Fartlek (Swedish word for speedplay) is a session which involves continuous running with increased bursts of speed for short distances - between two lampposts for example - with recovery speed inbetween. Many of you will probably be running over distances of 5K or longer and wanting to get a bit faster or improve your fitness to achieve them more comfortably – 5k races (parkruns for example where you might want to improve your time) demand an almost exclusive reliance on your aerobic energy system. By forcing you to keep running during your ‘recovery’, fartlek sessions put a greater focus on your aerobic system and can help teach your body to become good at reusing lactate as a fuel source. I am going to make this session suitable for everyone of every ability as YOU will be in control of how much you do, we will stay on the same stretch of road doing loops. If you are new you will do a couple of loops, if you are fitter you can do more and it is all AT YOUR OWN PACE.