Fartlek: More than just “speed play.” It’s a foundational workout for the world’s best distance runners. Learn why this effort-based approach is a key ingredient in the Kenyan training regimen.
Most runners know what Fartlek is – the Swedish term for “speed play.” But in many parts of the world, it’s often viewed as a secondary workout, suitable mainly for injury recovery or occasional downtime.
In Kenya, particularly among the athletes training in Iten, Fartlek is a staple, held in the highest esteem.
The Kenyan Fartlek Philosophy
Kenyan runners embrace Fartlek as a hard, non-negotiable workout that is integral to their weekly schedule.
A Weekly Non-Negotiable
For many Kenyan distance runners, Fartlek makes up approximately 50% of all hard workouts. This often means a structured track session on Tuesday followed by a group Fartlek session on Thursday, preparing them for their weekend long run.
Effort Over Exact Splits
The biggest difference is philosophical. The Kenyan approach is entirely effort-based, allowing athletes to detach from the pressure and psychological strain of hitting precise split times (a common stressor in track interval sessions).
The unmeasured, rolling terrain often found around Iten forces runners to re-learn the vanishing skill of judging effort – a highly valuable skill for any race not held on a track.
The Famous Iten Thursday Fartlek
Every Thursday morning, a gathering of runners – from beginners to Olympic medallists – meet at the famed “Tyre Mbili” start point in Iten.
- The Session: The format is typically a continuous run alternating between fast and easy efforts, such as 3 minutes hard / 1 minute easy (3/1), 2 minutes hard / 1 minute easy (2/1), or 1 minute hard / 1 minute easy (1/1).
- The Goal: The fast segments are run hard, but the key to success is using the ‘off’ segment to recover while still maintaining a continuous, easy running pace. This teaches the body to clear lactate while moving quickly, a crucial mechanism for race day.
- The Duration: Most runners complete a 15km loop, which takes the top Kenyan athletes around 50 minutes to an hour on hilly dirt roads.
Inside the Kenyan Thursday Fartlek
Want to see this legendary session in action? We followed a group of Kenya Experience runners through the weekly Iten Fartlek to give you an insider’s view on the terrain, the effort, and the spirit of this core Kenyan training staple.
In this video, you’ll see our guests training alongside local Kenyan athletes and get expert insights from Kenya Experience Head Coach Richard Mukche.
Dive Deeper into Fartlek Training
The philosophy and examples outlined above are just the start. If you’re ready to incorporate this powerful style of training into your own schedule, explore our comprehensive series on Fartlek below:
