Intervals Are Fun!

Today was my first time doing intervals on a treadmill. I must say they were some what enjoyable. I decided to do 400s (.25 miles) The 'mill' at the gym has a setting called 'intervals' you put in your jog speed. and your run speed and then toggle back and forth by pushing the interval button.

According to Hal in the Run Fast book you should be between 90% - 95% HR at the end of the run portion then recover about down to 70% before doing the next one. So if I set the treadmill up properly I should be covering .25 miles at the right heartrate percentages.

To figure out a base I used the McMillian calculator which suggests 2:02 (7.3) to 2:20 (6.4). So I choose 7.2 to start (a bit fast I thought but I wanted to throttle down) so my intervals went like this.

1. Run 7.2 - 400m (hr 83%) Walk 3.5 - 400m (hr 52%) = to easy
2. Run 7.2 - 400m (hr 85%) Walk 3.7 - 400m (hr 55%) = still to easy
3. Run 7.2 - 400m (hr 87%) Walk 4.0 - 400m (hr 58%) = still a bit easy
4. Run 7.5 - 400m (hr 89%) Jog 4.5 - 400m (hr 62%) = very close
5. Run 8.0 - 400m (hr 90%) Jog 4.5 - 400m (hr 71%) = on target
6. Run 7.5 - 400m (hr 88%) Jog 4.5 - 400m (hr 69%) = on target

Conclusion I'm going to run these at Run 8.0/ Jog 4.5 and up the pace ( for both) every week or so. These really do seem to be great workouts sort of like jog/walk program that got me running.

I Can't wait until my next interval day as these are GREAT!