Horus, named after one of the most important ancient Egyptian gods and found in the Freeletics Running app, is a tactical workout designed to help you improve your pace throughout intervals. It’s all about learning how to be strategic with your speed and energy.
Run Horus in your 10K preparation period – it will boost your performance.
Workout
- 3K
- 5-minute rest
- 800m
- 5-minute rest
- 1.5K
How to run the intervals
Phase 1: The 3K interval then 5-minute rest
Start and do the 3K at a demanding 10K pace
- Try to find a speed you can keep up over the whole 3K
- It is important to use the five minutes to recover well, either with some easy jogging or, if necessary, a bit of walking
Phase 2: The 800m interval then 5-minute rest
After the first break, run the 800m interval at your 5K pace
- Run the 800m almost as fast as possible. Don’t start too fast or you will run out of steam before the end – 800m are more than you think
- Because the 800m interval is much faster than the first 3K, this is also followed by a 5-minute recovery break. You will need this recovery time to run the final 1.5K at the proper pace
Phase 3: The 1.5k interval
For the final 1.5k, somewhere between your 5k and 10k pace.
- Find a speed between those of the first two intervals that you can hold for the entire stretch
- Keep the pace constant, then increase your speed slightly for the last 200m
Modifications
There are other ways to run the workout, depending on your training goal. For example, if you are a long-distance runner and aren’t focused on improving your anaerobic metabolism, you can run Horus as a fartlek.
For an experienced runner that chooses to run Horus as a fartlek, start with the first interval at your marathon pace. The 800m interval should be run at your 10K pace and the final 1.5k at your half-marathon pace. All breaks should be run at the pace you would run an easy distance run, or slightly faster if you’re feeling up to it.
Additional challenge
Run Horus twice. As a fartlek.
Running this workout twice as fast as possible could be too much and have a detrimental effect rather than a positive one. But running it as a Fartlek is ideal as preparation for a longer race (10K+). For the first round of the double workout, it is important to be strategic with your speed and energy if you want a strong finish. We suggest a recovery break of five minutes between the two rounds.
Horus is a challenging workout. You may not split your energy up correctly the first time, but don’t worry if you run out of steam at the end. Next time you will know better. And don’t forget to plan enough time for this workout, especially if you do it twice, as it will take longer than a regular distance run. Luckily, both versions of the workout are ideal for running in groups or with friends.
For more information on Freeletics Running, visit the website.
