INTERVALS

When you do these you feel the pain, but the idea is not to destroy yourself. If your legs get all rubbery and you feel spent then you’re going too hard, and your heart rate has probably gone too high. It's time to slow down. The plan is to start your interval at the same speed as you finished it. If you are going slower by the end you’ve started too fast, so slow down a bit. You can do these on flat, uphill or downhill.
  
1. Go hard for 1-3 minutes maintaining constant speed.
2. If you do a 2 minute push, do a 2 minute rest, 3 minutes for 3 minutes, etc.
3. Do a 1 minute, a 2 minute, and a 3 minute. Do 5 sets, then the next week do 7 sets, then 8.

Warm-up of about 20 minutes is very important. This gives your body time to get ready for the stress you are about to put it through. While warming up, the body temperature rises, blood starts to flow more freely the muscles and tendons become supple. You also get you mind ready by thinking about your workout for the day.

Cool-down is as important as the warm-up. You just stressed your poor body and now you have to bring it back to normal at a slow comfortable pace. Cool-down should take 10-20 minutes.

BOTH the warm-up and cool-down are as important as the work-out. They are NOT OPTIONAL - this is part of your training!