Cruise Intervals 5 x 1600 m
Five 1600 m repeats at threshold pace with one minute recoveries, the classic cruise interval session for 10k to half marathon training.
- Duration
- 1 h 06 minestimated
- Distance
- 13.2 kmestimated
- Effort
- 91
- Level
- Intermediate
- Focus zone
- Threshold
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 jog | 15 min | 78-88% threshold pace68-78% HRmax72-82% FTP |
| 5 ×Repeat these steps | |||
| 2.1 | IntervalThreshold Threshold, even pace | 1600 m | 98-102% threshold pace88-92% HRmax95-101% FTP |
| 2.2 | RecoveryRecovery Easy jog | 1 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
| 3 | Cool-downRecovery Easy jog | 10 min | 70-78% threshold pace55-68% HRmax60-72% FTP |
About this workout
Five repeats of 1600 m with one minute of recovery is the textbook cruise interval workout. The work to rest ratio of about five to one keeps the effort steady and the heart rate high, while the short breaks let you reset your form and check your pacing.
Threshold training like this lifts the speed you can hold before fatigue builds quickly, which pays off from 5k to the marathon. Run the repeats at an effort you could hold for about an hour in a race. The last repeat should feel solid but not desperate.
It suits intermediate runners who handle 20 minutes continuous at threshold. Daniels suggests keeping a single threshold session at around 10 % of weekly mileage, which puts eight kilometers at threshold in reach of runners at about 80 km per week. Runners on lower weekly volume can stop at three or four repeats.
Tips
- Take the minute as an easy jog or a slow walk.
- Aim for even splits across all five repeats.
- Do not speed up on the last repeat.
Origin
Cruise intervals are described by coach Jack Daniels in Daniels' Running Formula.
Good for10kHalf marathonMarathon
Season phaseBuild