The Consistently Good Podcast S1E6: The Ultimate Guide to Speed Work: When and How to Implement
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Oct 22, 2025 A deep dive into how to add speed into distance training with clear pacing zones and practical session ideas. Discussion covers sprint work, fartlek, and pace-specific repeats. Exploration of critical velocity, MVO2, lactate and aerobic thresholds. Focus on building mitochondrial capacity, avoiding neuromuscular fatigue, and balancing science with coaching intuition.
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Trainable 2A Fibers Are The Key To Distance Speed
- Top 2A fibers are malleable and can be trained toward aerobic function, whereas type 2B remain explosive and anaerobic.
- Training CV and threshold pulls 2A fibers toward endurance use, improving sustained race speed.
Critical Velocity Is The High-Volume Sweet Spot
- Critical velocity sits between lactate threshold and MVO2 and recruits malleable 2A fibers for aerobic conversion.
- CV sessions use repeats of ~2.5–6 minutes with ~1 minute recovery per 1000m, enabling high volume training.
Do Tempo Runs To Boost Mitochondrial Power
- Prioritise lactate threshold tempo work to build mitochondrial respiration with 15–40 minute efforts.
- Expect these sessions to be taxing but effective for improving sustained high-end aerobic performance.