3 x 800m, 400m, 200m
3 x 800m, 400m, 200m
Designed for 5K runners
Intensity
800m @ 3K, 400m @ 1500m, 200m @ 800m
Recovery
400m jogging in 3’ - 4’ between all reps
Exertion
8/10
Periodization
Performance Period
Context & Details
During the Performance Period, workouts for the 5K runner should focus on maintaining lactate tolerance, leg speed, and/or fatigue resistance.
This workout address all three in a compact, dense design.
For the 5K runner, 3K pace is the gold standard of training paces.
Repeat practice of this tempo upgrades vVO₂ Max, VO₂ Max, Running Economy, Resistance to Fatigue, and Aerobic Power. From the Specific Period forward, if a workout does not include some form of 3K pace running, it’s a serious red flag.
In the Performance Period, workouts are not designed to produce excessive amounts of fatigue, but only manageable amounts from which runners can quickly rebound. The Two Factor Periodization model explains that fatigue suppresses fitness, and what we want for the runner in the Performance Period is the supreme expression of their hard-earned fitness on race day.
This style of cut down, in both rep length and pace, is a highly popular workout design originated by Oregon coach Bill Bowerman.
If you want to get better results by learning more about Bowerman’s methods, Join the Running Scholar Program for only $29 to get unlimited access to training logs of his athletes as well as courses on his methods.
The construction has survived and thrived because it works — here’s why:
The longest rep is placed at the beginning of the workout/set, when the athlete is most fresh, both neurologically and physiologically. Fatigue is resisted in an acute manner on the 800m rep but does not escalate to adversely impact the overall quality of the succeeding reps.
As the pace demand accelerates, the rep duration shortens. Coupled with near full recovery during the 400m easy jogging intervals, this ensures power output, motor unit recruitment, and neuromuscular coordination are maximized.
The runner feels good, fast, and powerful at well-known competitive speeds — which helps to build confidence going into races.
And finally, it’s a simple workout.
My Rule-of-Thumb in the Performance Period is “KISS” — Keep It Simple Stupid. A lot of great training and performance potential has been ruined by coaches who got too fancy in the Performance Period by prescribing overly complex workouts.
Provided you remember workouts in the Performance Period are all about feeling fresh, fast, and having fun, it’s hard to go wrong.
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Join the Running Scholar Program for $29 to learn more about successful road race training and get unlimited access to courses and training programs on road race running.
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3 Good Books on 5,000m and Road Race training
The Science of Running by Steve Magness
Fast 5K by Pete Magill
Faster Road Racing by Pete Pfitzinger