How to Perform Threshold Intervals

Threshold intervals are similar to tempo runs, only instead of one solid block of steady, comfortably hard running, the “tempo” portion is broken into one-mile intervals with one-minute rests between. The total amount of mileage during this interval session should equal no more than eight percent of one’s weekly mileage or 10 km (whichever is less). Incorporate threshold intervals into your 10k or half-marathon training plan and watch your aerobic capacity and speed increase, and your race times plummet.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• A track or a flat stretch of road.
• A watch, heart race monitor, or similar device to monitor time and pace.

1. Begin with about 10 minutes or one mile of easy running.
2. Run a few 100-meter strides to get the legs moving (optional).
3. Run each interval at an even, “comfortably hard” pace (aka, a pace you could sustain for at least an hour if you had to, or 10 to 15 seconds slower than your 10k race pace). Use the eight percent/10km rule to determine the quantity of intervals.
4. Finish with about 10 minutes or one mile of easy running.
5. Stretch. Hydrate. Go home.

Tips & Warnings

• After the final interval, you should feel like you still have a little bit of “gas in the tank.”
• Follow the hard-easy principle: If you run threshold intervals on Tuesday, cross train or run easy on Wednesday.
• Don’t run too fast! Exceeding your goal threshold pace won’t make you faster, just more prone to injury.