Fartlek: what it is and how to do it
Fartlek mixes pace changes within a continuous run. What it is, structured and free examples, and when to include it in your plan.
Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish. It's a continuous session with changes of pace, without stopping between them, and less rigid than track intervals.
Free fartlek
During a run, you speed up whenever you feel like it: to the next lamppost, to the top of the hill, for one song. It's perfect for breaking the monotony and for anyone without a track nearby.
Structured fartlek
- 10 × 1 minute fast and 1 minute easy.
- Pyramid: 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minutes fast with half the recovery.
- 3-minute blocks at 10 km pace with 2 minutes of jogging.
When to include it
In the base phase, as a first contact with speed. During the season, as an alternative to intervals on days when the rigidity of the track doesn't appeal.
Advantages
Since you recover while jogging, you also train your ability to recover on the move, which is very useful in races with changes of pace or varied terrain.