A training method that blends continuous running with interval training through unstructured speed variations. Athletes vary their pace spontaneously during a run, alternating between fast bursts and recovery periods based on feel rather than predetermined distances or times.
Swedish compound word meaning 'speed play,' coined by coach Gösta Holmér in the 1930s. 'Fart' means speed in Swedish, and 'lek' means play, emphasizing the playful, unstructured nature of this training approach.
Fartlek was revolutionary because it broke away from the rigid track-based training that dominated the early 1900s, helping Swedish runners dominate middle-distance events in the 1940s. The method mimics how children naturally run - with bursts of speed followed by recovery - making it one of the most psychologically enjoyable forms of speed training!
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