be impressive, simply effective enough to get the job done. Seeing as Alan was racing 1-2 per week in the European circuit that summer, the competitions became his default trainable load workouts. Any work performed outside race day was meant to be a maintenance or restitution load.
Having the discipline to not overdo it in training during the Performance Period, when racing is the focal point, is what experienced coaches call “trusting your training.” Oftentimes, fear will prompt inexperienced coaches and athletes to try and prove their fitness in every workout during the racing season to satisfy their insecurities about the runner’s current fitness. However, this is a fool’s errand where the runner usually ends up leaving their best race on the practice track.
Here are my 3 rules to keep in mind regarding maintenance workouts:
The focus of maintenance workouts should be to persevere the most important fitness qualities for that runner. For Alan, being an 800m/1500m type miler, 3K to 400m speeds were the most critical qualities to maintain. For a 10K runner, Lactate Threshold velocity (15K) to VO₂ Max speeds (5K/3K) would be more critical.
Take generous rest between reps. Density is a sometimes forgotten load. Creating more space between reps ensures the load is kept light and fatigue stays at a minimum. In this session for Alan, every rep was followed by 3’ recovery, which equates to essentially full recovery for him.
Avoid the trap of doing more. Cut the quality workload volume of each session by 40% - 60% from normal. During periods of maintenance, it’s important not to excessively stress the athlete, otherwise, the recovery tax will be too high, and acute fatigue residuals will linger too long. During the Spring of 2007, Alan’s typical work volume per session was around 6 miles total. In today’s WOTD, the total volume of quality work is just over 3.5 miles.
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Listen to On Coaching Podcast Episode #66: Interview with Alan Webb — How he trained to run a 3:46 mile to find out more about Alan’s training that resulted in his 1 Mile American Record performance in 2007.