Running intervals do not need a track or a GPS watch. If you have a timer, you can do almost any classic interval session by time instead of distance. Time-based intervals also adapt to you: a fit runner covers more ground in 2 minutes than a beginner, but both get the right effort. Below are workouts from first-ever runs to hard speed sessions, each with settings you can type into the interval timer.
How hard is "hard"?
Without a pace target, use effort. On a scale of 1 to 10:
- Easy (3 to 4) — you can hold a full conversation.
- Steady (5 to 6) — you can talk in short sentences.
- Hard (7 to 8) — a few words at a time.
- Very hard (9) — you cannot talk; only sustainable for short repeats.
Always start with 5 to 10 minutes of easy jogging or brisk walking, and finish with the same.
Beginner: walk-run intervals
Walk-run is the classic way to build up to continuous running. Run at an easy effort and walk briskly during the rest.
- Week 1 — run 60, walk 90, rounds 8 (20 minutes)
- Week 2 — run 90, walk 90, rounds 7
- Week 3 — run 120, walk 60, rounds 7
- Week 4 — run 180, walk 60, rounds 5
Only move on when the current week feels comfortable. Repeating a week is normal.
Intermediate: minute repeats
One-minute hard efforts with one minute of easy jogging are a simple, effective speed session. Set work 60, rest 60, rounds 8 to 12, or use the 1-minute interval timer.
Run the hard minutes at an effort of about 8 out of 10 — fast, but the same speed on the last repeat as the first. If you are much slower by the end, start the next session a little easier.
Intermediate: 30/30s
30 seconds fast, 30 seconds easy. The short reps let you practise faster running without building up too much fatigue. Start with 10 rounds and build to 20. Set work 30, rest 30, or use the 30/30 timer.
Advanced: longer repeats
- 3-minute repeats — work 180, rest 90, rounds 5. Hard but controlled, around your 5 km race effort.
- Pyramid — 1, 2, 3, 2, 1 minutes hard with half the time as easy jog. Run it as five separate timer runs, or set the longest interval and stop early on the shorter ones.
- Threshold intervals — work 480, rest 90, rounds 3. A steady "comfortably hard" effort you could hold for about an hour.
Hill sprints
Find a moderate hill. Sprint uphill for 10 to 15 seconds at a strong effort, then walk back down slowly. Set work 15, rest 75, rounds 6 to 10. Many coaches like hill sprints because the slope makes it hard to overstride and naturally limits top speed.
Fartlek with a timer
Fartlek ("speed play" in Swedish) mixes fast and easy running without strict structure. A timer adds just enough structure: set work 45, rest 75, rounds 10, and run the fast sections at whatever pace feels lively that day.
Treadmill tips
- Change speed a few seconds before the beep — treadmills take time to speed up and slow down.
- Set the incline to 1% to roughly match outdoor effort.
- Straddle the belt for recovery only if the timer's rest is very short; otherwise slow-jog or walk.
How often?
Most runners do one, sometimes two, interval sessions a week, with the rest of their running at an easy effort. If your legs feel heavy for days afterwards, reduce the rounds or the effort. Consistency over months matters far more than any single hard session.
All of these workouts work with the interval timer. Use headphones or keep the phone volume up so you hear the beeps, and the screen stays on so you can glance at the countdown mid-run.