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Running: interval training vs long distance??

Posts: 51 Member
edited February 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Looking for some advice on which is the best workout for running? A 30-45 minute run or interval training of sprints and walks? If someone does interval training through running. Do you use an app? Which one? I have a polar h7 and wear it on my runs it would be great to link up the app to my HRM.
Any suggestions would be great!!!
Thanks

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  • Posts: 31 Member
    Great question. I'm looking for some advice on this, too.
  • Posts: 246 Member
    Both types of workouts target different aspects of running. Long runs for endurance, intervals for speed. Ideally, a good training plan, especially if you're going to race, should contain a combination of both, plus some hill runs. If it's just about burning calories, intervals probably burn more as you're running at higher speed and thus higher heart rate. Just don't let the breaks get to long.

    I don't have an app for my intervals, just using my wrist watch. I tend to shuffle up my intervals as well, one week I do 1 minute all out 30 sec jog intervals, the next week I do 3 mins at slightly lower speed with 1 min recovery. Or I add random sprints to a regular run like "let's see how fast I can get to that tree". There's endless possibilities.
  • Posts: 3,515 Member
    What is your goal?

    Your training should be tailored towards achieving that goal.

    A balanced training regime will often include longer, slower runs. Shorter, faster runs. And interval work. Perhaps you should investigate various basic running programmes tailored towards specific goals and see if they provide a good fit for you given your current level and time constraints.
  • Posts: 61,406 Member
    Why do you have to choose?
  • Posts: 401 Member
    Both, the interval training will improve you short run speed (5k/10k distances), tempo runs help improve the longer distance runs (half and above), and the long runs get the miles in the legs and gets you used to moving for longer periods of time!!

    As someone above said, it depends on what you want to do, are you aiming for a race, or is it to lose weight??

    I use a half marathon app for my intervals, I push for the jog period and jog for the walk periods (it's called half marathon trainer by fitkitt) it's actually a walk jog app that I've adapted for what I want (more the app shouting now jog/now walk), you can also get interval timer apps as well where you can set the 2 different times and how many reps.

    Do you run at the moment, I always remember being told that sprint shouldn't really be in your vocabulary for the first 6 months, you'll end up pushing your legs/head too far too soon and likely to injure yourself or put yourself off running.

    You'll develop a love/hate relationship with them and hill sprints (they are worth it, but try convincing yourself of that when you think you're having a heart attack at the top of the hill)!!
  • Posts: 242 Member
    If you go to your home page there is a helloheathly link . Great articles on running .

    http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/04/the-2-running-workouts-you-need-to-drop-pounds-fast/
  • Posts: 51 Member
    I'm looking to lose weight. Good idea to do both types of run. I'll check out that running blog. Thanks all
  • Posts: 41,865 Member
    I'm looking to lose weight. Good idea to do both types of run. I'll check out that running blog. Thanks all

    losing weight is largely about your consumption and energy balance...it doesn't really have anything to do with whether you run intervals or long distance endurance runs or walk or ride a bike or whatever. Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness.

    Most running programs are going to incorporate long and slow endurance runs with faster and shorter runs and interval training.
  • Posts: 473 Member
    I do both but... Agree interval if the goal is weight loss
  • Posts: 401 Member
    show previous quotes

    losing weight is largely about your consumption and energy balance...it doesn't really have anything to do with whether you run intervals or long distance endurance runs or walk or ride a bike or whatever. Diet for weight control; exercise for fitness.

    Most running programs are going to incorporate long and slow endurance runs with faster and shorter runs and interval training.

    What was meant by intervals being better for weight loss, is that there's a higher calories burn and increased heart rate and after burn from interval training, but yes, weight loss is 80% achieved in the kitchen (you can't complete with what you eat)!!
  • Posts: 7,865 Member
    Looking for some advice on which is the best workout for running? A 30-45 minute run or interval training of sprints and walks? If someone does interval training through running.

    You're not really going to benefit from interval running until you have an aerobic base to work from.

    A continuous run is going to burn more calories than a comparable run/ walk session. Notwithstanding that you should then be eating back what you burn, so it's a bit moot.

    Personally I do long duration steady pace, medium duration faster pace and high intensity interval runs.
  • Posts: 7,865 Member
    What was meant by intervals being better for weight loss, is that there's a higher calories burn and increased heart rate and after burn from interval training, but yes, weight loss is 80% achieved in the kitchen (you can't complete with what you eat)!!

