HOW TO TRAIN UNPREDICTABLY

IF YOU ARE A COACH You can introduce unpredictability by not telling athletes the complete session before they start, revealing it as you go. This can create a healthy uncertainty and help focus an athlete on the work they’re doing in the moment, not strategising the work to come. If you train on your own, try asking someone to write different parts of a session in envelopes, which you open as you proceed through the session. Or if you’re training in a group, consider adding a ‘sting in the tail’ – waiting until runners think they have completed the whole session before adding one more fast effort when they least expect it.

→ I’ve seen coaches lay out a series of relevant sessions and ask their athletes to spin a ‘wheel of fortune’ to determine what they’ll be doing that day. Be sure to explain why you’re doing a particular session, but provided the options are specific and appropriate, this can be a fun way to mix it up. 1 / DO FREE FARTLEK

Fartlek sessions run over mixed surfaces and undulating terrain without a set pattern can be great. Warm up well and complete efforts of varying lengths and intensities. Feeling good? Perhaps work longer or stronger, or do more efforts. If you’re feeling tired, back off and complete a lighter session.

2 / RUN ODD DISTANCES One-kilometre or mile reps on the road or 400m or 800m efforts on the track are common repeat distances. Why? There’s little good reason. Turning your 800m efforts into 850m or 900m might seem simple, but it can be a very powerful change, as you likely won’t have a reference point of what to expect.

3 / USE THE OUTSIDE LANES If you train on the track and you have the space to do so without impeding others’ training, try completing your efforts in lane three or six instead of lane one. Again, it’ll disrupt your expectations as you’ll end up running unusual distances.

4 / DISRUPT YOUR RHYTHM Even if you’re going to complete some standard speedwork sets (eg, 10 x 400m at 5km pace), try adding some ‘hot reps’ – eg, running reps four and eight faster, or including surges such as a 50m ‘faster’ section within a rep. Even small changes to disrupt your rhythm and routine can be effective. You could try jogging your recoveries instead of standing still, or even do drills or body-weight exercises instead of complete rest to create a different physical and mental challenge.

5 / RACE FREE

Race across unusual distances or terrain – off-road, crosscountry, hilly races. Challenge yourself to get comfortable with uncertainty. It’s liberating and that can so often lead to improved performance.

6 / REMOVE FEEDBACK Removing the feedback from a session can be an interesting process. As a coach, always standing there shouting splits and paces can take ownership away from an athlete. If you train on your own, try taping over your watch or alternating reps using pace or heart rate with those based on feel.

7 / EXPLORE MORE

As I pull on my running shoes for an easy or steady run, my partner often asks me where I’m going. Invariably, I’ll say, ‘Where my legs take me.’ Exploratory runs on different routes to new destinations can feel uncomfortable, but try to break free sometimes.

8 / DON’T REPEAT YOURSELF I’ve never knowingly set an athlete the same training twice. This is in part because variety is an important part of building fitness, but also because direct comparison is often unhelpful, as outside variables are always different. It’s okay to have some favourite sessions, but take care simply repeating a plan wholesale. Getting good at a plan isn’t always the same as getting ready to perform.