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Daily Stride # 17 - Workout of the week - 1200/400 alternations

Writer's picture: Dylan BellesDylan Belles

As you may or may not already know, I love alternation style workouts.


These are the types of sessions where you don't give yourself full recovery during the rest portion of your workout, making way for a workout that is tougher aerobically and requires much more mental focus than your average interval workout.


In a way, an alternation workout is a sneaky way to get a tempo in without it feeling like one!


In short, alternation workouts make you a stronger runner and they provide an additional stimulus that breaks up the rhythm of a classic tempo workout.


Let me show you how to do it.


The Workout:


4 - 5 x 1200m at Marathon/Tempo Pace, 400 meters at 5k pace, resulting in 4-5 miles of non-stop workout.


When and why to do this workout


I love doing this workout in the early part of a training season. Historically, this has been one of the first workouts I will do following a period of base training while training for the 5k/10k distance. While it's an early workout, it's not a bad session to revisit when you need to combine the strength and specific speed work rather than doing them in isolation.


It's hit's three specific areas


  1. It's challenges your aerobic system. - Just like any sustained run that stresses your aerobic threshold, this workout provides the endurance stimulus needed to improve overall strength and intensity stability at speed.

  2. You get to touch on race pace - When preparing for a race, you have to touch on race pace consistently throughout the build-up. This workout introduces race pace, giving you the chance to see how you feel mechanically and aerobically at your desired pace.

  3. You get to combine the two. - Of course, this is the most important of the 3. For the 5k and 10k distances, you need to have a combination of strength and speed. You need the strength to withstand the build-up of byproducts caused by fatigue, and you need the speed to be able to be able to match your target pace. You can have strength, but not speed; you can have speed but lack strength. Training is all a balancing of finding the perfect recipe to support your goals. - The last thought I have on this point is that I believe that strength breeds speed. I don't believe that strength equals speed necessarily, but becoming a stronger runner allows you the ability to run faster, for longer distances. You HAVE to do the prep work on the aerobic side to maximize your race pace goals, otherwise, you bring your bring your ceiling down.

How to do this workout and how should it feel


I prefer doing this workout on the track for precision's sake, but you can easily pick a flat section of road to get it done.


1200m = 3 laps

400m = 1 lap


For the first 3 laps, you should aim to run at your Marathon race pace. If you don't know your marathon pace, you can use the Daniels Calculator. If you don't want to use the calculator, just think of this as a 6-7/10 effort. You should feel like you're working hard, but you shouldn't be riding the line. Pace yourself evenly.


The 4th lap rolling into the mile split will be a rep at your 5k race speed. This should be fast and by the time you get back to your starting point, you should feel as though you're ready to get back into the rhythm of 1200m rep.


What's important here is that you don't let off the gas too much. If you are forced to slow significantly, you ran your 400m rep too fast.


Now, this workout will gradually get harder as you press on because you're challenging slightly different systems, so be aware that the intended 6-7/10 1200m reps may become an 8, and your 5k rep may start to squeeze you. But, this workout isn't a very long one, you should be able to stick it through.


How to progress this session


If you enjoy the nature of this session and you find a benefit from doing it, here's a progression of the workout


Original workout - 1200m at Marathon, 400 at 5k


Progress to - 1000m at marathon, 600 at 5k


Progress to - 1200m at threshold pace, 400 at 5k


Progress to - 1000m at threshold pace, 600 at 5k


And if you're really fit - 800m at marathon, 800 at 5k


The other way you can progress this is by first increasing distance. So, instead of 4-5 miles of work, you go to 6 miles or perhaps 7.


That's our workout this week! Please let me know if you have any specific questions about this workout or style of workout by sending me an email at dylanbelles@gmail.com

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Priscilla Yang
Priscilla Yang
Mar 07, 2024

I want to run this!

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