Interval Training in Running
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What is Interval training in running or sports and how it can be applied to your daily workout? What does interval training usually involve? Which of the scenarios best describes interval training? Here I describe the history of interval training in running beginning from Gerschler and Reindal’s training, Farltek training to Mihaly Igloi’s interval training in running, and multi pace training by Frank Horwill. Read to know how interval training in running has evolved over time.Â
Interval training is defined as high-intensity sessions such as sprinting on the track, swimming in the pool, or exercising on the stationary cycle that help improve running or sports performance.Â
Dr. Woldemar Gerschler and Dr. Herbert Reindal
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The theory of interval training in running started in the 1930s by the German coach, Dr. Woldemar Gerschler, and cardiologist, Dr. Herbert Reindal. These men carried out experiments on certain subjects. They found that eventually intense short repeats (i.e. 50 meters-200 meters) at a very fast controlled pace, allowed these individuals not only to strengthen and enlarge their hearts but to improve their body composition as well.
Rudolf Harbig followed Gerschler and Reindal’s Training
Rudolf Harbig was one of the breakthrough athletes who applied Gerschler methods. Having started out as twenty year old 2:04 800m runner, Harbig systematically implemented various paces of interval training on the track. Harbig’s breakthrough occurred in 1939 when he raced against his fellow 800m counterpart Mario Lanzi of Italy. They both went to the 400 meters in 52.8 and 600 meters in 1:19.8. It was Harbig 27.8 last 200 meters that gave him the world record of 1:46.6. This proves that Gerschler and Reindal’s training were on the right course.
Farltek Training by Gosta Holmer
Fartlek training is another form of interval training developed by the Swedish coach Gosta Holmer. It was introduced about the same time that Gerschler and Reindal were experimenting with the original interval training. Unlike doing timed intervals on the track or on a measured road, fartlek training provided less structure of the workout (based on feel as opposed to time). For example, fartlek session will be applied like this:
4*5min on a hilly road or a dirt trail with a 3 min recovery
Or
10*60 sec on the same terrain with a 2 min recovery.
This allows the individual to train based off effort as opposed to time, and this allows them to strengthen their heart.
Mihaly Igloi Interval Training for runners
Mihaly Igloi, a Hungarian coach, who came into the United States in the 1950’s had implemented similar intervals like Gosta Holmer except they were all performed on the track. Igloi used short intervals similar to Dr. Herbert Reindal. He individualized the interval training for each of the runners he coached. He used system based off feel as opposed to the watch. The concept was fresh, good, and hard. Fresh training is based off feel, which means the athletes or runners did not time the intervals. Good intervals (which good/hard intervals were timed) were 60 percent effort, and hard were 75 percent effort. The session would start off as fresh intervals to get athletes warmed up and then proceed on to good/hard intervals. Usually, these sessions would last about two hours. Igloi believed that quality mileage such as the training he prescribed not only will strengthen your heart but at the same time boost lactate threshold which is critical for endurance performance and getting your nervous system to understand proper pacing for various race distances.
Multi Pace Training by Frank Horwill
Multi pace training is another form of interval training for runners that was developed by the British coach Frank Horwill. Horwill studied the training of past runners from the 1930’s and 1940’s and found that the majority of them ran short repeat intervals (i.e. 100m-800m) with a lot of recovery in between. What he did was he increased the length of repeats to allow the individual to increase their aerobic specific endurance. But he did not neglect leg speed either. He devised a twenty-one-day program that allowed the individual to improve their speed, speed endurance, and volume resistance. This type of training also allows the individual to increase the size of their heart and improve body composition. An example of Horwill’s training would be taking a male and female 1500 meter runner who has a personal best of 4:07 and 4:30 respectfully and devising a program for them. See the example below:
Race distance Pace per 400m (Male) Pace for 400m (Female) Sample Session
400m 60 sec/lap 60 sec /lap 8*200m
800m 64 sec/ lap 65 sec/lap 4*400m
1500m 68 sec/lap 70 sec/lap 6*600m
3000m 72 sec/lap 75 sec/lap 6*1000m
5000m 76 sec/lap 80 sec/lap 4* mile
The recovery sessions in between these intervals for:
8*200m : 120-180 seconds 4*400m: 120-180 seconds 6*600m: 90-120 seconds 6*1000m: 75-120 seconds 4*mile: 60-90 seconds
Note: Adapted from Frank Horwill Obsession for Running, 1991
Horwill believed that males slow down by four seconds as the race distance increased beyond 400 meters, whereas females slow down by five seconds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, interval training in running has evolved over the years by many different coaches and athletes for increasing running or sports performance. There is no proven method of interval training that will work for an individual. However, it should be implemented in a systematic way not only to improve your health but also to increase your running ability or sports or athletic performance.
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