Fartlek training can be a helpful way of increasing your speed during workouts, contributing to a better overall pace in your running. But what exactly is fartlek training? And what are some examples of specific workouts? Let’s dive in…
Note: This post was written in 2018 and has been updated in 2022.
Disclaimer: This post was written and reviewed by Chrissy Carroll, RRCA Running Coach and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. It is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as training advice. Please consult your doctor prior to beginning any new
What is fartlek training?
Fartlek, which is Swedish for “speed play,” is a type of training that mixes intervals of fast running with recovery periods of slower running (or walking). Essentially, it is a more unstructured form of interval training.
This type of training is beneficial because it allows you to vary your speed and intensity throughout your run, which helps to challenge the body, improve speed, and tap into different muscular and energy systems.
There are also some disadvantages to fartlek training – namely that can be challenging for brand new runners, and that adding too much to your training plan can be detrimental. Otherwise, though, it’s a great method of training to engage in!
9 Fartlek Workouts to Help You Run Faster
Below are 9 different examples of fartlek training sessions that can be incorporated in any runner’s routine. Use your current fitness level to guide your pace.
For example, running fast might mean a 6 minute mile pace for some people and a 13 minute mile pace for others. Go by your own body and fitness level and don’t push yourself too hard.
Also, it’s important to remember to start all of your speed workouts with a minimum of a 10-minute warm up. This may be a slow-paced run, jog, or power walk depending on your current fitness level.
Similarly, be sure to do a 5-10 minute cool down at the end of your workout as well.
1. Landmark Fartlek Workout
This is probably the most traditional example of a fartlek training session. Plan to run along a sidewalk where there are a decent number of mailboxes, telephone poles, or signs along the street.
After your warm up, run fast to the next mailbox (or a few, depending on how close they are to each other). Slow down and recover for a few mailboxes/signs, then repeat.
Sample landmark workout:
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable jog
Fartlek: 20 minutes of alternating between fast and slow running for every 3 mailboxes
Cool down: 5-10 minute comfortable jog
2. Friend or Foe Fartlek Workout
This is one of my very favorite fartleks for the treadmill. It’s especially for you social media fans out there.
While warming up, post a status on Facebook that you’re on the treadmill and want some variety. Provide a range of speeds and inclines (for example, “anything between 3mph-7mph and 0-3 incline”) and ask people to give you their combination. You do that speed and incline until the next person comments with something new.
You can also do this in advance and simply follow the comments in order, rather than posting live. This is great if you don’t have friends who are constantly tied to their phone.
If you have an active social feed, it’s a really fun way to get complete variety – and find out who is a friend vs. foe! 😉
Sample friend or foe fartlek:
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable jog
Fartlek: You follow what people have suggested to you on Facebook, which looks like:
- 3mph, 0% incline – 2 min
- 6mph, 2% incline – 1 min
- 4 mph, 2% incline – 3 min
- 5 mph, 0% incline – 2 min
- 3 mph, 3% incline – 4 min
- 6 mph, 0% incline – 1 min
- 5 mph, 2% incline – 3 min
Cool down: 5-10 min comfortable jog
3. Pyramid Fartlek by Steps
You can do a pyramid fartlek in a few different ways. One of the easiest is to run a fast pace for a certain number of steps, then a slow pace for the same number of steps – and work your way up or down. For example, you might run 10 steps fast (counting on one leg), then slow down for 10. Repeat with 20, 30, 40…increasing in 10’s until you hit 100, then work your way back down.
This can be a really fun run workout for kids to join in with you, as they get lots of practice with counting and repetition.
Sample Pyramid by Steps:
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable jog
Fartlek: Do the following, counting on the right foot only:
- 10 steps fast, 10 steps slow
- 20 steps fast, 20 steps slow
- 30 steps fast, 30 steps slow
- 40 steps fast, 40 steps slow
- 50 steps fast, 50 steps slow
- 60 steps fast, 60 steps slow
- 70 steps fast, 70 steps slow
- 80 steps fast, 80 steps slow
- 90 steps fast, 90 steps slow
- 100 steps fast, 100 steps slow
Then work your way back down in the reverse order:
- 90 steps fast, 90 steps slow
- 80 steps fast, 80 steps slow
- 70 steps fast, 70 steps slow
- 60 steps fast, 60 steps slow
- 50 steps fast, 50 steps slow
- 40 steps fast, 40 steps slow
- 30 steps fast, 30 steps slow
- 20 steps fast, 20 steps slow
- 10 steps fast, 10 steps slow
Cool down: 5-10 minute comfortable jog
4. Pyramid Fartlek with Time
You can also do a pyramid fartlek with time. It works the same way as the one with steps, but uses minutes instead of steps. Because the run interval is a little longer and requires a slower overall pace compared to the step intervals, you might use a shorter recovery interval.
For example – run at a fast pace for 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute – then back up to 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes. Between each one of these, you might include a 1-2 minute recovery jog/walk.
You can play around with how you want to structure these as far as the fast/slow intervals – get creative!
Sample Pyramid by Time Fartlek
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable jog
Fartlek:
- 2 minutes comfortably hard, 1 minute slow
- 4 minutes comfortably hard, 2 minutes slow
- 6 minutes comfortably hard, 3 minutes slow
- 4 minutes comfortably hard, 2 minutes slow
- 2 minutes comfortably hard, 1 minute slow
Cool down: 5-10 minute comfortable jog
5. Roll the Dice
Go to a track and leave a pair of dice at a starting point. After your warm up, roll the dice. The first one represents your speed on a scale of 1 (very easy) to 6 (challenging). The second one represents the distance.
Depending on your fitness level and what you’re training for, it could be meters – i.e. 100 meters to 600 meters – or it could be laps – i.e 1 to 6 laps.
Repeat several times to piece together a fun, unexpected workout!
Sample Roll the Dice Workout
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable jog
Fartlek: Here is how it might look based on your two dice rolls each interval
- Dice: 4, 2 = moderate pace for 2 laps (RPE = 6-7)
- Dice: 5, 2 = hard pace for 2 laps (RPE = 8-9)
- Dice: 1, 3 = very easy (walk or super easy jog) for 3 laps (RPE = 3-4)
- Dice: 3, 4 = comfortable pace for 4 laps (RPE = 5-6)
- Dice: 6, 1 = best hard pace you can sustain for 1 lap (RPE = 9-10)
Cool down: 10 minute comfortable jog
6. Music Fartlek Workout
Alternate your running pace based on the music you’re listening to.
- For shorter course (1 mile/5K) athletes, you might change up your pace every time the song reaches the chorus.
- For medium distance runners (10K) , you might change up the pace each time you get to a new song.
- For long distance runners (half marathon / marathon), you might change up the pace every couple of songs.
Sample Music-Based Fartlek
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable jog
Fartlek:
- Third Eye Blind – How’s It Gonna Be: Moderate to Hard Pace
- Salt N Pepa – Whatta Man: Easy Pace
- Coolio – Gangster’s Paradise: Moderate to Hard Pace
- NSYNC – Bye Bye Bye: Easy Pace
- Boyz II Men – Motownphilly: Moderate to Hard Pace
- Ginuwine – Pony: Easy Pace
Cool down: 5-10 minute comfortable jog
7. Field Fartlek Training Session
Use the lengths of a soccer field or football field to structure this type of fartlek sessions.
You can structure this based on lengths of the field (i.e. run 1 length hard, 3 lengths easy), or based on laps around the field (i.e. run 1 lap hard, 1 lap easy).
You can alternate the types of intervals or stick with the same interval throughout the workout. Run by feel!
Sample Field Fartlek
Warm up: 10 min
Fartlek:
- Run 1 length hard, and 3 lengths easy (each length makes up the rectangle of the field).
- Run 2 lengths hard, 2 lengths easy.
- Run 3 lengths hard, 1 length easy
- Run all 4 lengths hard, then run 4 lengths easy.
- Repeat 1-2x as desired.
Cool down: 5-10 minute comfortable jog
8. Partner Fartlek
Grab a partner who runs around the same pace as you and has a similar endurance level and speed capacity.
After your warm up, partner 1 decides the fartlek interval (to a landmark, a time, a distance, etc). Partner 2 then decides the amount of active recovery, as well as the next fartlek interval. Alternate back and forth!
Sample partner fartlek
Warm up: 10 minute comfortable run
Fartlek:
- Partner 1 decides 1st interval: 1 min sprint
- Partner 2 decides recovery and 2nd interval: 1 min walk, 5 min moderate pace
- Partner 1 decides recovery and 3rd interval: 2 min jog, 3 min hard pace
- Partner 2 decides recovery and 4th interval: 3 min jog, 1 min sprint
- Partner 1 decides recovery and 5th interval: 1 min walk, 4 min moderate pace
- Partner 2 decides recovery and 6th interval: 2 min jog, 2 min hard pace
Cool down: 5-10 minute comfortable jog
9. 10-20-30 Training
OK, OK – this is really considered more of a structured interval workout than a true Fartlek, but it’s one of my favorites for improving 5K training speed.
After your warm up, go 30 seconds at a comfortable pace, 20 seconds at race pace, and 10 seconds at an all our sprint. Repeat 5x, then recover for 2 minutes with a jog or walk. You can then repeat for 2-4 more sets.
You can find more details about this workout in my 10-20-30 training post.
The Bottom Line
All of these examples of fartlek workouts can add a little fun into your training routine! Remember to always build a running base before venturing into any speedwork like this, and don’t include too much fast running each week in your plan (as it can increase injury risk in runners). Then use these workouts to mix things up when you need a jolt of running mojo.
Share with me: Do you incorporate any of these examples of fartlek training into your routine? Which workout would you like to try?
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We do a lot of your #1 running faster to stop signs or ends of streets. These are all great creative ideas on how to mix things up
That one is great because you can incorporate it on pretty much any run on the roads!
ohhh these look like such fun workouts! the friend or foe workout is fantastic!
It’s SO fun!! I’ve done it a couple of times now and it’s always a good challenge.
I love to hate fartleks, haha! They do make a difference in my training though!
Haha – “love to hate” – I know a lot of runners that would agree with you there.
Very cool tips to spice things up! Awesome post
Thanks Abbey! 🙂
I love fartlek running! These are great workouts!!
I’ve never heard of this training but like the diversity. Always good to mix it up.
Yes, definitely good to get some variety in there.
Love the many options for fartlek workouts! #6 Music Fartlek Work sounds like a fun idea!
I’m definitely someone that runs best when I have good music on, so I agree – that’s a great option.
I’ve never heard of this before. Sounds like a great way to change up your training.
Totally! Fun ways to mix it up.
Oh I’m so saving this for spring when I start to run again. Great tips and easy to follow plan.
Awesome! Hope you find them helpful as you get back into running 🙂