6 x 500m, 4 x 400m, 8 x 200m
6 x 500m, 4 x 400m, 8 x 200m
Designed for 3000m runners
Intensity
500s at 1500m pace
400s at 800m pace
200s at 800m pace or faster
Recovery
2 - 3 minutes between 500m , 400m & 200m reps
6 minutes between sets
Exertion
9/10
Periodization
Performance Period, Intensification Block
Context & Details
Middle distance runners need to be strong to be successful.
But what is strength and how can it best be trained?
Strength is influenced primarily by three components: muscular, neural, and mechanical. All are equally important and should be addressed throughout the training process.
Methods and rationale for enhancing muscular strength are so well known it often becomes overemphasized to the point of neglecting the neural and mechanical elements. This results in a strong-looking (ie, highly sculpted muscle groups) athlete who can’t express their muscular strength to its full potential in competition.
In order for muscular strength to translate to improved running performance, the neural and mechanical elements both must be improved. Training activities like plyometrics, med ball work, and resistance training with free weights all aid this development. And do high-power running sessions like today’s workout.
Repeat sets of 500s, 400s, and 200s at 1500m speed and fasterare designed to improve a 3K runner’s strength at speed — or power.
Power is the rate at which work is done. A powerful athlete can provide force rapidly. An increase in power can occur by either increasing the rate at which a given work output occurs (neural) or by increasing the amount of work accomplished in a given time period (muscular). Power production needs to become efficient (mechanical) in order for it to be sustained.
By practicing high force production running in short, focused bouts of effort lasting 30 - 90 seconds runners receive a potent training stimulus that enhances all aspects of strength — improved stimulus and recruitment of more and more motor units, swifter and crisper mechanics of movement, and the overall force output the body can produce and sustain.
For middle-distance runners, I like to include these types of running workouts about once a week. This session represents a maintenance session for a national class 3,000m/1500m type runner in the Performance Period of the racing season. For younger runners, cut the number of reps of each segment in half. This will ensure the desired training stimulus is achieved without excessive fatigue due to too much volume.
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Good books on 3,000m training
The Science and Application of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) by Martin Buchheit & Paul Laursen
The Physiology of Training for High Performance by Duncan Macdougall & Digby Sale
High Performance Middle Distance Running by David Sunderland
Running Science by Own Anderson