You're Doing Interval Training WRONG (Here's how to fix it)

Everyone says to “do your intervals” — but what does that actually mean?

Are intervals the same as reps? Is VO₂ max just a number your watch spits out?
In this video, I’m breaking down Jack Daniels’ Interval and Rep Paces (I-Pace & R-Pace) — what they actually train, how to apply them correctly, and how to avoid the biggest mistakes I see runners make.

You’ll learn:
✅ The real physiological purpose of interval and repetition workouts
✅ How I-Pace builds your aerobic ceiling (VO₂ max)
✅ How R-Pace improves your running economy and form
✅ Simple, plug-and-play workouts you can try this week
✅ How to find your exact paces using the VDOT calculator
✅ Common training errors that lead to burnout or plateaus
✅ How to structure your week for smarter intensity balance

Whether you’re chasing a Boston qualifier or your first 5K, this episode will help you train with purpose, stay consistent, and perform Fast and Free.

00:00 Introduction — What are intervals and VO2 Max really?
00:30 Who I am and why I made this series
01:18 Understanding interval and rep training zones
01:53 Interval (I-Pace) vs. Repetition (R-Pace)
02:31 Physiology explained simply — VO2 Max and lactate curve
03:31 Jack Daniels’ research and field system
04:08 Key guardrails for interval and rep training
04:58 Finding your correct training paces
05:33 Adjusting for environment and effort
06:03 Common mistakes runners make with intervals
07:22 Avoiding recovery and pacing errors
07:57 Don’t force R-Pace — focus on form
08:16 Why stacking too much intensity backfires
09:12 Progression matters — stop racing your workouts
10:06 Example workouts for I-Pace and R-Pace
11:24 How to structure these workouts in your week
12:21 Wrapping up the Training Zone series
12:35 Summary of all training paces
13:06 Final thoughts and subscribe call-to-action