I enjoy running in the dark hours on these December mornings as my neighborhood has slowly become a wonderland of Christmas lights and decorations. And while the “winter” aspect doesn’t quite apply yet here in Florida, (it is 70 degrees at 6 AM) these cooler, less humid mornings are also a welcomed change for my runs. And now that my marathon training is over, I have returned to shorter runs. However, in order to get the most out of these decreased distances, I am back to fartleking. Fartlek is a Swedish term for “speed play” and is used to describe a workout that uses intervals of  varying speeds to help improve time, aerobic levels, and to also allow for a higher rate of caloric burn. The best part of fartlek training is that it is not just used in running. Use it when you:

• walk
• rollerblade
• use the elliptical machine
• cycling
• using the stairclimber (pure torture as far as I’m concerned)
• or any other cardio workout

My 3-mile run consisted of running at a regular pace for approximately 1/2  of a mile and then sprinting for 1/4 mile or so. I did this 3 times and then finished  up with a  hard sprint. Check out Runner’s World for a few additional ideas on incorporating fartleks into your walks, runs, or whatever you choose to do.