    If the single figures of post exercise consumption are that important, it's probably more useful to do a tempo run for a few mintus longer than the interval session though.
  • Posts: 11,118 Member
    I do both. :drinker:
  • Posts: 1,569 Member
    Listen to the people that say do both. Get a HRM as well which can really help. From my understanding most people plod along in Zone 3 which is ok but dose'nt offer anything extra than zone 2. Better go slower and longer for most runs but then push to Zone 4 for some runs. As people have said there is more than one biological system at work when you run and doing both will exercise both :-)
  • Posts: 43 Member
    Do you have to do interval training to improve speed? I really hate it, I prefer to just do a shorter, faster run or a longer, slower one.

    My 10k pb is 1:01, (but it usually takes me about 1:05 these days) 5k 28 minutes. I used to be able to do a 15k in 1:34 but now i'm like 1:40.

    So i'm more of a 'jogger,' I suppose, because i'm so slow. I want to get those long distances faster and eventually do a 5k to 25 minutes.

    I enjoy running non stop but I find intervals tedious. Do you have to do them to improve speed?

    Do you think I get get faster just by doing a short 4 or 5k run as fast as I can once or twice a week?
  • Posts: 278 Member
    do both! Its addicting :D
  • Posts: 22,511 Member
    Do you have to do interval training to improve speed? I really hate it, I prefer to just do a shorter, faster run or a longer, slower one.

    My 10k pb is 1:01, (but it usually takes me about 1:05 these days) 5k 28 minutes. I used to be able to do a 15k in 1:34 but now i'm like 1:40.

    So i'm more of a 'jogger,' I suppose, because i'm so slow. I want to get those long distances faster and eventually do a 5k to 25 minutes.

    I enjoy running non stop but I find intervals tedious. Do you have to do them to improve speed?

    Do you think I get get faster just by doing a short 4 or 5k run as fast as I can once or twice a week?

    Depends on how long you've been running/how many miles a week, but the easiest way to get faster is run more miles, especially if you are new to speedwork.

    A normal race training plan will have long runs, tempo runs (medium distance faster runs) and intervals. Every runner is bound to dislike one kind (I'm looking at you, mile repeats), but they work, so we do them.
  • Posts: 265 Member
    I use the following program for my interval training days when I am not following a specific race/pace training plan. I also use the Runkeeper app which allowed me to program this into "One Offs" so I do not have to keep track of the time myself. It will tell me when to switch my pace. Makes intervals easier for me to do.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ultimate-8-week-hiit-for-fat-burning-program.html
    Phase 1 (1:4): Weeks 1-2
    15 seconds: High-Intensity Exercise
    60 seconds: Rest or Low-Intensity Exercise
    Repeat another 10 times, followed by a final 15-second high-intensity blast.
    Total time: 14 minutes

    Phase 2 (1:2): Weeks 3-4
    30 seconds: High-Intensity Exercise
    60 seconds: Rest or Low-Intensity Exercise
    Repeat another 10 times, followed by a final 30-second high-intensity blast.
    Total time: 17 minutes

    Phase 3 (1:1): Weeks 5-6
    30 seconds: High-Intensity Exercise
    30 seconds: Rest or Low-Intensity Exercise
    Repeat another 11 times, followed by a final 30-second high-intensity blast.
    Total time: 18.5 minutes

    Phase 4 (2:1): Week 7-8
    30 seconds: High-Intensity Exercise
    15 seconds: Rest or Low-Intensity Exercise
    Repeat another 25 times, followed by a final 30-second high-intensity blast.
    Total time: 20 minutes

    I agree with the advise already provided in that a good training plan will include all types of runs. Runkeeper also has some free training plans that help with the balance of tempo, interval, long, and easy runs.

    @ ES110791 Maybe take a look at the free sub 60 - 10K or sub 55 - 10K on Runkeeper? Good luck!
  • Posts: 265 Member
    A mix of it. I've been around track and field most of my life. The mid distance runners get a taste of both worlds. Me on the other hand I was distance and was able to get a 10k down to 36 flat and 5k under 18 before **** hit the fan on my end.

    Mon - run
    Tues - workout
    Wed - workout
    Thursday - run
    Friday - run
    Saturday - 5k/threshold, whatever run. Also if you don't do a "long" run today you do that Monday.
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