This week we’re going to change things up a little bit with a type of workout called Yasso 800s. This strange name was given to an interesting workout by Amby Burfoot of Runner’s World magazine, named after his friend and co-worker at Runner’s World, Bart Yasso. Basically, it’s a form of speed training for marathoners, but you could adapt it for other training. How it works: you do 10 repeats of 800 meters (on the track), working up to a certain goal time. The goal time is figured by taking your goal marathon time (let’s say 3 hours and 30 minutes, or 3:30) and turning it from hours and minutes to minutes and seconds (in this example, it would be 3 minutes and 30 seconds per 800m repeat, or 3:30). So according to this theory, if you can do 10 repeats of 3:30 (3 minutes and 30 seconds), with 3:30 jogging rest intervals in between, you can do a 3:30 marathon (assuming you’re doing the appropriate long runs and other slower mileage).

Now, don’t be scared, we’re going to adapt it to our 5K workout.  We’re going to make them Yasso 200’s.

First we need to now how far 200 meters is.  On the tread mill it’s simple, just look at the screen.  If you’re running outside on the street it’s easy:  every block, every 100 on an address (on the grid), is 200 meters.  So for example our office address is 2242 W. Irving Park Rd.  2141 W. Irving Park road is exactly 200 meters East of us.

So we just need to determine our pace.  We first establish a goal time for the 5K.  For example for this race my goal time is going to be 22 minutes (just above a seven minute mile).  I’m going to convert that to seconds (22 sec) and multiply by 2 to account for the difference in distance adn time between a marathon and 5K.  That gives me a goal pace for the 200m runs of 44 sec.  If you haven’t ran a 5K before or don’t know what your goal time will be now is the perfect opportunity to set one.  Just talk to me in the office or send me an email and I’ll work with you to establish one.  (We’ll also establish a reward if you complete your goal!)

Make sure you run or walk 1 200 meters with an eye on the clock so you can feel what you pace should be.  From there you shouldn’t have to focus on your watch, just maintain that pace.

Here’s the workout!

Week 4

Workouts 1, 2, 3 – Yasso 200

• 5 minute warm up building to S1 (from last weeks workout) for at least the last minute.

• Run your goal pace of _______ sec for 200 M. (Goal pace calculated as demonstrated above.)

• Recovery by walking or jogging (S1) for the same amount of time as your goal pace.

• Workout 1– Repeat for a total of six times.
• Workout 2 – Repeat for a total of 8 times.
• Workout 3 – Repeat for a total of 10 times.

• 5 minute recovery at S1

This should be a relatively short, but intense workout.  Good Luck!