Fartlek Training
Methodology 2 of 16
Key Highlights
- •It means speed play and lets you mix fast and slow running.
- •You decide when to go fast and when to rest while moving.
- •Use landmarks like trees or lamp posts to start your sprints.
- •It helps your body get used to changing speeds during a race.
- •There are no strict rules or timers to follow while you run.
- •It makes training fun because every workout is different and unique.
Overview
Fartlek (Swedish for "speed play") is an unstructured training method where the athlete alternates between faster and slower running (or cycling, etc.) during a continuous workout. Unlike formal interval training, fartlek doesn't have preset interval lengths or paces – the intensity changes are freestyle, often guided by feel or landmarks (e.g., sprinting to a tree, then jogging), adding an element of play and spontaneity to endurance training.
Key Focus
The focus of fartlek is to improve both aerobic endurance and speed endurance by blending intensities in one session. Hard segments (e.g. around 85–90% effort) push the aerobic system and improve the ability to surge, while the easy segments (jog or float recoveries) allow partial recovery and adaptation to changing paces. This trains the body and mind to handle pace fluctuations – useful for tactics like surge-and-recover in races – and can help an athlete finish strong with a fast end spurt. Additionally, the varied nature of fartlek can reduce monotony and improve overall fitness similarly to structured intervals, but with more flexibility.
Best Suited For
Fartlek training is useful for runners and endurance athletes of all levels. It is especially beneficial for those new to speedwork or returning from a break, since it allows intensity to be introduced gradually without strict targets. Beginners can simply increase pace until they feel the need to back off, and even use walking recoveries if needed, whereas advanced athletes can push the fast sections harder or longer. Fartleks are often used in base or early season phases to develop some speed and power endurance in a fun, low-pressure way before more structured workouts are added.
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Block Periodization
The focus is to concentrate training stress on one adaptation while maintaining others at minimal levels, thereby inducing greater improvement in that area than if all qualities are trained simultaneously. For instance, in an accumulation block an athlete might focus on high-volume low-intensity work to boost aerobic base, then in the next (transmutation) block focus intensely on lactate threshold or anaerobic capacity with many interval sessions. Because each block is short and specific, the body is continuously challenged with a new stimulus every few weeks, helping to avoid stagnation. Block periodization thus aims to combine the advantages of both polarized approaches and pyramidal approaches by sequencing them in time – research suggests a dynamic, phased combination can be very effective.
Galloway Run-Walk Method
Build endurance and minimize fatigue/injury by using walking intervals as a form of active recovery. The goal is to prevent the cumulative fatigue that normally occurs in continuous running, thus allowing the athlete to maintain a stronger pace over the long haul. Walking breaks allow the muscles, joints, and energy systems brief recovery, which reduces muscle damage and "erases" some fatigue so the runner can keep going longer. The approach also aims to lower the stress hormone response (cortisol) and impact forces, thereby lowering injury risk. In essence, the focus is conservation of resources: by never going until complete exhaustion, you preserve your ability to continue and enjoy the endorphins of running without the deep aches of nonstop running. This method also has a psychological goal – breaking a marathon or long run into manageable segments (run a few minutes, then you know a walk is coming) can make the distance mentally easier.
Hansons Marathon Method (Cumulative Fatigue Training)
Develop fatigue resistance and the ability to maintain pace in the later miles of the marathon. The key goal is to adapt the body and mind to running strong even when legs are already fatigued. By spreading out the weekly mileage and not relying on a single massive long run, the Hansons method avoids overemphasizing any one workout. Instead, the entire week’s training load collectively simulates marathon stress. Another focus is consistency and relatively high mileage (for amateurs) – running six days a week builds cumulative endurance. The method also aims to improve specific marathon physiology with weekly tempo runs at goal marathon pace, so an athlete gets very familiar with their target pace. In summary, the Hansons approach focuses on making the marathon “the sum of its parts,” preparing an athlete through cumulative fatigue rather than one huge long run, ultimately to avoid the infamous late-race breakdown.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
The primary focus of HIIT is to boost VO₂max and anaerobic capacity by recruiting nearly all muscle fibers and maximizing cardiovascular strain. HIIT drives rapid improvements in oxygen uptake; studies show high-intensity intervals can increase VO₂max more effectively than traditional moderate training. It also improves lactate tolerance and neuromuscular power (speed), which helps athletes handle surges and high-intensity efforts during competition. Essentially, HIIT provides a potent stimulus for both aerobic and anaerobic improvements.