Looking for guaranteed strategies to enhance your running speed and achieve faster race times? Whatever your running goal, you can benefit from incorporating these simple running drills and exercises into your training. From strength training to hill repeats, these strategies can help improve your speed and overall running performance.
Incorporate Interval Training
Adding interval training into your training routine can significantly boost your running speed and improve race times. Interval training involves alternating between high-intensity bursts of running and recovery periods of slower, more relaxed jogging or walking.
By pushing yourself to your maximum effort during the high-intensity intervals and then allowing your body to recover during the slower periods, you can improve your cardiovascular fitness, increase your muscle power, and enhance your overall running performance.
To incorporate interval training into your routine, start by determining your desired running distance or time. Then, divide that distance or time into intervals. For beginners, a common starting point is to alternate between 1-minute high-intensity intervals and 2-minute recovery intervals. As you progress, you can increase the length and intensity of both the high-intensity and recovery intervals.
During the high-intensity intervals, focus on running at a pace that feels challenging but sustainable. This could be a fast sprint, a tempo run, or any pace that pushes you outside of your comfort zone. During the recovery intervals, allow yourself to slow down and catch your breath. This is your chance to recover and get ready for your next interval.
Interval Training Workouts
Add Strength Training
Strength training helps to build muscle, which is crucial for generating power and improving your running economy. By targeting key muscle groups such as your legs, core, and upper body, you can enhance your running form, increase your stride length, and generate more speed.
Including strength exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, and calf raises in your training routine can help to develop the muscles needed for running powerfully and efficiently. These exercises not only strengthen your primary running muscles but also engage the supporting muscles that aid in stability and balance, reducing the risk of injuries.
To benefit fully from strength training, it’s important to focus on maintaining proper form, gradually increasing the resistance or difficulty level, and allowing enough time for recovery. Aim to perform strength exercises two to three times a week, interspersed with your runs, to ensure your muscles have time to rest and adapt. This simple strengthening workout for runners can be done without any equipment.
Embrace Hill Repeats
Another powerful strategy to improve your running speed is doing hill repeats. Hill repeat workouts involve running up a steep incline at a challenging pace, and then recovering by jogging or walking back down. This repetitive effort helps to build leg strength, improve your cardiovascular endurance, and enhance your overall running economy.
One of the key benefits of hill repeats is that they mimic the demands of racing on hilly terrain. By regularly incorporating hill repeats into your training, you’ll become more adept at tackling challenging race conditions and inclines. As you push your body to overcome the resistance of the hill, your muscles will adapt and become stronger, allowing you to generate more power and speed.
Additionally, running uphill engages a greater number of muscles compared to running on flat terrain. This increased recruitment of muscles not only improves your strength, but also helps you develop better running mechanics. You’ll find that hill repeats can help you develop a more efficient stride and improve your overall running form.
How to Do Hill Repeats
- Start by finding a hill that provides a challenging yet manageable incline.
- Begin with a thorough warm-up, including dynamic stretches and a light jog, to prepare your muscles for the workout.
- Choose a distance on the hill that you can comfortably cover in around 60 seconds.
- Run up the hill at a strong, controlled pace.
- Focus on maintaining good running form and driving your knees and arms forward to maximize power.
- Once you reach the top, slowly jog or walk back down to the starting point to allow for recovery.
- Repeat this process for a set number of repetitions, gradually increasing the number as you become more comfortable with the workout.
