The Perfect Short-Recovery Workout for Every Race Distance

Follow enough training plans over the years and you’ll notice that some workouts appear often. These classics—1200-meter repeats at 5K pace with 400- meter recovery jogs, for example, or three- to four-mile tempo runs—are structured to provide a certain stimulus to your body and mind. In the case of the reps, the goal is to boost your VO2 max, or how much oxygen you can deliver to muscles during fast running. Continuous tempo runs improve your physical and mental ability to sustain a “comfortably hard” pace.

Tweaking these sessions usually results in a less-effective workout. For example, you might think shorter rest between reps better simulates how you’ll feel in a 5K. That’s “a faulty premise, because too little recovery means you wind up using the wrong energy systems and muscle-fiber types,” says Pete Magill, distance coach of the Cal Coast Track Club. With inadequate recovery between reps, the workout will do less to improve your race-readiness, and you’ll be more fatigued.

There are, however, some short-rest workouts that are highly effective. Some allow you to accumulate more work at the correct intensity. Others can provide the same stimulus as a harder workout with less wear and tear. Which kind of short-rest workout is best for you depends on which distance you’re targeting.