Pump up the Jam! How interval training powers up your Running

Ready to channel your inner 80s/90s superstar on the track? This week’s coaching tip is all about interval training – the secret sauce behind the success of runners from 5Ks to ultra-marathons. (Yes, even those of us who remember dancing to Technotronic in neon spandex can benefit.) Strap on your Reeboks, because we’re about to pump up your pace with some interval magic!

Why Interval Training? (The Power for All Distances)

Interval training means alternating between bursts of higher intensity and easier recovery periods. It’s like a throwback dance mix for your workout – go hard when the beat drops, then catch your breath during the mellow parts. Why do it? Because it works. These quick, structured workouts can save you time and make you a better runner​. Research shows intervals improve your health and make you both faster and fitter in less time than those endless steady-state slogs​. In fact, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one of the best ways to boost your VO₂ max (your body’s ability to use oxygen) – study after study confirms it ​ Translation: you’ll increase your engine’s horsepower, so an 8:30/mile pace starts feeling like a cruise instead of a grind. Who wouldn’t want running to feel easier, right?

But the benefits don’t stop at lab numbers. Intervals train you to surge and recover, which means speedier 5Ks, stronger marathons, and yes, even ultras. Think of it this way: if you can handle repeated sprints, holding a steady pace on race day (or powering up that hill at mile 40) will be a cinch. Interval training can help first-timers and veterans alike – from your friend training for her first 5K to Olympic marathoners. ​It’s the great equalizer of training: no matter your distance, adding some “fast” into your week will level up your running game.

Different Strokes for Different Distances (Adapt Your Focus)

Now, before you channel The Prodigy and start sprinting like a “Firestarter”, let’s talk strategy. Intervals aren’t one-size-fits-all; you’ll tweak the intensity and frequency based on your race distance (and personal sanity):

• 5K/10K Runners: This is your permission to go Full Send– briefly. Short-distance specialists can do high-intensity intervals about once or even twice a week (if well-conditioned). Think fast repeats that get your heart thumping to the beat of Snap!’s “I’ve Got The Power”. Efforts should be hard (around 8-9 on a 1-10 effort scale) – you’re breathless and loving the adrenaline – followed by easy jog or walk recoveries. These intervals boost your speed and VO₂ max, helping you shave time off that 5K. You’ll feel like a kid from the 90s hyped on Jolt Cola, feet flying! Just remember, quality over quantity: it’s better to finish wanting one more rep than to collapse in the infield seeing stars.

  Marathoners: Training for 26.2? Intervals are still your friend, but you’ll dance to a

  more moderate beat. Once a week is usually plenty for dedicated speed-work. Focus on mid-length intervals at a moderately high intensity – say 10K or half-marathon pace. In practice, that might feel like a strong groove, not an all-out sprint. If a 5K runner’s interval feels like “Pump Up the Jam” at max volume, yours is more like a remixed version at 80% volume. You’re working hard (breathing quicker, legs burning by the last reps) but not going full techno-crazy every time. These workouts will improve your lactate threshold (so you can hold a faster pace before tiring) and make marathon pace feel smoother. Plus, they keep training interesting and remind your legs what turnover feels like – something your future marathon-finishing kick will thank you for.

  Ultra Runners: Running 50K, 50 miles, or more? You might think “I’m just going to slog slow forever, why bother with speed?” But surprise: even ultra-marathon plans sprinkle in intervals – just a gentler kind. Ultra training is mostly about endurance (long, slow time on feet), yet a dash of speed prevents you from becoming a permanent plodder. You’ll do fewer reps at a slower pace. Think longer intervals (5-10 minutes, or 800m to 1600m repeats) at a steady hard effort below 5K pace intensity. These are “comfortably hard” pushes that build strength and stamina without frying you. Consider it the difference between a wild nightclub rave and a head-bobbing jam in your living room. Even a bit of “long, not-so-fast” interval work will boost your muscle strength, stamina, and aerobic capacity – and keep that 12-minute/mile from feeling like a 100m dash mid-race. So, ultra folks, add a pinch of interval spice to your weekly recipe (maybe every 1-2 weeks). It’ll pay off when you have some speed in your legs for passing the last aid station... or sprinting to the buffet at the finish line.

How Should It Feel? (Intensity by Music Analogy)

Interval intensity can be a confusing concept – so let’s use our Gen X playlist to nail it down. During a hard interval, you want to feel like the music just hit a peak. If you’re imagining tunes, think Technotronic’s “Pump Up the Jam” blasting at full blast. You’re energized, maybe a bit breathless, and your heart is pounding almost in sync with the beat. It’s challenging – you can speak only a word or two, if that. In running nerd terms, this is around 85–95% of your max effort (or that 8-9/10 RPE). It’s the part of the workout where you’re simultaneously thinking “I am strong, I’ve got the power!” and “Whose idea was this?!”.

Now contrast that with the recovery jog between intervals – the music fades to a chill groove. You drop to an easy effort (RPE 3-4, around 60–70% max). Maybe this is your Snap! “Rhythm Is a Dancer”  moment, still upbeat but way more relaxed. You should catch your breath, maybe laugh at how hard that last rep was, and get ready to go again. If the hard interval was a fierce Prodigy track that makes your hair stand on end, the recovery is like the karaoke ballad that lets you head to the bar for water. By the time the next fast beat drops, you’re recharged and raring to go.

