Aerobic Fartlek 6 x 3 min at Marathon Effort
A 60 minute aerobic fartlek with six 3 minute sections at marathon effort inside an easy run, a relaxed way to add steady running in the base phase.
- Duration
- 1 h
- Distance
- 11.3 kmestimated
- Effort
- 72
- Level
- Intermediate
- Focus zone
- Tempo
Your values
Targets relative to your threshold values. Enter your values to see absolute numbers.
100% is your threshold pace. Higher values are faster, lower values are slower.
| # | Step | Length | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Warm-upEndurance Easy 15 min | 15 min | 78-88% threshold pace68-78% HRmax72-82% FTP |
| 6 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 2.1 | IntervalTempo 3 min at marathon effort | 3 min | 89-93% threshold pace78-86% HRmax82-89% FTP |
| 2.2 | RecoveryEndurance 4 min easy running | 4 min | 78-88% threshold pace68-78% HRmax72-82% FTP |
| 3 | Cool-downRecovery Easy jog | 3 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
About this workout
Not every fartlek needs to be hard. In this one the faster sections are at marathon effort, a pace that feels purposeful but sustainable for a long time. Six sections of three minutes, each followed by four minutes of easy running, add 18 minutes of steady work to an hour-long run without much fatigue.
Warm up for 15 minutes. Then run three minutes at marathon effort and four minutes easy, six times. Finish with a short easy jog. Change pace smoothly instead of surging, and keep the easy sections at a normal easy pace. On rolling routes, run the marathon effort sections by feel rather than by pace.
This suits intermediate runners in the base phase of half marathon and marathon training, and runners returning to structured training after a break. It also works as a lighter alternative to a tempo run in recovery weeks.
Tips
- Settle into the marathon effort within 30 seconds.
- Keep the easy sections at a normal easy pace, not a shuffle.
- Practice drinking during one of the easy sections.
Good forHalf marathonMarathon
Season phaseBase