Aerobic capacity is the foundation of fitness. It determines how efficiently your body delivers oxygen to working muscles, how quickly you recover between efforts, and how long you can sustain work before fatigue shuts you down. Whether you’re grinding through a long metcon, pushing a heavy sled, or trying to maintain output in the final rounds of a workout, your aerobic engine is what keeps you moving.
Running is one of the most effective tools for building aerobic capacity. It’s simple, measurable, and forces adaptation across your entire cardiovascular system. These 12 track workouts target different aspects of aerobic development, from building your base to pushing lactate threshold to developing speed-endurance.
Important note: Don’t just pick these workouts randomly. Aerobic development requires progressive overload, gradually increasing volume and intensity over weeks and months. These workouts are effective, but they work best when programmed intelligently within a structured plan. If you want a complete progression that builds your aerobic base systematically, check out our aerobic training programs.
Pacing Guidelines
There are two primary methods for managing intensity in aerobic workouts:
RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion): A subjective 1-10 scale based on how you feel. Accounts for fatigue, terrain, weather, and daily readiness.
- Recovery pace: 3-4 RPE (easy conversation)
- Slow pace: 5-6 RPE (comfortable, can talk in sentences)
- Moderate pace: 6-7 RPE (slightly uncomfortable, short phrases only)
- Fast pace: 7-8 RPE (hard, can’t hold conversation)
- Very fast pace: 8-9 RPE (very hard, near max effort)
- Max pace: 10 RPE (all-out sprint)
Pace method: Maintaining specific times based on time trials or testing. More objective but requires knowing your benchmark splits.
For more detail on these methods, see our How to Pace Your Aerobic Workouts article.
Workout 1
3 Rounds
Run 800m at slow pace
Run 400m at recovery pace
Run 400m at moderate pace
Run 400m at recovery pace
Run 200m at fast pace
Run 400m at recovery pace
Rest 5 minutes between rounds
Why it works: The shifting paces teach you to manage effort while maintaining aerobic output. The recovery intervals keep you moving without allowing full rest, building work capacity.
Workout 2
For Time
Run 1600m
Rest 4 minutes
Run 1200m
Rest 3 minutes
Run 800m
Rest 2 minutes
Run 400m
Rest 1 minute
Run 200m
Notes: For every interval, alternate running 200m at fast pace and 200m at slow pace.
Why it works: The alternating fast/slow segments within each interval develop your ability to surge and recover without stopping. As distances shorten, you should be running the fast portions harder.
Workout 3
2 Rounds
Run 800m at slow-moderate pace
Rest 4 minutes between rounds
3 Rounds
Run 600m at moderate pace
Rest 3 minutes between rounds
4 Rounds
Run 400m at moderate-fast pace
Rest 2 minutes between rounds
Why it works: As distance decreases, intensity increases. You’re building volume (9 total intervals) while teaching your body to run faster on shorter efforts even when fatigued from earlier work.
Workout 4
3 Rounds
Run 500m at slow pace
Run 300m at fast pace
Rest 3 minutes
3 Rounds
Run 400m at slow pace
Run 200m at fast pace
Rest 3 minutes
3 Rounds
Run 300m at slow pace
Run 100m at fast pace
Why it works: Accelerating when already fatigued is a key skill for fitness. This teaches you to finish strong and builds the ability to change gears mid-effort.
Workout 5
3 Rounds
Run 800m
Rest 1 minute
Run 600m
Rest 1 minute
Run 400m
Rest 1 minute
Run 200m
Rest 3 minutes between rounds
Why it works: Short rest periods (1 minute) force you to run the next interval before full recovery, teaching your body to buffer lactate and maintain output under rising fatigue.
Workout 6
10 Rounds
Run 400m at moderate-fast pace
Rest 2 minutes between rounds
Notes: Choose a fastest pace you can maintain for all 10 rounds.
Why it works: Classic threshold intervals. The challenge is pacing round 1 so you can still hit the same split on round 10. Teaches restraint early and builds the ability to hold effort over volume.
Workout 7
3 Rounds
Run 4 minutes at slow pace
Walk 1 minute
Run 2 minutes at moderate pace
Walk 1 minute
Run 1 minute at fast pace
Walk 1 minute
Sprint 30 seconds at max pace
Rest 3 minutes between rounds
Why it works: Builds from aerobic to anaerobic across the round. The walk breaks teach active recovery, and the final sprint forces max output even when already fatigued.
Workout 8
3 Rounds
Sprint 100m at max pace
Jog 100m at recovery pace
Sprint 100m at max pace
Jog 100m at recovery pace
Sprint 100m at max pace
Rest 5 minutes between rounds
Why it works: Pure speed work with just enough recovery to allow near-maximal effort on each sprint. Develops fast-twitch fibers and improves running mechanics at high velocity.
Workout 9
3 Rounds
Run 400m
Rest 15 seconds
Run 400m
Rest 15 seconds
Run 400m
Rest 15 seconds
Run 400m
Rest 3 minutes between rounds
Why it works: The 15-second rest is brutal. You’re running the next 400m with almost no recovery. This builds your ability to work through discomfort and maintain output when lactate is high.
Workout 10
3 Rounds
Run 500m at fast pace
Rest 1 minute
Run 300m at very fast pace
Rest 4 minutes between rounds
Why it works: The 500m primes your system, then the 300m forces you to dig deeper and run faster when already fatigued. Builds your top-end speed under fatigue.
Workout 11
3 Rounds
Run 300m at moderate pace
Rest 90 seconds
Run 300m at fast pace
Rest 90 seconds
Run 300m at very fast pace
Rest 4 minutes between rounds
Why it works: Same distance, increasing intensity. Teaches you to run faster even as fatigue accumulates. By round 3, the “very fast” 300m is a serious mental challenge.
Workout 12
8 Rounds
Sprint 100m at max pace
Walk 300m
No rest between rounds
Why it works: High-volume sprint work with active recovery. Builds your ability to produce max power repeatedly while teaching your body to recover through movement rather than stopping.
How to Use These Workouts
These 12 workouts are designed for a standard 400m track but can be done anywhere you can measure distance. Use them strategically within a structured program:
For aerobic base building: Focus on workouts 1, 3, 6, and 7.
For threshold development: Use workouts 2, 5, 9, and 10.
For speed and power: Program workouts 4, 8, 11, and 12.
Critical reminder: Simply picking workouts randomly won’t build your aerobic capacity effectively. Progression matters. You need to systematically increase volume and intensity week by week, tapping into all three energy systems intelligently.
If you’re new to running or want a complete structured progression, check out the 9-Week Beginner Running Program. For more advanced endurance development across running, rowing, biking, and skiing, the Complete Endurance Program provides a 12-week plan that builds your engine the right way.
