The weirdest running workout you're not doing.

  Yes, that's right weird.

Ever heard of Fartlek training? 

    You haven't?

    No worries. I got you. 

    Fartlek is a Swedish term that means speed play. Basically, it entails changing speeds while performing aerobic exercise. It mostly applies to running but can be applied to swimming and biking as well. As your running you speed up the pace then slow down the pace accordingly. Fartlek is a combination of pace/tempo and LSD runs. It can be random which is unstructured Fartlek. Unstructured is exactly how it sounds. I run for 5 minutes then sprint for 30 seconds then lightly jog for two then run for another 4 minutes. It is completely random. Landmarks can also dictate changing speeds. I'll sprint for two mailboxes then jog for four then sprint again. Structured fartlek's have guidelines. They could be 5 minutes of tempo running then 6 minutes of LSD running then another round of tempo then rinses wash repeat. Fartlek's are a great way to change up the training and breakup longer runs into blocks to stay mentally engaged. For the workout as a whole it is recommended to perform these once a week with a 20-60 min duration that vary between LSD pace and tempo pace.

    I'm a big fan of these types of runs as they do breakup the monotony of running; plus, you never know how you're going to feel once you start running. It could be one of those runs where you feel every step and go slower, or it could be that you feel great and run at a faster rate. Additionally, I live in the northeast with very cold temperatures, snow, wind for nearly half the year, so treadmill is the way to go. Running on a treadmill can be really boring. Anything to break up the terribleness of the treadmill I am all for it.