This is Episode #99 of the Workout of the Week podcast so brace yourself for a workout with a whole heap of nines in it!

WHAT?

THE STEADY STATE SANDWICH

9mins @ 1-hour race pace

9x1min @ 5k race pace (1min jogs)

9mins @ 1-hour race pace

3mins jog recovery between each block

Terrain: Either flat and measurable or make it a fartlek session on undulating terrain.

A tempo run is designed to get you locking into a rhythm that teaches you to be comfortable with discomfort.

Now throw in an interval session into the middle of that tempo run and you’ve just dialled up the discomfort levels a notch or two, but you’re also throwing in something interesting and fun in the middle to spice up the workout!

WHY?

I love the mental aspects of a mixed workout like this that forces you to change mentality from the rhythm and grind of the tempo sections to the faster on-off running of the intervals. It’s great practice for race situations where you might have surging paces or a mixture of hills and flat sections.

HOW?

For a bit more freedom, you could make this workout a fartlek session by just doing the paces by perceived effort on undulating terrain. Alternatively, check your exact paces (for 1-hour pace or lactate threshold and 5k race pace) on the tempofit.org Race and Pace Calculator.