Let's get back to some high school track season training with these track star-worthy workouts. Do you remember good ol' fashion interval, repetition and fartlek training? Old-fashioned track workouts will improve your training at all distances--from 5K up to a full marathon.

Interval, repetition and fartlek workouts are the time-honored tools for improved speed and efficiency and will continue to offer a refreshing change to your daily running routine. All you need is a watch, your running gear and an adventurous spirit. Add these workouts to your training 1-2 times per week. Three options are listed for each kind of track session so mix it up as your heart desires.

Let's get back to a proven training system:
PRE-TRAINING WARM-UP
Always begin each of the following workouts with:
* 15-20 minute light warm-up run
* 5-10 minutes of mild stretching
* 6-10 repetitions of "Striders," which are 30-50 meter runs of gradually accelerating speed. This will assist you in making your transition to a faster rhythm after your slower warm-up pace.

3 SPEED WORKOUTS
For a track or a measured path:
* 6 - 12 x 200 meters at your estimated 5K race pace speed, with recovery to 120 heart beats per minute*
* 4 - 10 x 400 meters at your estimated 5K race pace speed, with recovery to 120 heart beats per minute
* 4 - 8 x 800 meters at your estimated 5K race pace speed, with recovery to 120 heart beats per minute

3 SPEED WORKOUTS
For an unmeasured running path:
* 6-12 x 45-60 second runs at your estimated 5K race pace speed, with recovery to 120 heart beats per minute
* 4-10 x 1:15-2:15 runs at your estimated 5K race pace speed, with recovery to 120 heart beats per minute
* 4-8 x 3:00-5:00 runs at your estimated 5K race pace speed, with recovery to 120 heart beats per minute

*NOTE: In all cases noted here, recovery to 120 heartbeats per minute is to occur within 90 seconds before repeating each repetition. If recovery exceeds 90 seconds, slow the speed of succeeding repetitions. If recovery is less than 90 seconds, increase the speed of succeeding repetitions.

FARTLEK TRAINING
Use on hilly trails or grassy unmeasured terrain Fartlek is a Swedish term which means "Speed Play"
* 15-20 minutes of fartlek (speed play), which is to be continued movement, while changing speeds frequently.
* Stride for 1-3 minutes
* Jog for 1 minute
* Sprint for 30-45 seconds
* Jog for 1-2 minutes
* Walk for 15 seconds
* Stride for 1-3 minutes
* Jog for 30 seconds
* Sprint for 15-30 seconds
* Jog for 1 minute
* Stride for 2-4 minutes
* 20-30 minutes of Fartlek, as described above
* 30-40 minutes of Fartlek, as described above

POST-TRAINING COOL DOWN
Always conclude each workout with:
* 5-10 minutes of light jogging
* 10-15 minutes of hard stretching focusing on leg and hip muscles