Competition Phase 800s

Workout - Competition Phase 800s

• 15min @ 6'30''/km
• 4 lots of:
  • 100m @ 4'15''/km
  • 1min rest
• 5 lots of:
  • 800m @ 3'45''/km
  • 2min rest
• 12min @ 6'30''/km

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Based on StrengthRunning’s video How to Plan a Running Season (Cyclical Training), this breakdown lets you try the framework immediately. Watch the full video for the complete details.

Key points

• Four cyclical phases organize a running season: rest, easy (base), competition, and peaking.
• Rest phase comes after a major race or as an entry point for new runners. Recovery and low-impact movement take priority.
• Easy phase builds volume and consistency: 5-7 runs per week at easy or tempo pace or slower, plus one brief weekly session to keep fitness up.
• Competition phase adds harder workouts and shorter tune-up races (like a 5K) to bump up the intensity.
• Peaking phase targets 1-2 primary races, trims overall mileage while keeping or slightly bumping intensity, giving you 2-3 weeks to race hard before restarting the cycle.

Workout example

1. Rest (1-2 weeks): optional cross-training, light jogs under 30 min, skip structured sessions.
2. Easy/base (4-6 weeks):
   • Run 5-6 days per week, with easy runs close to your goal race pace, no more than 1 min per mile slower.
   • Long run progressing from 6 miles up to 10-12 miles (or 10-12 km to 16-20 km) at relaxed effort.
   • One brief weekly harder session: 20-30 min at tempo pace (about 10-15 s per mile faster than easy) or simple strides.
3. Competition (3-5 weeks):
   • Include a weekly hard run: say, 5 x 800 m repeats at 5K race pace with 2-min jog recovery, or a hill repeat session.
   • Add a tune-up 5K race.
4. Peaking (2-3 weeks):
   • Reduce weekly mileage by roughly 10-15%.
   • Keep intensity: one tough run (e.g., 3 x 1 mi at 5K pace) and a key race (target 5K or 10K).
   • Keep a consistent running schedule (4-5 days per week) to stay sharp.

Closing note

Try organizing your next season into these four phases. Adjust the paces and distances in the Pacing app to match your own goals. This structure keeps motivation high and prevents overtraining.

References

• How to Plan a Running Season (Cyclical Training) - YouTube (YouTube Video)