Apart from sounding very silly, FARTLEK just doesn’t sit right in my mind.
I have this vision of Norwegians running at a certain speed to the nearest lamp post and then at another speed up a hill and then at some other UNpre-defined speed over the next but one pedestrian crossing.
That’s not me. Maybe I’m a bit boring but I want a bit of structure.
So how about this then
Warmup then 3x all the following:
- 5x
- [
- 30 seconds jog
- 20 seconds normal Z2/high aerobic speed
- 10 seconds max/sprint
- ]
- 2 minutes jog
Well that is a Fartlek workout used in a Danish university study on a group of Finns. And yes I know Fartlek means something in Swedish.
Try that a couple of times a week and see what happens.
The benefits should be: improved anaerobic capacity; improved muscular force; and higher neuromuscular response.
Last Updated on 16 January 2026 by the5krunner
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I think it means “speed play” in Swedish
How about this, invented by famous Aussie marathon runner Steve Moneghetti… the Mona Fartlek.
2 x 90″, 90″ jog
4 x 60″, 60″ jog
4 x 30″, 30″ jog
4 x 15″, 15″ jog
where the Jog is really a FAST JOG, like a Marathon Pace jog… which darn hard. For the most normals is probably a FAST STEADY PACE JOG. The fast bits you start at 3/5k pace and end up at a sprint pace during the 15″ secs clips at the end. It is one of the most taxing workouts out there and only takes 20′.
Twice a week… this more likely once/twice a month. It is a great combo of anaerobic & high end aerobic. Personally I’d do it on the track and take note of the distance so you can see improvement over time. Once you get your average pace at the end, it is likely your current 5k pace shape is some 15-20″ seconds per km below the Mona pace.
Enojy…))
Velocità di gioco
tried this 30-20-10, quite nice, surprisingly felt quite hard.
Will tried the one from Steve Moneghetti… maybe not with “marathon pace jog” (I think marathon pace does not qualify to be called jog :-P) during rest periods, but simple easy Z2 pace… Looks very promissing, specially for a 10k/halfmarathon training