In other words, intervals should feel like waves – push to a peak, then coast. Embrace the intense parts; they’re meant to be tough. As one coach wisely put it, “if you always run at one pace, your body gets too comfy.” Intervals jolt you out of that comfort zone – and when you return to cruising, you’ll cruise faster than before. It’s a bit of short-term discomfort for long-term payoff (and mid-term fun, if you’re a little crazy like the rest of us runners).

Sample Workouts to Try:

Enough talk – let’s get you doing some intervals! Here are two sample interval workouts (tailored for different goals) you can pencil in for this week. Adapt them as needed (we’re not actually trying to reenact our entire 90s rave history in one go, okay?). Remember to warm up and cool down properly – channel your inner Mr Motivator for a dynamic warm-up if you must, but don’t skip it!

Short-Distance Blaster (5K/10K Focus): Time to spice up that speed.

• Warm-up: 10 minutes easy jog, plus a few dynamic stretches, running drills work well here! (leg swings, etc.).

• Intervals: 5 × 400m fast repeats at about your 5K race pace (or a tad faster). Each 400m (~quarter mile) should feel hard but controlled – think “The Power” by Snap! fuelling those legs. By the last 100m of each rep, you’re feeling the burn and maybe questioning your life choices (totally normal).

• Recovery: After each 400m, slow to a gentle jog or walk for 2 minutes. Catch your breath – you should be able to grin and hum a few lines of “Pump Up the Jam” during these breaks. If not, slow down more!

• Repeat: Go for the next round. 🏁 Try to keep each interval fast but consistent. (If 5 reps is too spicy right now, start with 3-4 and build up over the weeks. No heroics needed on week one.)

• Cool-down: 5-10 minutes easy jog, then light stretching. Give yourself a mental high-five – you earned it.

What this does: Short, fast intervals like 400s rev up your anaerobic engine and leg turnover. They’re excellent for boosting speed and VO₂ max, which helps 5K/10K runners race faster and even improves overall fitness for longer distances. Over time, you’ll find that your “steady” pace gets quicker because these hard efforts raise your ceiling. Plus, who doesn’t love feeling like a track superstar for a day?

Long-Distance Endurance Builder (Marathon/Ultra Focus): Find that gear above “plod”.

• Warm-up: 1-2 miles (around 10-15 minutes) easy running to get the engine warm. Throw in a few stride outs (short 15-second accelerations, keep focus on running tall with good technique, high knees, heel flicks and big arm swing) to wake up the legs.

• Intervals: 4 × 5 minutes at a comfortably hard effort. Aim for around 10K to half-marathon pace – a pace you could maybe hold for an hour race, but not much more. It should feel like a solid groove, more Prodigy’s “Breathe” than full “Firestarter”. 😉 You’re working, but not redlining. (For marathoners, this is roughly your 10K pace; for ultra folks, it might be closer to half-marathon pace since you animals don’t remember what 10K pace is anymore!)

• Recovery: 3 minutes of very easy jogging or walking between each 5-minute push. Let your heart rate come down and channel “Rhythm Is a Dancer” vibes – relaxed and steady. By the end of each recovery, you should feel in control and ready to push again, not gasping on the ground.

• Repeat: Do all 4 hard segments of 5 minutes each. If you’re newer to intervals or coming back from a break, start with 2 or 3 sets instead of 4. You can build up to that fourth as your endurance improves.

• Cool-down: 1 mile easy jog, then stretch it out (yes, that tight hammy needs some love). Maybe even throw on a cool-down song – “Take On Me” works wonders. You did it!

What this does: Longer intervals at a moderate-hard pace build your speed-endurance – the ability to maintain a faster pace for longer. Marathoners will find their goal pace feels easier after a few weeks of this. Ultra runners will benefit from breaking the “ultra shuffle” habit by recruiting faster-twitch muscles and improving aerobic capacity without over-training​. These intervals also train your mental game: controlling a hard effort, recovering, and going again – much like pushing through multiple tough segments in a long race. By sprinkling these into your training (perhaps once a week for marathoners, or every other week for ultra folks), you’ll inject some spice into your endurance smoothie. Remember, as one training guide puts it, ultra training uses intervals to “boost muscle strength, stamina, and aerobic capacity” without turning your legs to jelly . That means come race day, you have an extra gear when you need it – and the confidence that a faster pace won’t kill you (it might even feel…fun!).

Final Thoughts – You’ve Got The Power! 

Intervals can sound intimidating – like some torture invented by a track coach with a whistle and a grudge. But the truth is, they are incredibly effective and efficient. Embrace them with a bit of humor and they might even become the workouts you look forward to the most. You’ll sweat, you’ll be blowing out your ass, you might even curse once or twice (hey, we’re all human). But you’ll also improve – faster paces, stronger finishes, better health, and a higher running IQ about what your body can do. Not to mention, you get to relive your glory days dancing to killer tunes in your head.

So next time you head out for a run, swap one of those straight boring jogs for an interval session. Imagine me, your coach, in parachute pants (MC Hammer) and a Walkman, yelling “Pump it up!” from the sidelines. Remember that feeling of dancing with wild abandon to your favorite tunes? That’s the kind of energy we want in those fast repeats. And if you’re coming back to running after a hiatus, start small. Even 2-3 short pickups in a run can rekindle that fire. You’ll be surprised how quickly your fitness (and inner swagger) comes back.

Now go forth and conquer those intervals! You’ve got the power – time to use it.

Keep running strong, and as always, keep it fun. Your future faster self will thank you for the work you put in today. Until next week, happy running and keep the 80's & 90's Rave Tracks pumping.

Run Strong, Run Long, Run Better

John Withinshaw Running Coach

JDW Fitness