Once you start running further than 5km there’s one big predictor of success – a big aerobic engine is vital if you want to run further and run faster.
Training your aerobic system will allow you to hold the higher paces but to really kick into the higher gears and put some pace down you will need to add in some speed work.
These research-based six workouts will train you to run faster when you need to.
If you’ve been a runner for even a short length of time it’s likely you’ve heard of interval training.
The most basic version involves running at an easy pace for two minutes followed by a 30-second hard effort.
If that is too much for you then you can play with the periods and do 3 minutes easy, 20 seconds hard effort etc.
A good length of time is 25 to 30 minutes which should see you get about 5 hard efforts in.
This variation of interval training is easily performed if you live in a city.
The best example is using lamp posts.
Once you are warmed up decide upon a ratio that works for your ability level e.g. 3:1 and then sprint between 1 set of lamp posts with an easy run between the next 3 and so on.
Perform this in any area where there are regular markers e.g. post boxes, street signs etc.
If you need a workout to mix things up a bit then this one is good fun.
Who doesn’t love hill sprints!
*crickets*
Ok, so these are often some of the hardest workouts to get motivated for but the benefits build up over the long term by training your leg strength as well as your lungs.
If you are new to them then take it easy to start with.
If you find yourself doing more than 6-8 hill sprints in a workout you may need to either find a tougher gradient or look at how hard you are pushing them.
Done properly these should leave you feeling glad they are over.
If you happen to run with friends or with a group then this workout can be both fun and challenging.
Once you are all warmed up the premise is simple – when one-person sprints off everyone has to follow them and keep up.
The challenge is that when the sprints happen no one knows.
Any person in the group can sprint off and there are no rules on how far, fast or how often.
Have fun with it.
If you run the same loop constantly then a good workout to mix in is a very simple time trial.
Set your watch and go.
Aim to complete the route as fast as you can.
Take note of your time and aim to beat it the next time you attempt it.
The beauty of this is that it lets you know how you are doing and if you are improving or not.
Understanding pacing is fundamental to running your best race.
Practising your race pace in training is vital to this.
Once you know what pace you need to run at on race day aim to hold this pace with a 10-second burst thrown in every 1 to 2 minutes.
Not only will this help you hold your pace on race day but it will also help you hold off fatigue.
Now lace up your shoes and get it done!