A fun and dynamic Fartlek session using town squares as landmarks for varying pace. Ideal for adding excitement and challenge to your regular running routine.
Prepare your body with light jogging and dynamic stretches to get ready for the running session.
Perform dynamic stretches such as leg swings, butt kicks, and high knees to prepare your muscles and joints.
Start with a 5-minute light jog to gently increase your heart rate and loosen up your muscles.
The primary set using town squares as cues for changing running paces.
Run at a medium pace to the first town square you encounter.
As you reach the square, increase your pace and run fast around it.
Reduce to a slow, recovery jog to the next town square.
Run at a fast pace around the square.
Gentle exercises and stretching to relax your muscles after the session.
Perform a 5-minute light jog to transition your body into a resting state.
Engage in static stretches focusing on major muscle groups like quads, hamstrings, and calves.
The Town Square Fartlek is designed to boost your speed and endurance through alternating bursts of speed and easy running. By using town squares as visual markers for changing paces, this workout enhances your ability to adapt and maintain agility while running. It also keeps the session lively and engaging as the environment provides a mental cue to kick-start a pace change.
Additionally, this session leverages natural urban landmarks, making it perfect for city dwellers who wish to break the monotony of traditional interval training. The different paces will help you build on both aerobic and anaerobic capacities, aiding in overall cardiovascular fitness improvement.
This Fartlek session is suitable for intermediate to advanced runners who are looking to spice up their speed work routine. Beginners can also attempt this workout by adjusting the intensity and duration of the faster segments according to their fitness levels, or focusing on maintaining a steady jog between landmarks rather than significant speed increases.
To get the most out of this Town Square Fartlek session, ensure you're familiar with the town square layouts to safely navigate through them while running. Focus on maintaining a controlled burst of speed as you reach each town square, and ensure ample recovery running in-between these efforts. Consider incorporating this session into your weekly routine about once or twice a week, and complement it with easy runs and other training modalities for balanced progression.