Running · VO2max
THE ZÁTOPEK 400S DAY (SCALED)
A historical curiosity, scaled: 3 × 10 × 400 m
THE STORY
Emil Zátopek often completed as many as 100 × 400 m repetitions in a day. Nobody should copy that. This is a scaled homage: thirty reps in three sets.
Sources
- Marking the centenary of the birth of Zatopek — World Athletics, 2022
WHAT IT TRAINS
Aerobic power and the patience of high-volume interval work.
WHO IT'S FOR
Experienced runners looking for a big, variety-free volume day. Treat it as a once-in-a-while challenge.
HOW TO DO IT
- 01Warm up 15 minutes easy.
- 023 sets of 10 × 400 m at 10K effort with 200 m jog.
- 035 minutes easy between sets.
- 04Cool down 10 minutes.
SCALED VERSION
2 sets of 8 × 400 m.
Build the scaled version in Forge →TARGETS THAT FIT YOU
Every rep carries an effort cue — 5K effort, threshold, easy — so it works at any fitness. Your watch shows the cue on each step. Want exact paces? Save your threshold pace or a recent race in Settings and tap Tailor to my paces.
THE WORKOUT, STEP BY STEP
RUNNING
The Zátopek 400s Day (Scaled)
A historical curiosity, scaled: 3 × 10 × 400 m · Inspired by Emil Zátopek. · Fit File Forge Workout Library: www.fitfileforge.com/workouts/library/zatopek-400-marathon-day
WARMUP15 min
easy
INTERVAL400 m
10K effort
RECOVERY200 m
easy jog
RECOVERY5 min
easy
INTERVAL400 m
10K effort
RECOVERY200 m
easy jog
RECOVERY5 min
easy
INTERVAL400 m
10K effort
RECOVERY200 m
easy jog
COOLDOWN10 min
easy
RELATED WORKOUTS
- RunningVO2maxDifficulty 5 of 5 — Elite
Zátopek 40 × 400
40 × 400 m at 5K–10K effort, 200 m jog
1 h 50Inspired by Emil ZátopekElite · scaled version inside - RunningThresholdDifficulty 4 of 5 — Very hard
Norwegian 25 × 400
25 × 400 m at controlled threshold, 30 s rest
1 h 10Inspired by Ingebrigtsen brothers - RunningThresholdDifficulty 3 of 5 — Hard
Norwegian 5 × 6 min
5 × 6 min at controlled threshold, 1 min rest
1 h
NOT HERE? DESCRIBE IT.
Type any session the way you'd tell a training partner — Forge turns it into a Garmin workout in seconds, and your coach can plan the weeks around it.
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.