Pyramid · 400m to 1200m
400, 800, 1200, 800, 400m, each at its own pace.
Pyramids and ladders · Intermediate
The session
Total distance
7.88 km
Est. duration
~44:02
Structure
7 blocks(5 reps)
Phases
Warm-up jog · 10min
6:30 /km
400m
4:40 /km
Recovery jog · 60s
800m
5:00 /km
Recovery jog · 90s
1,200m
5:15 /km
Recovery jog · 120s
800m
5:00 /km
Recovery jog · 90s
400m · 400m
4:40 /km
Cool-down jog · 10min
6:30 /km
How to run it
Warm up for 10 minutes, then climb and descend the pyramid: 400m at mile pace, 800m at 5K pace, 1200m at threshold pace, then 800m and 400m back down, with a jog after each. The paces change as the reps do, so settle into each new one quickly. Cool down for 10 minutes.
What it's for
Changing distance and pace within one session teaches you to shift gear and to judge a pace without settling into one rhythm, which is what a race asks of you when it surges or climbs. It also makes a long session pass quickly.
In these programmes
Follow a programme to run it on a schedule, paced from your goal.