Interval Running For Beginners – Learning How To Run Faster

Interval running for beginners requires alternating periods of running and walking or in the running circle, recovery jogging. Interval running can increase your performance and speed, while for beginners, you can use such a session to introduce yourself to running.

If you are a beginner starting to run, using the run-walk interval method can help build up to continuous running. For the experienced runner, interval training is a standard method built into most training plans. Whether you are looking to perform you best or just head out on the pavement, Interval running is an essential part of your training.

If you are struggling to run a certain distance or increase your overall fitness, interval running can bring your goal a step closer.

 

Interval Running Workouts For Beginners

Running, in general, is a demanding sport. For most people just heading out the door for a run can be overwhelming, especially for a beginner. Implementing run-walk intervals can help you overcome this, and help to make running more manageable.

The beginner typically has the mentally of pushing until your legs are exhausted. Splitting up your run into segments of running and walking can help prevent fatigue and help you to run longer. Walking helps rest your muscles for a short period and allows them to come back refreshed for the next segment of running. In simple words, it can help extend your workout and the total time that you are running.

As the duration of each run starts to extend, the beginner can then begin to look at reducing the walking, allowing the body to adapt and make progress along the way.

Focus on building the running up each run by adding 2-3 minutes of running until you reach 40 minutes total running time. This should take you a period from 3-5 weeks if running twice per week. If you are running more, you might find the period is closer to the three weeks.

Once you have managed to run 40 minutes of continuous running, then you can focus on running 20 minutes non-stop. Once you are at this point, continue to build your running until you reach 45mins. Make sure you keep close to the 10% rule and don’t push things too fast.

As you become more confident the running, you can start removing the running intervals all together. Typically this is when you hit the 60-minute mark. Then once at this stage of your running, you can start focusing on building up your running mileage.

 

Interval Training For Beginners

With interval training, there are a variety of ways to do it. Most experienced runners use interval training to increase things like their threshold speed, leg speed anaerobic system, and the list goes on. On the other hand, the beginner implementing interval training to their running will help increase their base speed. In turn, they are assisting the running to become much faster at the same level of effort.

Some things to think about before you start sprinting out the door:

Interval Distance
Make sure you start your first intervals at a shorter distance. Such as 400 meters to 800 meters. You can also work on time, which would mean anywhere from 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Run at a pace which feels uncomfortable and hard, but also a pace you can still control. As you get fitter and the speed develops, you can start moving into 1-kilometre intervals or increasing the speed over 400/800 meters.

Recovery Running
Recovery is extremely significant during your running intervals; this allows for adequate rest and will enable you to perform the next interval at the same speed. As you get fitter, it is possible to shorten the recovery time instead of extending the interval distance. As a basic starting point, use half the duration as the interval as recovery time.

Intensity level
If your someone that doesn’t use heart rate or a watch, using perceived exertion levels can help you gauge the intensity. From a scale of 1-10 stay around 7-8 RPE and during recovery focus on 1-3 RPE

Remember not to overreach yourself when starting interval training. Build the repetitions or reduce the recovery each week. Doing so will help you improve not only your fitness but also your speed.