How to spice up endurance runs

Many runners consistently complete their endurance runs at the same distance and duration, which leads to monotony. As a variation, they start by running endurance runs faster. This isn't very effective, as we then complete a session that is neither fast nor slow, but rather somewhere in between, and doesn't really speed up. Therefore, here are some suggestions for livening up your basic training.

Gradual acceleration: Gradual acceleration is a short acceleration run of 80 to 150 meters. You start at a slow pace, gradually increase your running speed, and then run the last 10 to 20 meters at a submaximal pace, i.e., below your maximum effort, before slowly slowing down. It is recommended to complete 3 to 5 gradual accelerations after a long run. The terrain can vary—gradual accelerations can be run on flat, uphill, or downhill.

Ins and Outs: These sprint runs can be incorporated into a long run or, like the acceleration runs, completed after the long run. Ins and Outs are a game of pace – you run alternately fast and slow, with the distance remaining the same in both sections. The length varies depending on fitness level: Beginners start with 5 to 10 repetitions of 50 meters fast, 50 meters slow (totaling 500 meters to 1 kilometer); more advanced runners can run 2 kilometers with 10 repetitions of 100 meters fast, 100 meters slow, or repetitions of 200 meters, 100 meters. The fast sections must be run so that all repetitions are the same speed.

Pick-up: In a pick-up, the last few minutes of the endurance run are run at a steady pace. For example, if I'm planning a 40-minute endurance run, I run the last two to four minutes at a pace similar to a speed run. The length of the endurance run determines the length of the pick-up, although after a longer endurance run of over an hour, I shouldn't run at a pace of more than 10 minutes. In contrast to the other two variations, the pace of the pick-up at the end is submaximal and roughly corresponds to my half-marathon or marathon pace.

Maja Neuenschwander is a running expert and former elite athlete. She now works at Swiss Olympic.

An article from the « NZZ am Sonntag »