Mastering Interval Training: From HIIT to LIIT for Faster Running
I still remember the first time I tried to sprint up a hill on a misty London morning, the air so cool it felt like a slap in the face. My legs burned after just ten metres, but the rush of adrenaline was impossible to ignore. I stopped, breath ragged, and thought, What if I could harness that feeling without the constant risk of injury? That question has guided every kilometre of training I’ve ever done and led me to a deeper understanding of interval training – the art of mixing hard and easy on purpose.
Story Development
Over the past five years I’ve watched my own mileage wobble between long, steady runs and frantic, short bursts of effort. Some weeks I’d feel the joy of a relaxed zone‑2 run, the next I’d be terrified of a sprint that left my calves trembling. The pattern was clear: I was chasing results but never truly listening to the signals my body was sending. One rainy Tuesday, after a 12‑mile run that left my hamstrings sore, I decided to try a structured interval session that balanced the excitement of speed with the safety of lower intensity. The result was a session that felt challenging yet sustainable – a perfect illustration of what the research calls low‑intensity interval training (LIIT).
Concept Exploration – The Science of HIIT & LIIT
High‑Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- What it is: Repeated bouts of near‑maximal effort (usually 85‑95 % of maximum heart rate) followed by brief recovery.
- Physiological payoff: Activates fast‑twitch muscle fibres, spikes VO₂‑max, and improves anaerobic power. A 2016 study in Sports Medicine showed that three weekly HIIT sessions over six weeks raised VO₂‑max by 12 % – a gain comparable to months of steady‑state running.
Low‑Intensity Interval Training (LIIT)
- What it is: Longer, gentler “hard” intervals (60‑80 % of max heart rate) with recovery that drops back to 60‑70 %.
- Physiological payoff: Enhances aerobic capacity, promotes fat oxidation, and reduces joint stress. Research published in the American Journal of Physiology found that 20 minutes of LIIT produced similar improvements in mitochondrial function as 30 minutes of moderate jogging.
Both methods share the same core principle – contrast: a deliberate shift between effort and ease. The difference lies in the magnitude of the shift and the training goal you’re after.
Practical Application – Self‑Coaching with Smart Pacing Insight
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Identify your current zone – Use a simple heart‑rate test: after a 5‑minute easy jog, note the beats per minute (bpm). Multiply by 0.85 for a HIIT target and 0.75 for a LIIT target. For a runner with a max HR of 190 bpm, HIIT would aim for ~162 bpm, LIIT for ~143 bpm.
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Set personalised pace zones – Even without a branded app, you can chart three zones on a notebook:
- Zone 2 (60‑70 % HR) – easy jog or brisk walk.
- Zone 3 (70‑80 % HR) – steady‑state run.
- Zone 4‑5 (80‑100 % HR) – sprint or hill repeat. Knowing where you sit each day lets you adapt on the fly.
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Create an adaptive plan – Start with a 10‑minute session twice a week. As you become comfortable, extend the work interval by 10 seconds or add one extra repeat. The plan should react to how quickly your heart rate returns to the recovery zone; if it stays high, lengthen the recovery.
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Use real‑time feedback – A basic chest strap or wrist monitor can tell you instantly whether you’ve hit the target HR. If you’re below, increase effort; if you’re above, give yourself a longer walk or jog.
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Build custom workouts – Mix terrain, distance, and effort. For example, a hill repeat (HIIT) followed by a flat jog (LIIT) creates a mini‑session that challenges both speed and endurance.
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Tap into collections and community sharing – Many runners keep a library of favourite interval templates – “Hill Sprint + Recovery”, “Tempo‑LIIT Ladder”, etc. Sharing these with fellow runners (via a training group or a simple shared Google doc) adds accountability and fresh ideas without any sales pitch.
Closing & Workout
The beauty of interval training is that it respects the long‑game nature of running. You don’t need to sprint every day, but you do need to sprinkle intentional contrast into the routine. By understanding your heart‑rate zones, using simple feedback tools, and curating a handful of personalised workouts, you become the coach of your own progress.
Try This “Hill‑LIIT” Workout (≈ 45 minutes)
| Round | Work (hard) – jog or easy run | Recovery (easy) – walk or very slow jog |
|---|---|---|
| 1‑5 | 90 seconds at 75‑80 % max HR (≈ 8 mph or 12 km/h) | 3 minutes at 60‑65 % max HR (≈ 5 mph or 8 km/h) |
| 6‑10 | 60 seconds uphill (5 % incline) at 80‑85 % max HR | 2 minutes flat walk until HR drops below 65 % |
How to run it:
- Warm‑up 10 minutes easy (Zone 2).
- Follow the table, keeping a heart‑rate monitor handy.
- Cool‑down 5 minutes easy, then stretch.
Feel the contrast, note how quickly your heart rate falls during recovery, and adjust the next week’s intervals accordingly. Over a month you’ll likely notice a smoother stride, a steadier breathing pattern, and a confidence boost when you finally tackle that 5K race‑pace.
Happy running – and if you’re ready to put the plan into motion, give the Hill‑LIIT session a go this week. Your future self will thank you for the balance you’ve built.
References
- LIIT Workouts: 50 Low Intensity Interval Training Exercises To Try Out (Blog)
- The Ultimate HIIT Workout With Weights For An Intense Session (Blog)
- 3 Great Upper Body HIIT Workouts To Build Muscle (Blog)
- The Value Of Super-Short Workouts (Blog)
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Workout - Women’s Running (Blog)
- The Best HIIT Workouts to Improve Runner Fitness (Blog)
- 8 Invigorating 10 Minute Hiit Workouts - Road Runner Sports (Blog)
- The Secret to High-Intensity Interval Training - RUN | Powered by Outside (Blog)
Collection - HIIT & LIIT: Runner's 2-Week Plan
Controlled Tempo
View workout details
- 10min @ 6'30''/km
- 5 lots of:
- 3min @ 5'00''/km
- 2min rest
- 10min @ 6'30''/km
Easy Foundation Run
View workout details
- 5min @ 7'30''/km
- 30min @ 6'30''/km
- 5min @ 7'30''/km
Speed Bursts
View workout details
- 10min @ 6'30''/km
- 6 lots of:
- 1min @ 4'15''/km
- 1min 30s rest
- 10min @ 6'30''/km
View workout details
- 5min @ 7'30''/km
- 30min @ 6'30''/km
- 5min @ 7'30''/km
to import the collection after you install it.
