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3 fun fartlek workouts to help you get both fit and fast

Spice up stale speedwork sessions with a dose of feisty fartlek fun

running fast speed training

Fartlek, a Swedish word meaning “speed play,” is a fun and unstructured way to build endurance, speed and mental toughness. Unlike traditional interval training, fartlek workouts blend bursts of speed into a continuous run, mimicking the unpredictability of racing, and adding an element of play to your runs while making you stronger and faster. Whether you’re training for a marathon or just want to mix up your routine, here are three fartlek workouts you need to try.

woman sprinting away

The landmark fartlek

Perfect for runners who love variety, this workout ditches the watch. Keep it spontaneous and adjust based on how you feel.

Warm up with a 10-minute easy jog

Pick a landmark (tree, lamppost, etc.) and surge at a fast pace until you reach it. Recover with an easy jog until your next chosen target. Repeat for 20-30 minutes.

Cool down with 5-10 minutes of easy running

Winter Trail Running

The pyramid fartlek

This structured fartlek is great for improving pacing. It keeps your legs guessing and builds strength over longer efforts.

Warm up with a 10-minute easy run, followed by dynamic drills.

Run hard for 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 minutes, with equal recovery jogs between efforts.

Cool down with 10 minutes of easy running.

man running along a road
Photo: Unsplash

The surge and float fartlek

Ideal for race prep, this workout trains you to push through fatigue. The goal is to never fully recover between harder sections—just keep moving.

Warm up with a 15-minute easy run.

Alternate between 1 minute at 90 per cent effort and 1 minute at marathon pace. Repeat for 20-30 minutes.

Cool down with a 10-minute easy run.

Make sure to follow speedwork, or a training session like these, with a day of very easy running or a rest day. If you’re struggling to run in winter conditions, the landmark fartlek is a great session to take to the roads or trails and run by feel, and the pyramid and surge and float workouts transfer perfectly to a treadmill.

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