Quick Slow Quick - 1 Minute Efforts

Session aim/goal

This session will work on your overall fitness and running endurance.        

Target energy system

You will be training your lactic energy system.

Session warm up

Complete your own warm-up to get ready for the session.  Include some exercises to slowly raise your heart rate, appropriate for your level of fitness and the session you're about to follow. Include some dynamic movement to gently increase the range of body movement.

Use this time to think about the session, to prepare your mind for exercise and set your intention.

Main session

Mark yourself out a distance that takes around 1 minute to jog/easy run.

• Complete 1 rep quickly, at around your 5K pace;
• Pause for at least half the time it took you to complete that rep;
• Run back at a slow pace (slow enough to have a conversation);
• Pause for at least half the time it took to complete that rep;

Repeat this pattern for 20–30 minutes.

The long rest is important so that you are recovered for the next effort; this keeps you working in the lactic energy system, which is the focus on this session. You are in the lactic energy system for effort bursts of less than 1 minute.  

Session cool down

Gently bring your heart rate back down.  If you wish, include some gentle stretching.

Reflection

During the cool down, take a few moments to think about how the session went.

Did you enjoy it?
Did you learn anything interesting about your running?
How long did it take you to feel fully recovered between each rep?
This is how you know you are working your lactic energy system.