Chandler Scott

A smart progression pattern for speed work:

Phase 1: 1-2 stride sessions weekly

Phase 2: Replace 1 stride session with short intervals (keep 1 stride)

Phase 3: Replace short intervals with longer intervals (maintain 1 stride session)

This lets you adjust based on how your body responds.

The athletes who take 12 weeks to return properly race for years.

Those who rush back in 4 weeks spend months dealing with setbacks.

Patience in the final stage of rehab pays dividends for seasons to come.

After a running injury, the biggest mistake isn't returning too slowly.

It's jumping from "I can run pain-free" straight back to your old interval workouts.

The gap between rehab and performance is bigger than athletes realize. Most re-injuries happen in this window.

The 3-Phase Speed Work Progression System:

Phase 1: Strides (Weeks 1-4) - controlled accelerations to 5k pace

Phase 2: Short Intervals (Weeks 4-8) - 30s to 2min repeats

Phase 3: Extended Intervals (Week 8+) - tempo work and race pacing

Slowly extending your faster running.

Most runners returning from injury think strides are too easy.

Wrong mindset.

A stride is controlled acceleration from easy jog to 5k pace (not a sprint). It's about touching faster speeds without blowing anything up. Respect the process.

Stride progression for returning runners:

Week 1-2: 4x 30s strides after easy runs

Week 3-4: Build to 8x 30s strides

→ Note distance on first rep, repeat it
→ Evaluate after each: pain, discomfort, fatigue?
→ Always finish strong, never drained

Elite athletes across multiple sports can only handle 1-2 'workouts' per week maximum.

You're no exception to that rule.

Yet most runners try to pack 3-4 speed sessions into their week. This is a recipe for setbacks.

Pro tip for stride consistency:

Note the distance you cover on your first 30s stride, then repeat that exact distance for each rep.

No need to stare at your watch. Focus on feel, form, and finishing controlled. Simple systems work best.

How to know when you're ready to progress phases:

• No pain or discomfort during/after sessions
• Recovering well between workouts
• Maintaining easy run quality on off days
• Completing sessions feeling controlled, not destroyed

Your body will tell you when it's ready.

Extended interval progression (Week 8+):

Start: 1-2x 5min intervals with equal recovery
Build: 2-3x 5min intervals (if running 60+ min easy)
Target: 8-10min intervals over several weeks

This milestone = transition from rehab to true performance training.

Golden rule for speed work progression: "Leave one in the tank"

None of these intervals should take you to complete exhaustion. We save that for racing.

Better to finish strong than drained. You're building capacity, not testing limits.

Have you fallen into the "too much too soon" trap when returning from injury?

What's been your biggest challenge getting back to speed work?

Would you do me a favour? If you found this thread helpful hit the RT button and share it (that way I can help more atheltes).

The bridge from rehab to racing:

Phase 1: Strides (weeks 1-4)
Phase 2: Short intervals (weeks 4-8)
Phase 3: Extended intervals (week 8+)

Implementation: 1-2 workouts max per week

Golden rule: Always leave one in the tank
Athletes who take 12 weeks return race for years.

The golden rule throughout all phases:

"Leave one in the tank."

These workouts should feel fast and controlled, never draining. Save complete exhaustion for race day.

If you're feeling pain or unusual fatigue, back off. Let things settle before progressing.

Implementation reality check:

Elite athletes can only handle 1-2 hard workouts per week. You're no exception.

My system:

• Phase 1: 1-2 stride sessions
• Phase 2: Swap 1 stride session for short intervals
• Phase 3: Swap short intervals for tempo, keep 1 stride session

Phase 3: Extended Intervals (Week 8+)

Now we introduce tempo work.

Start with 5-minute intervals:

• If running 60 min easy → 2-3 intervals
• If running 30 min easy → 1-2 intervals max

Gradually extend to 8-10 minute intervals over several weeks.

Phase 2: Short Intervals (Weeks 4-8)

Progress from 30s to 2-minute intervals with equal rest.

Example progressions:

• 8 x 30s on/30s off
• 8 x 1 min on/1 min off
• 4-6 x 2 min on/2 min off

Still controlled faster running, not threshold efforts yet.

Phase 1: Strides (Weeks 1-4)

Start with 4-8 x 30-second controlled accelerations to 5k pace.

Example workout:

• 30-60 min easy run
• Finish with 4-8 x 30s strides
• Equal rest between each
• Always "leave one in the tank"

This touches speed without blowing anything up.

After work with injured runners in the clinic, I noticed a pattern.

Athletes who followed a simple progression rarely had setbacks:

Phase 1: Strides (weeks 1-4)
Phase 2: Short intervals (weeks 4-8)
Phase 3: Extended intervals (week 8+)

Let's break it down.

Most athletes think once they can run easy, they're ready for their old interval workouts.

But if you jump straight from easy runs to hard intervals, you're setting up for re-injury.

The real problem is the missing bridge between rehab and performance.

The hardest part of returning to speed work after injury isn't running fast again.

It's bridging the gap between "I can run pain-free" and "I can race."

Most runners rush this transition and end up back in rehab. Here's the exact system I use to prevent that:

The biggest early mistake in speed work rehab:

Skipping the bridge between easy running and race intervals.

Solution: Start with strides, progress to short intervals, then extend duration. This system respects tissue healing while building speed capacity.

My guidelines for speed work during running rehab:

- Start with fewer intervals than you think
- Leave one in the tank
- Always use equal to double rest periods
- Walking, standing, or easy running recovery as needed
- 1 workout max per week

Short interval progression (Weeks 4-8):

Start: 8x 30s on/30s off
Progress: 8x 1min on/1min off
Advance: 4-6x 2min on/2min off

Equal to double rest periods.

Goal: repeated faster running while monitoring injury tolerance.

After a knee injury, most runners think complete rest = faster healing.

The bigger mistake: waiting weeks to start loading the tendon again.

Your patellar tendon needs progressive stress to rebuild strength. Passive treatments can't build the running resilience you need.

Training IS your rehab.

Common patellar tendon rehab mistake: pushing through irritating activities.

Better approach: pause anything causing pain (hills, stairs, aggressive cycling position) while you build strength through targeted exercises.

Create the right environment for healing, then progressively challenge it.

Plyometric progression for patellar tendon strength:

Double-leg hops → Single-leg hops → Lunge drops

These movements increase your tendon tolerance to running demands.

Start simple, progress systematically, respect tissue healing timelines.

How to know when to progress your patellar tendon rehab:

Phase 1 → Phase 2: Pain during daily activities resolves

Phase 2 → Phase 3: Can perform loading exercises without flare-ups

Phase 3 → Full training: Handle 30+ minute runs pain-free

Test, don't guess your readiness.

Most athletes separate "rehab" from "training" in their minds.

The mistake: believing passive treatments will get you back to running.

Your body adapts to what you consistently demand of it. The progressive loading you do in the gym IS your path back to the trails.

Don't confuse patellar tendon pain with other knee issues:

• Mid-thigh/shin pain → possible stress fracture
• Quad muscle pain → muscle strain, not tendon issue
• Below kneecap → likely patellar tendon

Location matters for proper treatment approach.