Olympic 4-3-2 Speed Ladder

Workout - Olympic 4-3-2 Speed Ladder

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 3 lots of:
  • 400m @ 4'30''/km
  • 1min 30s rest
  • 300m @ 5'00''/km
  • 1min 30s rest
  • 200m @ 4'45''/km
  • 3min rest
• 5min @ 6'00''/km

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Quick summary of I Tried This Olympic Runner’s Best Speed Session from This Messy Happy

Watch the video for the energy and techniques in action.

Key points

• A short, punchy speed session using a 4-3-2 repeat structure. Works for any level, from novices to competitive athletes.
• Set your 400 m pace from your 1500 m race time. 300 m from your 5K race time. Push the 200 m slightly above 5K pace.
• 90 seconds between repeats, 2-3 minutes between sets.
• 3-4 sets of the 400-300-200 ladder. Total distance is roughly 6-7 km with warm-up and cool-down.
• Good for the gap between marathon training blocks when you want speed work without extra volume.

Workout example

Warm-up: 1-2 km easy + dynamic drills (skips, high-knees, etc.)

Set (repeat 3-4 times):
  - 400 m @ 1500 m race pace   → 90 s rest
  - 300 m @ 5K race pace       → 90 s rest
  - 200 m @ slightly faster than 5K pace → 90 s rest
Rest between sets: 2-3 min (Rory suggests 2-3 min; the video used ~3 min)

Cool-down: 1 km easy + stretching

Adjust paces to your recent race times. The goal is hard but controlled, not an all-out sprint.

Practical tips

• Warm up properly. The video uses skips and dynamic drills to get the legs ready.
• Gauge effort by feel. If you don’t know your exact 1500 m or 5K pace, run a time trial.
• Keep the rest strict. The 90 s breaks keep the session sharp and show how fatigue compounds.
• Run with friends. Pushing alongside others helps.

Closing note

Try this 4-3-2 speed ladder. Your leg turnover snaps up. Tune paces in the Pacing app using your most recent race results.

For behind-the-scenes and host commentary, watch the full This Messy Happy video.

References

• I Tried This Olympic Runner’s Best Speed Session - YouTube (YouTube Video)