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Workout of the week - 8 x 200m, 4 mile jog, 8 x 200m

Writer's picture: Dylan BellesDylan Belles


The Workout:


8 x 200m at 1-Mile-2 mile race pace w/ 200m jog, 4 miles jog, 8 x 200m at 1-Mile-2 mile race pace w/ 200m jog


Who is this workout for?


This is a workout designed for Half Marathon to Marathon athletes. While it's much faster than anything a half marathon to full marathon runner may need to tap into for their race, this workout helps develop greater mechanics, speed, and relaxation that supports the specific training.


When and why to do this workout


Simply put, it's too easy for a half-full marathoner to forget about fundamental speed and mechanical work. Logically, It's so far in the opposite direction of the specific requirements for those race distances, and thus not as important.


But, just because it's not "as" important, doesn't mean it doesn't play a role.


Most runners don't speed time running fast enough. I harp on this a lot on my blog, so I won't drown you in it again ;)


But, this being said, there's a role to play in teaching the body to run fast and smoothly and I think you can incorporate a workout like this to learn to run fast while fresh and while fatigued while still getting in a big mileage day that's specific to the longer road racing events.


How to do this workout and how should it feel


This workout is set in meters, so easy access to a track would be ideal.

For reps like 200m I find it best to do them on a track just because it's the most controlled place to run fast without having to worry about uneven roads, varying grades, and turns. If you've ever done a faster workout on a track, it always feels better than the road - that's why I recommend a track.


But, if you don't and you don't know how to calculate meters when you're out on the road, I will advise you to use reps of around 45 seconds (even if that's not perfectly 200 meters) and recover for 90 seconds between. Easy enough!


To begin, do your normal warm-up (ideally 1-3 miles) and then find your place on the track or a flat stretch of road. Try to focus on running the hard portion of these reps fast but not hard. You shouldn't feel like you're fighting to hit pace - if you are, there's a good chance that's not your 1-mile to 2-mile race pace and you will risk the effectiveness and execution of the workout.


Your aerobic system shouldn't be a limitation here. Again, fast but not hard! Take your recovery between liberally, there's no need to have a precise pace, just recover enough so you can hit your reps evenly.


Next, head off the track and log your 4-mile run between. This part is easy-paced, not a formal part of the workout, you're goal is to stack some miles in the legs before heading back to the track.


As you get back to the track, you will now have 7 -10+ miles on your legs!


And again you will set off for another set of 200's at the same pace as before, but this time you will be much more fatigued and begin tapping into your system differently than during your first set.


This is where the magic is.


You're being asked to run fast (and smooth) while tired. That's the essence of running and racing, right? The smoother you can be at faster speeds, the better. And there's no better way to improve that than by training it, just like in this workout.


After you've completed your set you should now be properly tired and feel as though you got your money's worth! Time to cool down and call it a day!


How to progress this session


You can progress this session by adding more miles in the middle of the run. So, instead of 4 miles, you can stretch it out to 5 or 6. I don't think we get much value in adding more reps as it's already intense enough, and for a half-full marathon, you don't need a lot of this work to get the most from it.


On the other side, if you're not ready for this workout but still want to do some form of it, a good place to start is 4 x 200m with 1-3 miles between and then another 4 x 200 on the back end. There is nothing wrong with adjusting and adapting a session like this to your current ability level.


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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