After 12 weeks of base or endurance building, now you are ready from some speed work as you approach race day. To ease into interval training, which can be quite daunting for most intermediate runners, here are two more training techniques you might want to add to your book of running knowledge:

Fartlek

This strange-sounding word is a Swedish term that means, roughly, speed play. And indeed, these workouts can seem like child’s play, interspersing fast bursts with slower recovery jogging. For intermediate runners, fartlek can be simply a fun, unintimidating introduction to faster running.

To do a fartlek, vary the speed and intensity of your pace, creating work and allowing recovery without stopping. Warm up by starting your run as you ordinarily would, jogging at a comfortable pace for about 10 minutes. Then, for a set period of time, “play” by alternating slow, medium, and faster paces for short periods of time. These timed intervals can be anywhere form 30 seconds to 3 minutes or try running each segment by picking out a different landmark like a telephone pole, lamp post, tree, or fire hydrant. Recover by jogging in between surges then pick up the pace again.

Hills

Not a lot of runners like hills. They slow you down and running on hills is not a very physically pleasant experience. In fact, the degree of difficulty of most road races are determined by the elevation of the hills included in the race course. But just like how we should deal with any difficult experience life throws our way, we should face the hills head on and get armed and ready through hill training. Running on hills is one of the fastest, most efficient ways to build strength. Plus, it makes you more well-rounded as a runner, equipped with legs that can attack any terrain head on with no fear nor hesitation.

Just like fartlek runs, the best way to go about hill training for an intermediate runner is to simply run on a hilly terrain. It’s best to reserve the more structured hill repeats when you decide to move up to the advanced level. For now, just varying your running terrain by including rolling or hilly courses will suffice. Start your run as you normally would then go a bit faster on the uphill portions with the pace dependent on the length of the hill then return to your regular pace in between hills. Not only is this more fun and less intimidating, but it is also kinder on your knees since you minimize running downhill.

TRAINING SCHEDULE

Here is the fourth and final installment of my 16-week training plan for your first 10K race. If your race falls exactly on the Sunday of Week 16, you can replace the 60-minute long run with your first 10K race. If the race course is rolling or hilly, you have the option to swap your 60-minute Sunday long run with your hilly run on race day. Good luck and don’t forget to finish with a smile!

Week 13

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 30 min easy run
Wednesday: 20 min easy run
Thursday: 45 min run (middle 20 min fartlek)
Friday: Off
Saturday: 30 min easy run
Sunday: 60 min long run

Week 14

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 30 min easy run
Wednesday: 20 min easy run
Thursday: 45 min run with hills
Friday: Off
Saturday: 30 min easy run
Sunday: 60 min long run

Week 15

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 30 min easy run
Wednesday: 20 min easy run
Thursday: 45 min run (middle 20 min fartlek)
Friday: Off
Saturday: 30 min easy run
Sunday: 60 min long run

Week 16

Monday: Off
Tuesday: 30 min easy run
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: 45 min run with hills
Friday: Off
Saturday: 30 min easy run
Sunday: 60 min long run