As a runner, I’m always looking at ways to improve my speed.
Speed comes in many different forms, the three main beings:
- Intervals
- Hills
- Fartlek
In this new Run Faster series, I will give you tips and tricks to introduce speed into your running workouts without being too scary or overwhelming.
As the saying goes, to run faster, you need to run faster.
Why that’s all well and good, where do you start?
Let’s backtrack just a little bit to when you first started running.
What did you do? You most likely did run/walk intervals.
Intervals play a vital role in helping you build up your running endurance. No matter your level of experience every runner should be incorporating intervals into their run plan.
Running intervals involves running at a faster pace (or your goal pace) for a specific time or distance. You then will have a recovery interval before repeating the process again.
Meet Piper, she runs a 33 minute 5km. That’s running a 6:36 km pace.
Her goal is to get a sub 30 minute 5km. That’s running a 6:00 pace.
Piper’s interval goal pace will be to run between 5:30-6:00 pace.
200m Interval Example Workout
Warmup – 10 minutes
Strides – 3 x 100m with 100m recovery
The Workout – 8-12 x 200m at 5km pace, with 200m recovery
Cooldown – 10 minutes
Running faster in these short burst help to engage those fast-twitch muscle fibres. They will make you feel uncomfortable, it will be hard, but that’s where the magic happens.
Over time you will notice improvements, and you will be able to hold the intervals for longer.
Do you run intervals?
What’s your favourite interval workout?