Improve your fatigue resistance with this 300m workout

One of the hallmarks of great distance runners is their fatigue resistance, even when running at high speeds. This allows them to run farther and faster. Increasing fatigue resistance is a key component of running training, and is important even for recreational runners. This 300m workout is a great way to teach your body to become more comfortable while running at higher speeds and learning to adjust your pace on the go.

There are two main goals for this workout. The first, as mentioned, is to increase your fatigue resistance (i.e., to get you more comfortable when running fast, so you can maintain that speed for longer duration). To do this, you must try to stay as relaxed as you can, even when you’re running near your top speed. This means relaxing your shoulders and face, controlling your breathing and trying to stay as smooth as possible. 

The second is to improve your cadence. Instead of running these intervals at one consistent speed, your goal is to get faster every 100 metres until you’re running near your max for the final third of the interval. By changing your pace every 100 metres, you improve your ability to get your feet down faster and prepare your body to handle your race pace.

The pacing in this workout is really important. The first 100 metres will feel slow, and it should. Resist the temptation to go out too hard, so you leave room to accelerate through the interval. Your accelerations should look like this:

First 100m – 50 per cent effort (approximately mile pace)

Second 100m – 75 per cent effort (approximately 800m pace)

Third 100m – 100 per cent effort 

This workout is designed for the track, but if you don’t have one, we recommend marking off every 100m on a flat, straight path, so you can easily see where to crank up the pace. 

The workout

Warmup: 15-20 minutes of easy jogging, followed by 3-4 20-second strides

Workout: 5-10 x 300m, accelerating every 100m; 100m walk or easy jog between each interval

Cooldown: 10-15 minutes easy jog