Did you get your dose of fartlek today? The Swedish word fartlek means “speed play”. As the meaning suggests, fartlek involves intentionally changing speeds during a workout. Unlike working out at a moderate pace, fartlek is beneficial because it forces your heart to speed up and recover several times. Essentially, it mimics the changes in heart rate that one might experience during a ski race. Fartlek can be easily incorporated into a running, swimming, biking, or roller skiing workout. Pick a target in the distance, like a mailbox or telephone pole. As you move toward it, gradually increase your pace until your last 20 strides are about 90% effort. Allow for 1-2 minutes of recovery and then repeat the process. Start with 2-3 fartlek repetitions and work your way up to 6. Be sure to bookend your workouts with a 10 minute warm up and a 10 minute cool down.