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Running a speed work session can be tricky business. There are so many variables to play with. The length of a repeat, the rest interval, number of reps, warm up, and cool down. With so many things to think about, what is the correct way to do speed work?

To begin a speed work session always warm up. Running at least one mile loosens the legs and allows blood to circulate and prepare for more strenuous activity. Proper pace is also important. Begin jogging and as your second wind appears start to run faster. Finish your warm up with a light sweat.

After warming up take a few minutes to gently stretch, the legs, shoulders and arms. Run a couple of strides to further loosen the legs.

Improper pace is a major cause of poor workouts. Running the first lap of a repetition too fast can ruin a planned workout. To get a good indication of the proper pace, run a 5k race. Then divide your race time by 3.1 to find your average pace.

Example: race time / 3.1 = pace per mile.

When the average pace is known subtract 5 to 10 seconds per mile. This establishes your speed work out pace.

Example: race pace ' 5 to 10 seconds = speed work out pace.

By dividing this number by 4 will give you the pace per lap.

Example: 6:00 pace / 4 = 1:30

The length of your repeats are also important. Repeats of at least 800 meters will work best. Spending longer periods at your VO2 max will increase your workout effectiveness. Repeats up to 1200 meters work best for increasing your strength and mental toughness.

Rest intervals are also important. Jogging the rest intervals and not walking will make the workout more effective. Jog at a slow enough pace to recover enough to run the next repeat at proper pace. For 800 meter repeats jog for 2 minutes, 1200 meter repeats jog for a period of three minutes.

The number of repeats is also important workout consideration. When beginning a season of speed work always begin with 1 or 2 reps. as your fitness improves build up to 8 reps of 800 meters or 5x 1200 meter repeats.

Following your workout jog another mile or so to cool down. The cooling down period allows the blood to flush out the waste products that accumulate in the muscles during periods of intense running. Another benefit of the cool down is the reduced muscle soreness the next day.

A final suggestion to consider is rotating your speed work out weeks. Running speed work outs for two weeks in a row. The third week skip your normal track workout and race on the weekend. Following a schedule such as this prevents burnout and allows the body and mind time to recover.

Running a race every three weeks allows time for the body to adapt and become stronger. Also running a race will allow you to determine your new workout pace. And identify over training if your race times seem to drop dramatically.