A GREAT way to introduce yourself to the challenging world of running fast(er) is FARTLEK! Fartlek was first described to me as ‘speed play’ and my first experience ‘fartleking’ immediately reminded me of my childhood summer nights spent playing ‘tag’, ‘hide and seek’, or any number of similar games.

All of these games involve periodically RUNNING LIKE HELL for a few seconds followed by a few seconds (or minutes) of hiding, catching your breath, and RUNNING LIKE HELL again. These games were fun, right? Running FAST(er) can be fun, right?

Fartlek is kinda like these childhood games you (may have?) played as a kid! Fartlek involves short (playful?) bursts of running like hell followed by short segments of running EASY to catch your breath followed by running like hell again.

We will rendezvous at the WEST entrance to Kezar, segue into our warmup routine on the ‘upper’ level, and then segue down to the track for ‘Fartlek-A-Palooza’.

Here are the options I have for you……

• 5-6 X 400 ‘fartlek style’ (200 easy/200 hard followed by 50% recovery between each 400)
• 4-5 X 800 ‘fartlek style’ (200 easy/200 hard followed by 50% recovery between each 800)
• 4-5 X 1200 ‘fartlek style’ (200 easy/200 hard followed by 50% recovery between each 1200)

Once you’ve wrapped up your ‘fartleking’, you’ll knock off 1-2 easy, cooldown laps and we’ll do a little work with Coach Elena to round out the evening!