Skip to content
FIT FILE FORGE
Get started

RunRace-specific

Canova Alternating Kilometers

10–12 × (1 km fast / 1 km steady), no stopping

Time
≈1h57
Hard
≈43:17
in zones 4–5
Difficulty
EliteDifficulty 5 of 5 — Elite
Inspired by
Renato Canova

What we typed

Warm up 15 min easy. 10 × (1 km fast, a little faster than marathon effort; 1 km at about marathon effort). Run continuously, no stopping. Note: 10–12 of each. Cool down 10 min easy.

Fit File Forge built the steps below from these words — the same steps your watch gets.

Describe your own

The session

4 steps

Warm up

easy

15 minZ2
10×1 km

Rep

fast, a little faster than marathon effort

1 kmZ4

Rep

about marathon effort; run continuously, no stopping; 10–12 of each

1 kmZ3

Cool down

easy

10 minZ1

Targets

Set by race effort. Your paces follow from your threshold pace — about what you could race for an hour.

Just faster than marathon effort
Marathon effort

Save it and race efforts become your own paces, from your profile or your Garmin training. Without them every rep keeps its effort cue.

Scaled version

6 × (1 km fast / 1 km steady).

Build the scaled version in Forge

About this session

The story

Canova and Arcelli's marathon book includes alternations such as 10 × 1 km slightly faster than marathon pace, each followed by 1 km run at about marathon pace — so there is never a real recovery.

What it trains

Marathon-specific endurance and lactate clearance while still moving at a good clip.

Who it's for

Experienced marathoners in the specific phase. It is long and relentless.

Sources 1
  1. Review and summary of Marathon Training - A Scientific Approach by Renato Canova — Running Writings, 2023

I've been using the AI Training Coach from day 1 for marathon prep and have found it to be a huge step up from ChatGPT/Gemini — I couldn't be happier.

Dave F.Marathon athlete

Related workouts

  • Canova 4 × 6K

    4 × 6 km at marathon effort or slightly faster, 1 km moderate between

    Run≈2h32

NOT HERE? DESCRIBE IT.

Describe it and it's built for your Garmin — your coach can plan the weeks around it.

Open ForgePlan a block with your coach

Garmin and Garmin Connect are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Zwift is a trademark of Zwift, Inc.; Fit File Forge isn't affiliated with Zwift. Athletes and coaches named here don't endorse Fit File Forge.