When I lived in Norway I was taught that fartlek was
totally intuitive or instinctive. There was no set schedule other than
starting off easier and picking up the pace with shorter quicker distances as
you went. The determining factors were how you felt at the time along with
the terrain and footing. The way I was coached you would determine the
success of a particular fartlek training session by how you felt at the
completion. You should feel invigorated and not exhausted. Obviously this is
not something you learn overnight and I believe some people never learn how
to take full advantage of what fartlek has to offer.
As a sidebar, I believe there is something lost in the English translation. In Norway and Sweden there was as much emphasis on "lek" or play, as there was on "fart", speed or motion. In Norwegian or Swedish, fart is a word used to describe motion, and it can be either slow, fast or any velocity in between. The word for "speed" in Norwegian is "hurtig" or "hurtighet". So to be correctly translated, from a running perspective, the English term should actually be "motion" or "velocity variation" play. Hope this helps you discover a very enjoyable and beneficial way to train. All the best. - Bartman |
Bart's Journal: Reminiscings of an avid runner, former speed skater, and a few tidbits I picked up along the way...
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
What is the best Fartlek?
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