The Welsh Runner's Speed Sharpen

Workout - The Welsh Runner's Speed Sharpen

• 5min @ 6'00''/km
• 2.0km @ 4'00''/km
• 15 lots of:
  • 400m @ 2'56''/km
  • 1min rest
• 5min @ 6'00''/km

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Intro

The Welsh Runner’s video “Workout I use to get FASTER when Marathon Pace still feels TOO HARD” features a proven session from his build-up to the 2023 London Marathon. We’ll walk through the workout here so you can apply its lessons to your training. For the complete context, watch the video.

Key Points

The core idea is straightforward: approaching marathon day often means trading steady threshold work for speed-focused sessions that make your goal pace feel more manageable. By shifting to VO₂‑max work and speed intervals in the final weeks before race day, you restore the quickness that tends to fade during extended training blocks and improve running economy.

The workout happens on a track to ensure pacing stays locked in regardless of conditions. This particular session aimed to restore speed following a holiday break and a disappointing 10k performance, making marathon pace feel more natural by comparison. This strategic use of different training stimuli is explained in depth in Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them.

The session pairs a short tempo with high-rep intervals: 2 km tempo (at roughly 10k effort) plus 20×400 m repeats at a controlled, rapid pace.

Workout Example

Here’s the breakdown.

1. Warm‑up: Start with an easy 5–10 minute jog, then add some dynamic stretching.
2. 2 km Tempo: Hold a brisk but sustainable effort—think your current 10k race pace. Don’t go all-out here; this is meant to prepare your body for the faster segments to come. Need help finding that pace? Check Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance for guidance.
3. 20 × 400 m: The meat of the session.
   • Pace Target: 70‑71 seconds per 400 m (approximately 5:40 / mile or 3:32 / km). These repeats build pure speed and follow similar principles to what’s covered in Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time.
   • Rest: 60 seconds of light jogging or standing recovery between repeats.
4. Cool‑down: Wrap up with an easy 5–10 minute jog.

Feel free to dial in the interval duration or number of reps according to where you are fitness-wise. What matters is running these repeats at a pace that taxes your VO₂‑max, which makes marathon pace feel much easier by comparison.

Closing Note

Try this session soon, adjusting the target paces based on your current fitness level in the Pacing app. Stressing your VO₂‑max this way should make your marathon pace feel significantly more comfortable during racing. Enjoy your training.

References

• Workout I use to get FASTER when Marathon Pace still feels TOO HARD: LONDON MARATHON 2023 - PEAKING - YouTube (YouTube Video)