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In the winter, after we have moved away from Bradgate Park, we will often hold workout sessions on Thursdays. These sessions are supported with drills, technique work and dynamic stretching. These drills are great for improving performance as they slowly ingrain the functional, quality movements and form that allow you run stronger, more robustly, longer and more efficiently.

Thursday’s training is designed to be all-inclusive. Everyone runs  together and we will be confined to a specific area, such as New College Cycle Circuit, and post-session there may be also be time and opportunity to reflect on the workout and ask any questions.

Variety is crucial to continued improvement and development so the workouts are separated into various categories. Each type of workout has a main focus and purpose depending on what physiological system it is designed to stress.

(Very) broadly speaking, the main types of training are:

  • Short, fast intervals to improve speed and form
  • Long intervals to improve performance in shorter races
  • Tempo/threshold runs to improve performance over middle to longer races
  • Long runs to build endurance

Click here for a basic introduction to the different types of training, how to perform each workout and the purpose each serves.

Since we have our famous “Phil’s Hills” to take us through our summer in Bradgate Park, this page will, therefore, contain a library of workouts that can be done local to Braunstone Leisure Centre.

Short interval sessions

Constant or varied intervals of 2 to 6 minutes in length, with recoveries of 50 to 90% of the length of the interval. As a general rule aim for no more than 8% of total weekly volume of total effort per workout but this can be left to each individual.

Lactate Threshold / Tempo Sessions

Constant / varied intervals or continuous running at just over your maximal pace for an hour. For intervals, recover one minute for every five of effort or mix your slightly faster than LT pace with bouts of slightly slower than LT pace.

The total amount of effort done at LT can be quite flexible so this is left up to each individual per each workout.

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