#WOTW: Holly Archer Running Series

Winter Training: Building Strength, Structure & Consistency

As the winter months roll in, consistency and structure become key. For many athletes, winter training is about building foundations, improving threshold fitness, boosting VO₂ max, and maintaining endurance through long runs.

This is the first of three sessions I include in my own training—each designed to target a different area of fitness. Whether you’re a runner chasing PBs or training for HYROX, these workouts will help you stay strong, sharp, and race-ready through winter.

Session 1: Threshold Work — Controlled Consistency

Why It Matters

Threshold training improves your ability to hold a strong pace without accumulating too much fatigue. Physiologically, it targets your lactate threshold—the point just before your body starts producing lactic acid faster than it can clear it (around 4 mmol/L).

Training at this level builds your aerobic capacity and efficiency, helping you feel smoother and stronger in races.

The Session

Warm-Up

• 15 minutes easy jog

• Include mobility drills (leg swings, lunges, dynamic stretches)

• Add 4 × 20-second strides

• Then stop, switch into your super shoes, and take a sip of a carb drink to prime your system

Main Set

4 × 6 minutes at half marathon pace
(just slower than 10K pace)

Recovery: 60–75 seconds easy jog or “float” between reps.

Cool-Down

10–15 minutes easy jog.

Top Tip

Find a consistent loop—track, flat road, or quiet industrial estate—where you can stay rhythmical. The goal is control, not racing. The final minute of the last rep may sting, but the rest should feel comfortably hard.

Over time, this session raises your threshold and boosts endurance without burning you out.