Playing with speed on your run is a fun and effective way to work out. When the Swedes do it they call it fartlek . How could a word that sounds so silly not be fun to put into practice? Fartlek means “speed play” and is a form of interval training, using sprints varying in length from eight seconds to two minutes. This type of training is great to do in urban areas using blocks and half blocks as physical markers for the end of your sprinting time. Check out a fartlek workout I have been playing with lately when you read more. Activity Duration Details/Recovery Time Warmup 3 minutes Brisk walk Warmup 5 minutes Jog Easy speed* 5x 1 minute 1 minute recover** 5x Sprints 1 block length 1 block length recover 4x Short sprints 20

seconds 1 minute recover Cooldown 5 minutes Jog Cooldown 3 minutes Brisk walk *Easy speed is not a full sprint, but running at a fairly quick pace **Recover means jog, so your heart rate can slow down This workout is a rough guide, but you get the idea. Speed play is very flexible and you can work your urban environment into a plan by using blocks, fire hydrants, or street lights to keep track of distances for sprints. Run at an accelerated pace to a bench ahead and then do a full-out sprint to the corner, then recover by jogging past three street lights. It’s kind of like playing Candy Land , but you get to make up all the rules.

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Get It Up, Your Heart Rate, That Is: Fartlek