Try this broken 400m workout to improve your 5K/10K time

If you have plans to hit up your local track this week, consider giving this broken 400-metre interval workout a try. It’s challenging and fun, and it’ll help you improve your speed endurance for your next 5K or 10K race.

The workout

Rather than running an entire lap of the track, each interval in this track session is broken into two 200-metre repeats with a short rest in between. The shorter intervals allow you to crank up the speed, while the short rest ensures your heart rate stays elevated to improve your endurance at the same time. 

These intervals are meant to be run fast–ideally, when you add up your time from each set of 200s, the total time should be a bit faster than your typical 400m time. Another way to think about this is running at 800m to 1,500m pace.

The rep range for this workout is quite large, and there’s a reason for it. While it may not look very challenging on paper, this workout is no joke. If you’re new to speedwork or are just getting back into training, consider doing fewer reps while keeping the intensity high. If you’re a speedwork veteran or are in the middle of a training block, aim for the higher end of the rep range, as long as you can maintain the intensity.

RELATED: Interval workouts: what runners typically get wrong

Warmup: 10 to 20 minutes’ easy jog, followed by form drills

Workout: 4 to 10 x (200m/30 seconds’ rest/200m/2 minutes’ rest)

Cooldown: 10 to 15 minutes’ easy jog, followed by light stretching