Sure, leisurely runs with your best running friends where you talk the entire time (and solve all of the day’s problems, natch) are lovely. Truth is, though, you won’t get much faster running at the speed of chat.
So if you’re looking to place in your upcoming 5K—or maybe you just want to finish your regular morning loop in personal record time—you’ve got to step up your game a bit. Ready to unleash a speedier you?
Check out these six tips on how run faster:
#1: Pick up the pace. This may seem like a given, but to get faster, you have to, well, run faster. That’s not to say you need to hit the track and start sprinting like you’re ready to challenge Alyson Felix.
Instead, once or twice a week, try some repetitive sets of shorter-and-faster bursts of running. One example: Warm up with a nice and easy mile run, then go right into a set of 6 x 1 minute fast, 1 minute easy, repeating if you feel like you’ve got another round in you
#2: Work in some Fartleks. Fartlek—“speed play” in Swedish—is an impactful method to increasing your speed. Within a run, you vary the intensity of your pace, which in turn teaches your body to recover efficiently before you turn the jets on once more.
Heading for a run in your neighborhood? Try this mailbox Fartlek. Start off with an easy 10 minute warm up, then run hard for three mailboxes. Recover for another three mailboxes, and then repeat the hard effort. Play around with the distance as you go, running hard for a longer stretch if you feel good. Be sure to cool down with an easy 10 minutes.
#3: Turn up your turnover—and in drills. Is your running gait more long and loping than quick and plentiful? Try increasing your running cadence, or turnover, which may help boost your speed.
To start, incorporate some running drills focused on high cadence before you begin every run. Think: high knees, butt kickers, and fast feet. Do 100 meters of each of these drills, taking note of how your body feels and responds to the faster cadence.
Then, when you’re out on your run, think about incorporating that change in turnover into your gait. Even repeating quick, light feet in your head as you’re in a harder effort can be a great reminder to your body and brain to pick up the pace.
#4: Don’t forget your arms.Our arms are often an afterthought when it comes to running, but they play a pivotal role in our forward motion. When you’re running, keep your arms at a 90-degree angle, and avoid having them cross over your body (repeat “socket to pocket” as a way to remind yourself to drive your arms forward versus at an angle).
When you pick up the speed, move your arms at a faster cadence, too. Pumping your arms at a quicker clip can help your legs follow suit.
#5: Hit the hills—and the strength. Speed stems not just from faster turnover, but having the strength to accelerate into and maintain that speed. Hill repeats are a great way to build both strength and speed to (around these parts, we call them BOGOs). Want to try a structured hill workout? After a 10-minute warm-up, end at the bottom of a hill. At a race intensity, run up it for 30-60 seconds, then recover with a jog or walk on the way down. Repeat anywhere from 3-9 times, ending with a 10-minute cool down.
Basic strength training, if you don’t do it currently, can definitely help you run faster. If you’re already a devotee of the weight room, add in sets of more explosive movements like burpees, box jumps, long jumps, and hopping on one foot.
#6: Treat Yourself. Sounds silly until you try it. Picking up some new gear—whether it’s brand new shoes, funky-patterned tights or a GPS watch—is a simple hack to get you out to run, and maybe even running faster. Why? You’ll likely be more amped to hit the pavement (or the tread) when you’ve got fresh gear to try out. We’re guessing those feel-good vibes may push you to a speedier pace.
Good reminders. Thanks, Dimity.