Olga Intervals

In 1988 Olga Bondarenko from Russia became the Olympic champion on 10000m in Seoul, setting a new world record on the distance. Before she won the Olympics she lacked in finishing speed so Olga and her coach worked out an interval session that would give her just that.

This interval is all in all 2 kilometres although you don't keep the same pace throughout the whole 2 kilometres. You can (should) do several sets with a 3 minute rest between each - although Olga herself reportedly did 3 back to back intervals, rested, did 2 back to back intervals, then rested and so on. So how are these intervals structured? Take a look at this....

400m hard
400m a little less hard (but not by any means easy)
300m hard
300m a little less hard
200m hard
200m a little less hard
100m hard
100m a little less hard


I have seen some different rules and recommendations for the pace you should use, but when I was first told about these intervals I was told to alternate between being above and belove threshold. Now that's quite easy if you're just starting out with intervals as it's less complcated only having two different paces to alternate between but running coach Chris Curtis advocates this session, with the pace increasing in each hard interval forcing the body to run faster even though it's tired.

Today I'm running Olga intervals, who's coming with me?