Shake up your cycling routine a bit by including a “fartlek” workout once in a while. Just because you’re scheduled for a “hard” training day doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Mix it up by riding with one or more of your favorite training partners and make it a fartlek workout. You’ll work hard, but it’ll be a blast!
I’m sure you know what a fartlek workout is. But in case you don’t, Wikipedia defines it as:
Fartlek, which means “speed play” in Swedish is a form of conditioning which puts stress mainly on the aerobic energy system due to the continuous nature of the exercise. The difference between this type of training and continuous training is that the intensity or speed of the exercise varies, meaning that aerobic and anaerobic systems can be put under stress. Most fartlek sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes and can vary from aerobic walking to anaerobic sprinting. Fartlek training is generally associated with running, but can include almost any kind of exercise.
As noted, it’s often used in running, but it can be used with just as much effectiveness in bicycle training as well.
The important thing to note is that this is totally unstructured, meaning no set interval times or intensities or terrain limitations. It’s typically done in one of a couple ways:
Depending on the group size, any rider can accelerate away from the pack and lead the interval as long as he/she can hang on. Riders behind don’t pass the lead rider, but sit in behind. When the lead rider is through, they sit up to begin recovery, and the riders behind follow suit. The next interval begins when the next rider accelerates.
Another way to complete a fartlek workout is to designate the order of the leaders. As before, each interval is unstructured. In this case when the lead rider finishes the interval, the next rider in the predetermined sequence takes off when he/she is ready.
Begin the ride with a thorough warm up of 15-30 minutes. The actual fartlek portion can be determined by time (such as a 1 hour fartlek once it begins) or the number of time each person leads an interval.
And make sure you have a complete cool down at the conclusion of the fartlek portion.
Be creative and have fun. You’ll be guaranteed a challenging ride, and one that mimics the demands of racing or spirited group rides.
What’s your favorite way to do a fartlek ride? Add your comments below, then GET OUT AND RIDE!
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