Exercise of the Week: 200-Meter Intervals

The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week we highlight 200-meter intervals, a drill that increases endurance.

Who’s Doing It

• Chris Legh, professional triathlete

Muscular Benefits

• Improves overall endurance
• Improves running posture

Sports Performance Benefits

The 200-Meter Interval is a form of Fartlek training, which is one of the best ways to build conditioning for shorter 10K races. Alternating between sprinting and resting allows your muscles to recover quickly, so the subsequent sprint can be performed at race speed. Despite the short recovery time, your heart rate stays elevated throughout the drill, which improves overall fitness and endurance.

200-Meter Intervals How To

• Run for 200 meters near maximum pace (aim for 35 seconds)
• Walk for about 17 to 20 seconds, then begin accelerating into next run
• Continue performing 200-meter runs every minute, on the minute

Sets/Reps: 2-8x4 200s with extra 30-second rests after each set

Coaching Points

• Begin with two sets and gradually work up to eight as fitness allows