Lee Grantham's Progressive Threshold Session
Workout - Lee Grantham's Progressive Threshold Session
- 10min @ 6'30''/km
- 3 lots of:
- 10min @ 5'45''/km
- 1min rest
- 2 lots of:
- 5min @ 5'45''/km
- 1min rest
- 7 lots of:
- 1min @ 5'00''/km
- 30s rest
- 5min @ 6'30''/km
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Intro
Lee Grantham’s video on “11 Weeks to Abu Dhabi Marathon - My CRAZY Transformation” covers a lot of ground. We’ve distilled the key ideas and pulled a Tuesday interval workout you can use right away. Watching the full video is recommended for the complete picture.
Key points
- Don’t rush the build-up by combining aggressive calorie cuts with high mileage.
- Include at least one rest day per week, and work easy runs (especially fasted ones) into your schedule to keep your body recovering.
- Gradually extend your hard intervals (moving from 20 minutes up to 45 minutes of intensity) to strengthen aerobic capacity safely.
- Throw in hill repeats, whether on the treadmill or outdoors, to build leg strength and speed.
- Dial in your race-day fueling early. Test gels and sports drinks on long runs so your stomach adapts.
Workout example (Tuesday interval session)
- Warm-up 10 min easy
- 3 × 10 min at a comfortably hard pace (just below threshold) with 60 s rest between each 10-min block
- 2 × 5 min at the same intensity with 60 s rest between the 5-min reps
- 7 × 1 min hard effort with 30 s rest between each 1-min interval
- Cool-down 5-10 min easy
- Total hard work ~47 min
Practical tips to get started
- Schedule intervals for Tuesday and your long run for Saturday, following Lee’s template.
- Once you’re hitting these paces comfortably, you can add an extra 5-minute block or throw in a few more 1-minute efforts. Stop before the session stops feeling controlled.
- Use the Pacing app to log your splits and adjust intensities to match your actual fitness level.
- Structure your week around the Tuesday session: full rest on Wednesday, a recovery run Thursday (about 49 min easy), and an easy 10K Friday (under 50 min).
Closing note
Run the 47-minute interval workout this week, adjust the paces to where you’re at fitness-wise, and see how your speed responds. The Pacing app makes it easy to tailor the workout to your own targets. Get the rest of the details from Lee’s video.