CRITICAL VELOCITY RUNNING?! WORKOUTS AND TRAINING TIPS | Coach Sage Canaday - Vo2maxProductions

Aug 13, 2025

Quick Summary

This is a quick summary of CRITICAL VELOCITY RUNNING?! WORKOUTS AND TRAINING TIPS from Vo2maxProductions. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Critical Velocity (CV) is the pace you could hold for a 35‑40 minute race – roughly your 10K race pace, sitting just above high‑end lactate threshold and around 90 % of max heart rate.
CV sits between traditional threshold/tempo runs and true VO₂max intervals: faster than half‑marathon pace but slower than 5K pace.
The goal is high volume with short rest to improve strength‑endurance without building excessive lactate or breaking form.
Keep the effort “easy‑hard”: avoid going faster than your current fitness level; use pace, perceived effort, or HR to stay in the CV zone.
CV work is useful for marathon runners (speed‑work), middle‑distance athletes, and anyone looking to boost running economy.

Workout Example

10 × 1 km Critical Velocity Intervals

Pace: ~10K race pace (or about 20‑30 s slower per mile than your 5K pace). Adjust by using your recent 5K time: 5K pace – 10‑15 %.
Rest: 1 minute easy jog or walk between each kilometer.
Total Volume: 10 km of hard running with only ~10 minutes of rest – perfect for early‑season or base‑building weeks.

Variations you can try:

8 × 1 km with 90‑second rest.
Mile repeats (e.g., 6 × 1 mi) at the same CV intensity.
Time‑based surges: 3 min fast / 1:30 min easy, repeat 6‑8 times.

Practical Tips

Don’t overshoot: If you feel you’re running 8 K race pace, you’re in VO₂max territory – back off a little.
Monitor HR: Aim for ~90 % of max; a quick HR check can keep you in the right zone.
Form first: Keep a smooth stride, relaxed breathing, and avoid hyperventilating.
Progress gradually: Start with 6‑8 repeats, then build to 10‑12 as fitness improves.
Customize in the Pacing app: Plug in your 5K or 10K time, let the app calculate the exact CV pace, and adjust rest intervals to match the workout.

Closing Note

Give the CV interval workout a try this week – it’s a powerful way to boost your speed‑endurance without the soreness of hard VO₂max sessions. Tweak the paces to fit your own numbers in the Pacing app, and watch your performance lift. Happy running!