Contents
Watching running speed, speed play and using hill training – let’s discover how you can run faster.
Every one of us wants to improve, in all areas of life. Some are harder to hone in on while others, with the right guidance, can be fairly easily achieved. If you’re a runner and tired of a slower pace, then one of the things you can improve is running pace. If you have a bit of effort about you, every time your foot hits the ground you’ll be improving your game. But it’s using a training schedule, speed workouts, running performance tracking and running form development that can really help.
Let’s get into it.
1st gear
Often the simple stuff is missing. If you want to ensure you run faster, or at least that you’re on track to run faster, then you need to warm up and warm down properly. Stretching after you’ve finished speed training, for example, helps to prevent lactic acid build-up, which also prevents over-swelling and muscle soreness. Why is this good? So you can get right back on track the day after.
2nd gear
Eating right is important too. The right foods to incorporate speed workouts properly are essential. There’s eating to lose weight, sure, but then there’s eating to gain strength, endurance, and overall cardiovascular performance (learn more here). If you want to really increase your running speed then speed work needs the right fuel too.
3rd gear
Strength training. Running a half marathon’s one thing, but running it at the best time possible is another. If you’re not fussed about a half marathon and want to focus on smaller sectioned speed then strength training is definitely a go-to. Conduct body exercises and weight training to help build leg and core strength. Upper body exercises help to reduce strain on your body, increase endurance potential and help preempt terrains. Leg exercises help to do exactly the same, whilst helping improve speed for a speed workout too.
4th gear
Full speed and endurance are important. That’s why you’re here. But in reality, finding the right answers to improving both are usually the most obvious. In the case of speed, if you want to go faster then train at full pelt. Forget running economy for a second – sprinting, like lifting heavier weights to get stronger, is the best way to get faster.
Reverse
Another important aspect of running exercises to get faster is resting. Rest days are important here – you need to rest to ensure muscle regeneration and so on. But if you’re like me and get a little itchy to move, then it’s more than easy to incorporate yoga or meditation to help maintain active engagements. Simply, you want to be in the best shape possible before every single speed training session to get the most benefit from each one.
Conclusion
To summarise, getting faster can be slow. But in reality, what you really want to do is make sure the little stuff is counting too. From a fully-fledged workout routine to eating and resting properly, gaining speed comes from changing gears, and if you’re not changing in the right order you’ll more than likely stall.
FAQs
Are training plans available online?
You can find a tonne of programs for free and better ones paid for online. Just search away and you’ll be taken aback by how abundant they are.
