New runners are often grateful to cross the finish line of their first race, no matter their time. If you want to improve your time or hit a new PB, miles alone aren’t going to be enough. You need to include some speed training in your weekly routine. If speed training is new to you, or you’re looking for a new format to keep it interesting, the pyramid speed interval workout is for you.
Pyramid speed interval workouts are based on an incremental increase, peak and decrease of speed runs, split up with recovery periods.
Practicing incremental speed workouts have the effect of increasing your overall race speed. It can also increase your confidence as you show yourself that you can sustain bursts of faster speed. Here are two ways you can implement a pyramid speed interval workout into your routine, depending on your preference for timed workouts or set distances.
Always remember to warm up adequately before starting any speed training. It may help to run a mile or two at a comfortable pace before starting. Timed runs will require a stopwatch, distance runs will require a premeasured distance, such as a typical 400m track.
Distance method
Warm up as described above. Complete all intervals at your 5K race pace, and rest periods at an easy pace.
- Run 1 lap (400m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 2 laps (800m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 3 laps (1200m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 4 laps (1600m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 5 laps (2000m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 4 laps (1600m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 3 laps (1200m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 2 laps (800m)
- Recover for half the time it took to run at speed
- Run 1 lap (400m)
- Cool down by jogging at a very easy pace for 5-10 minutes.
Time method
Warm up as described above. Complete all intervals at your 5K race pace, and rest periods at an easy pace.
- Run 1 minute
- Recovery run 1 minute
- Run 2 minutes
- Recovery run 2 minutes
- Run 3 minutes
- Recovery run 3 minutes
- Run 4 minutes
- Recovery run 4 minutes
- Run 3 minutes
- Recovery run 3 minutes
- Run 2 minutes
- Recovery run 2 minutes
- Run 1 minute
- Cool down by jogging at a very easy pace for 5-10 minutes.
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Whilst Enertor has over 18 years Orthotics experience, our blog content is provided for informational purposes only and it is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical advice. Enertor advises anyone with an injury to seek their own medical advice – and do not make any health or medical related decisions based solely on information found on this site.
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