How to Run Fartlek Workouts
“Fartlek” is a Swedish term that translates to “speed play” in English, at least in the running community. Fartlek workouts entail mixing bursts of faster running (say, 5K pace) into a medium-paced continuous run. While some coaches prescribe detailed pace and distance instructions in their fartlek workouts, (e.g., 1 mile warm up, 6x 2 minutes at 5K pace, 2 minutes at half-marathon pace, 2 mile cool down) I leave the length and pace of the bursts up to my runners. This adds more variety to the training program and allows the runner to enjoy the bursts and freedom of the run rather than stressing over hitting particular times. This should be the most enjoyable workout of the week for most runners. I do not want my fartlek workouts to feel like track interval workouts that have just migrated over to the road. Instead, I want the fartlek to be based on feel and creativity.
Here are my basic instructions and tips for completing a fartlek:
Warm up properly with dynamic stretches and skips. Warm up until you feel ready to include bursts in your first mile of running.
Plan to complete 2-3 bursts per mile (so a 4 mile fartlek should contain around 10 noticeable spikes in the workout data (see photo above)).
The cruising pace between bursts should be roughly 90 seconds to 2 minutes per mile slower than 5K race pace. Think RPE 5-6 for the cruising pace and RPE 8-9 for the bursts.
Pick landmarks as your starting and end points for the bursts as you run. For example, you might decide on the fly, “I will run hard from that fire hydrant up through the next crosswalk.” Don’t be rude and choose other runners as your landmarks. The distance of the burst determines the pace, so very short bursts should be faster than 5K race pace and feel more like your final kick.
At the end of each burst, drag out the deceleration as long as possible so you glide back down to cruising pace and gather yourself for the next burst. Stopping abruptly doesn’t properly mimic the ebbs and flows of fast races, so don’t build bad habits in workouts that won’t help you on race day.
The physical and mental benefits of a fartlek workout in this style are huge. The accumulated time running at high speed and neuromuscular adaptations to the accelerations will carry over to your other workouts and races. The enjoyment of running fast and free will energize you for upcoming workouts that have more structure.
