Beginner's First Intervals
Workout - Beginner's First Intervals
- 15min @ 6'00''/km
- 12 lots of:
- 1min @ 5'50''/km
- 1min rest
- 10min @ 6'00''/km
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Intro
A breakdown of “Interval Training for Runners | Beginner’s Guide & Benefits” by Lee Grantham. Here’s what you need to do one of these sessions today. The full video has more context.
Key points
- Interval training improves running economy. At a given pace, your body burns less energy, so race speed feels more sustainable.
- Paired short, hard efforts with equal rest periods target your “second gear”, so 5 min/km feels manageable during a race.
- Total interval duration should sit between 20-30 minutes. Reduces injury risk while still giving a strong stimulus.
- Start with 1-minute or 2-minute repeats. Move to faster paces or longer intervals as fitness builds.
Workout example (beginner)
- Warm-up: 10-15 min easy jog.
- Main set (20-30 min total):
- Option A: 20 × 1-minute intervals at a pace faster than your standard run (e.g., 4:30 min/km), with 1-minute easy jog recovery.
- Option B: 12 × 2-minute intervals at the same fast pace, with 2-minute easy jog recovery.
- Cool-down: 5-10 min easy jog + stretch.
Pick a fast pace roughly 10-15 seconds per km quicker than your regular training speed. If your long runs are at 5 min/km, target around 4:45 min/km for the intervals.
Closing note
Run this soon and tune the intervals to your fitness in the Pacing app. After a few weeks, race pace feels noticeably more comfortable.