Seth DeMoor's 'Work Hard' Intervals

Workout - Seth DeMoor's 'Work Hard' Intervals

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 5 lots of:
  • 4min @ 4'30''/km
  • 1min @ 7'00''/km
• 10min @ 6'00''/km

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Intro

A closer look at WORK Hard (and rest), a session from pro runner Seth James DeMoor. The workout builds strength and keeps your body primed between efforts.

The core principles

• Power training: real leg strength needs resistance. Seth uses 4-lb ankle weights on steep mountain terrain, an advanced approach for concentrated strength work.
• Taper and peak: with Pikes Peak 18 days out, Seth reduces volume to recover. The goal is to arrive race day fresh, strong, and ready. The same tapering ideas work whether you’re prepping for a mountain race or something different. See Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance for tactics you can adapt.
• The workout structure: 5 × 4-minute hard efforts with 1-minute jog recovery. The hard pace sits between true easy and tempo, fast enough to feel winded by the end of each rep. For other formats, see Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.
• Weekly progression and recovery: Seth’s schedule builds toward a 25-minute run where his pace felt natural. The plan also includes a full rest day and three walking days for recovery.

The workout

Here’s the 25-minute session:

Warm-up: 5-10 min easy jog

Main set (25 min total):
  • 4 min at comfortably hard pace (winded by the end)
  • 1 min easy jog/recovery
  • Repeat 5x (total 20 min on + 5 min off)

Cool-down: 5-10 min easy jog

Adjust the hard pace to your fitness. The Pacing app makes it easy to structure and modify these intervals.

Final thoughts

Try this strength-focused interval workout, adjust paces to your current fitness, and protect the recovery days. The structure builds speed endurance for any distance, not just mountain races. The same interval method appears in Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.

Pair hard sessions with proper recovery to build strength and arrive fresh on race day, the same approach Seth uses.

References

• WORK Hard (and rest) - YouTube (YouTube Video)