Whjat does the term "interval" actually refer to in regards to training?

Yes, Mr. Warhurst is correct.

The interval is the rest period between repeats.

Too many young coaches weren't paying attention when that was being taught.

Enter Val if you want to learn about interval training, read the following thread on interval training.

It is by far the BEST thread on Interval training posted in these boards.

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=825534&thread=825534

I think I remember that Peter Coe argued the exact opposite in Better Training For Distance Runners: that the interval is the work period rather than the rest period.

Daniels identifies "interval" as the rest period. This is the way that we define it.

johnny rotten wrote:

Daniels identifies "interval" as the rest period. This is the way that we define it.

Any serious runner or coach knows that "interval" refers to the rest period. But then, what do you call the work period? A "repeat?"

If you cannot say "I'm going to run some intervals," would you say instead "I'm going to run some repeats?" Does anyone actually say that? No. They say "run some intervals."

Living in the Past wrote:

"I'm going to run some repeats?" Does anyone actually say that? No. They say "run some intervals."

Saying you're going to run some rest intervals is improper word usage.

It actually doesn't matter what it means. Just how you use it.

Maybe that's why no one says it.

older than Ron wrote:

Yes, Mr. Warhurst is correct.

The interval is the rest period between repeats.

Too many young coaches weren't paying attention when that was being taught.

Does it really make a difference? I have seen people argue this for a while and seriously cannot figure out what difference it makes. I always designated them work interval and rest interval (although rest is not really proper either now is it?).

Living in the Past wrote:

johnny rotten wrote:

Daniels identifies "interval" as the rest period. This is the way that we define it.

Any serious runner or coach knows that "interval" refers to the rest period. But then, what do you call the work period? A "repeat?"

If you cannot say "I'm going to run some intervals," would you say instead "I'm going to run some repeats?" Does anyone actually say that? No. They say "run some intervals."

I am pretty sure it's alright to say "I'm going to run some 400 repeats."

Yo Kip, thanks for the link. I'll definitely look into it. And thanks to everyone else for the confirmation as well.

OK, so it does refer to the rest period. I just think we should all be on the same page when using training terminology. Are we, as a community, too far gone to ever prevent people from saying they're going to "run some intervals"? Shouldn't they say they're going to "rest some intervals"?

Seriously, folks. We "run" repeats and "rest" intervals.

Seriously....why worry about the terminology???? Just go out and run 5 * mile with 2 minutes rest or 8 * 1000. Your body does not care what part is called the "interval."

in·ter·val Listen to the pronunciation of interval

Pronunciation:

\ˈin-tər-vəl\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English intervalle, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French entreval, from Latin intervallum space between ramparts, interval, from inter- + vallum rampart — more at wall

Date:

14th century

1 a: a space of time between events or states bBritish : intermission2 a: a space between objects, units, points, or states b: difference in pitch between tones3: a set of real numbers between two numbers either including or excluding one or both of them4: one of a series of fast-paced exercises interspersed with slower ones or brief rests for training (as of an athlete)

— in·ter·val·lic Listen to the pronunciation of intervallic \ˌin-tər-ˈva-lik\ adjective

Seriously.... how can we expect outsiders to take our sport seriously when we as practitioners do not use standardized terminology?

It would be like football players calling a pass a catch and vice versa.

the long running is connected to the ... fartlek

the fartlek is connected to the ... intervals

the intervals are connected to the ... repetitions

the reps are connected to the ... races

me thinks interval means gap and describes a long run with gaps in it. First they had long running then they had intervals. Someone added the gaps. Who was before Zatopek that did this? Nurmi and ...

older than Ron wrote:

Yes, Mr. Warhurst is correct.

The interval is the rest period between repeats.

Too many young coaches weren't paying attention when that was being taught.

You mean young coaches like Peter Coe and David Martin weren't paying attention? "For example, some correctly use the term 'interval' for the distance run, but others consider it the recovery between runs" (Better Training for Distance Runners, 179).

Arguments over jargon like this ultimately lead nowhere. It reminds me of a conversation I overheard between one of my teammates and a runner from another team. The guy from the other team asked what pace we did our "steady state" runs. My teammate looked confused and said we don't do steady state runs. The other guy looked baffled how we could have such terrible coaching as to not run "steady states."

We didn't in fact run steady state runs, which are 35-50 minute runs at half-marathon to marathon pace (possibly slower). We did run moderate runs, which are 35-50 minute runs at half-marathon to marathon pace (possibly slower).

I've heard tempo runs defined as 15-25 minute runs at 10k pace. I've also heard tempo runs defined as 60 minute runs at marathon pace. I've heard "easy pace" defined as the 8-9 minute jogs that Frank Shorter took, and I've also heard "easy pace" defined as a little slower than marathon pace.

Coaching jargon inevitably will differ from coach to coach. As long as we define what the paces mean, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?!

I was a serious runner and never knew that the interval referred to the rest period. I think I would say "400 repeats" or "interval workout", but without knowing exactly what I was talking about. Who cares, so long as you can run fast.

I have seen old books on training that say something along the lines of "a workout of 400 with 2 minute intervals" but nowadays, people usually say "400m intervals with 2 minutes rest"

As far as using vague terminology...this is one of many cases! "Tempo" is another one. Depending on who you ask, a "tempo run" can be anything from a 15-min faster-than-AnT run, or a speedy but slower-than-aerobic threshold 8-miler.

And Aerobic/Anaerobic/Lactate threshold is another! "AT" is used a lot. But Anaerobic and Aerobic both start with "A"...And some coaches insist the lactate threshold is different than the anaerobic threshold. (And some insist that there is no such thing!).

Some coaches distinguish between "intervals" and "repetitions" also. Lydiard and Daniels both mean different things when they use the respective terms (and lydiard's meaning of "repetitions" is not the same as Daniels'!)

Confused yet?

putting intervals to rest wrote:

Coaching jargon inevitably will differ from coach to coach. As long as we define what the paces mean, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?!

It makes a HUGE difference when what you refer to as one thing is in fact the opposite. Just like the throwing versus catching example mentioned. Our sport is screwed if we can't even get this straight. How can we expect others to care if we don't? It's like we've admitted that we're just a bastard sport that has an anything goes mentallity.

Where's jtupper?