Morning Threshold Session
Workout - Morning Threshold Session
- 15min @ 9'00''/mi
- 6 lots of:
- 100m @ 6'00''/mi
- 1min rest
- 8.0km @ 5'30''/mi
- 15min @ 9'30''/mi
to import the workout after you install it.
The FOD Runner’s breakdown of double threshold training is worth your time. Here’s the essential framework so you can start practicing this session right away. The full video has all the nuance—definitely watch for the complete story.
Key points:
- At its core, double-threshold training stacks two hard efforts on the same day—one in the morning, one in the evening—plus a race-specific session elsewhere in the week. It’s a precise form of structured training. New to this style of work? Understanding the fundamentals in Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them sets you up well.
- In practice: one double-threshold day each week, with the morning at ~150 bpm (~5:25–5:35 /mi) and the evening ramped to low-160 bpm. Add a marathon-specific effort on a separate day.
- Control is the watchword. Keep the morning session comfortably hard, the evening harder but never reckless—both should stay manageable.
- Recovery emerges as the main obstacle. A complete rest day after the double-threshold block, backed by easy-paced runs elsewhere, kept fatigue from accumulating.
- The results show up clearly: stronger threshold pace, improved race-day endurance, and noticeably better strength. The flip side was some loss of pure top-end speed when the focus shifted to marathon-specific volume. That’s the typical endurance-versus-speed trade. Aiming for shorter distances? Different workouts fit better. Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time has what you need.
- The progression plan: begin with a single double-threshold day per week. Once recovery stabilizes and your body adapts, add a second.
Sample training week (adjust all paces to your own fitness):
- Monday – Race-pace focus (e.g., 12 km at goal marathon pace). This example targets marathoners, but the structure translates to any race distance. Training for a 10K instead? Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance covers the distance-specific approach.
- Tuesday – Recovery run (30–45 min at easy effort).
- Wednesday – The double-threshold work
- Morning: 8–10 km at controlled threshold intensity (target HR ~150 bpm, roughly 5:30 per mile).
- Evening: 6–8 km at a more aggressive threshold (HR in the low-160s, around 5:10–5:20 per mile).
- Thursday – Complete rest (step away from running).
- Friday – Light recovery run (30 min, easy pace).
- Saturday – Long aerobic run (20–25 km at steady pace, coming well-fueled after Wednesday’s demands).
Tip: Own a lactate meter? Target ~2 mmol/L for the morning session, ~3.5 mmol/L in the evening. No meter? The heart-rate zones are equally reliable.
Final thought: Add the double-threshold day into your program. Use the Pacing app to personalize your HR zones, then watch how quickly your threshold pace responds. Pay attention to recovery—it’s what will limit your progress. When recovery feels solid, layer in a second double-threshold day and observe the gains. Happy running.