This week’s workout is a Tempo/Hill combo typically done in the first phase of workouts as a transition to longer tempo runs. Fatiguing the body on the tempo, calling upon quick twitch fibers to do the power work on the hill, and then repeating creates a nice bump in fitness. This is a great one to prep for hilly races too!
The Workout
Depending on ability, fitness and training volume, 5-10 x a mile at paces similar or slightly faster than tempo pace.
Recovery is short, 60 seconds is optimal, and may be stretched to 75 seconds late in the workout.
These repeats target the same benefits as a traditional tempo run while allowing an athlete to log more distance, and therefore time than might be possible with an uninterrupted tempo.
The short recovery should allow just enough time to regroup without the heart rate falling too far before the next repeat. This is a good workout to include in a pre-competitive training phase.
