A Little Fartlek

2.24
Yep, you read right...fartlek. (No, this has nothing to do with shooting bunnies, or letting fluffy off the chain...) I've been doing some great training for upcoming running events, including a little fartlek, so I thought I'd post some thoughts about it. Farlek is actually a Swedish word which means "speed play". It's a prominent running technique for working variety into your running, and I think it can be applied to a lot more than just that.

If you do any running, you may already be doing some fartlek without knowing it. It's simply combining a regular pace with periods of faster or slower running, kind of combining interval training with constant-speed training.


I like the idea overall -- mostly because it saves my bacon when I'm out for a long run. Combining some jogging, or even several minutes of walking, gives me just enough recovery time to catch my breath and steel myself toward what lies ahead (that hill, headwind, or long straightaway.) And then when I'm eyed up by a Doberman or German Shepherd (both of which I faced on a long run yesterday), I can kick it up a notch and run for my life. That's fartlek.

But applying some appropriate pace-adjustment isn't only for running. I like the idea of varying intensity in a wellness-lifestyle. It can be really healthy to find a pace which we can maintain for the long haul, and then intentionally step it up on occasion to challenge ourselves. Where do we challenge our own status-quo to be sure we are growing and not stuck in a rut? And we know there will always be temptations to backslide from our wellness (think holidays, lazy weekends and vacation), after which we'll need to re-engage in a substantial way.

Look for those opportunities to mix things up. We can challenge ourselves to outpace our previous record, or we can intentionally slow down to recover and get ready for the next investment of time or attention. So if you feel caught in a rut in your wellness lifestyle, try some of your own fartlek -- speed things up a few clicks (ie, put more demands on your pantry choices or amount of physical activity) or give yourself a brief break. Then get ready to find your pace again for the long haul.

By the Way

You may be familiar with another formalized kind of fartlek: HIIT (for high-intensity interval training). HIIT is known for amping up your metabolism by combining take-you-to-your-limit exertion with steady-paced, normal workout routines. Our bodies reward us for this kind of exercise by burning more fat, and raising our baseline metabolism.

If you want a myriad of resources to work HIIT into your wellness, just google it and follow the top five results...