Share your favorite interval workout

My go to intervals are as follows..

Bike: 2x20 with 5 minutes recovery between sets. should be done at 90-95% FTP, I dont own a power meter so I tend to go off heart rate and perceived effort. You should be breathing heavy and by the end of 20 minutes should be like you could do a little more, but by end of 2nd time you wont want to do it again. 

Run: 6x1 miles repeats at slightly faster than 10k pace with 3-4 minutes recovery. 

Also throw in a threshold run every now and then. 10 min warm up followed by 20-30 minutes at threshold then 10 min ez

Sufferfest - Downward Spiral. They're shorter (2 mins max) but I like the concept of the 2 sets of descending intervals. You can really push yourself. You don't need the video to follow the format.

So: 

2:00 on/ 2:00 rest

1:45 on/ 1:45 rest

.....

0:15 on/ 0:15 rest

Take a break. Repeat.

So are you looking at bike intervals then? You started off talking about running, but much of this is about being on the trainer.

I guess the question is what are you trying to accomplish with your intervals:

• Raise your FTP on the bike?
• Raise your VO2 max?
• Build your aerobic engine?
• Develop race-specific speed?

For the first one, look at BT's Winter Cycling Plan and do some of the workouts that are just above 100% FTP or LTHR, for instance:

WU:  20' as 10-15' 70%, 5 x 1' 90-95%, 1' 60%
MS:   6 x 4' @ 105%, 45" RBI @ 50% (the last two will be REALLY hard)
CD:   7' @ 60-65%

To raise VO2 max, something like Downward Spiral, which is basically all out, recover, repeat, descending times.

If you're still in your base training...I like the 2 x 20 @ 90-95%, 5' RBI mentioned above.

For race-specific speed (assumes you're beyond base and a race is on the horizon), you'll want to design the intervals to go just above your target HR/power/speed for 3-5' at a time, with recovery in between, and build on that.

Again, Jorge's plan rocks for interval suggestions.

For running, I think it's much more depending on your target race distance.  For instance, for Oly's the 6 x 1 mile just above 10K pace is great, for sprints I used to 5 x descending 0.75mile intervals starting at 5K pace and dropping 5-10 seconds per interval. 

Run intervals are fun...be careful to not get injured (not that I would know anything about that ).

For cycling, I found a really good set that hurts by watching the Chris Lieto training videos. I did it a few times before I started jorge's cycling plan (can't remember it). I believe its the training video part 2 of 4

Another interval I like if I don't have anything scheduled is 3 sets of 5' aerobic, 5' race pace, 5' race+ pace. That third one, the last interval should be darn near impossible if you do it right (based on perceived effort). Then 5' of spinning to cool down, then settle into a nice aerobic pace until you get home. Go for a light jog to shake out your legs and stretch really good.

For running I typically do a 20' tempo run or a fartlek for my speed sesions, I don't like doing track intervals because I always push too hard for my own good and get shin splints.

Fartlek:

• 1min hard/1min EZ
• 2min hard/1min EZ
• 4x(3min hard/2min EZ)
• 2min hard/1min EZ
• 1min jello/1min jello

Good question. I need to build up endurance for longer distances (HM/HIM) and do not want to sacrifice speed (too much).

I can do 10K sub 50min and I'm training for a HM with a goal of 1:45. Later I'll move focus toward HIM, same thing, I can do 40K in about 1:10 (flat road), and target for 90K is 2:40 or so. 

Are you on the bike, running, or trying to figure out each one? jmhpsu93 gave cycling suggestions, but the response uses running.

For what you said here, in both disciplines you want to look most at raising threshold performance. Which would be FTP on the bike and threshold pace for running. On the bike it will scale out well to the distances mentioned. On the run, you'll also be more conscious of fatigue resistance as you go longer.

What 'speed' don't you want to sacrifice?  If it's for a 10k run and 40k bike, you don't need to worry.  Those are endurance events.  That's not to say you might not want to do some higher intensity work to help build your endurance, as well.  But you don't 'need' it.

I do lots of different interval workouts for biking. The best most structured ones I do on the velodrome, but I'll assume that you don't have easy access to one, so I won't detail those.

Biking, I do intervals on either hills or flats.

• Road ride with 5x1min hill efforts on a 5% grade hill about 1.5km long with full recovery in between
• 5x30 sec sprints with 5 mins easy in between
• SFU hill repeats x 4 (First part of hill about 7.5% grade at 2.5km, second part of hill 13% grade for about 900m)
• 6x3 min hill climb efforts with 10 mins in between I use a 8% grade hill that is about 1.5km long
• 1km weekly crit course. Start finish is near the top of a 4% .5km hill. Sprint every 2nd lap
• 5 efforts total. 4 mins per effort. 1st min is 90%, then 2nd and 3rd min is 80-85%, 4th minute is all out. 8-10 mins easy in between sets
• 3x7mins of 15 sec sprint/ 15 sec recovery. 1st set is seated sprint, 2nd set standing the whole time, 3rd set is standing for the first 5-7 secs then seated continued acceleration for 8-10 secs. 10 mins easy in between sets

I've become a big fan of Z4/5 and Z5/6 over-unders on the bike.

e.g:

5 x 8 minutes @ 1 minute z4/30s z5 w/ 2 minutes rest

6 x 2 minutes @ Z5 with ~8-10s Z6 every 30 seconds with 5 minutes rest

Both are great on the trainer or as hill repeats.