Speed Training | Sprint Workouts – Runner’s World

As a self-proclaimed long run fan and seven-time marathoner who often says, “The marathon is my favorite distance,” (and means it), it was intimidating to embark on a new goal: Run a sub-6 mile. Yet, challenging myself to find some speed this summer reminded me of what hard work and a great training plan can do.

Training for the mile is beneficial for any runner: It provides the opportunity to push yourself out of your comfort zone and escape the same old routine of lengthy morning miles, and it also offers total-body benefits, including a revved metabolism long after you end your workout thanks to the interval-style structure and an increase in overall running economy—a bonus for endurance athletes and speedsters alike.

In one study, interval training helped trail runners run 5.7 percent faster on a 3,000-meter track test. Sixteen (12 male, 4 female) trained athletes completed a two-week speedwork test, consisting of four to seven bouts of 30 seconds at maximal intensity with a 4-minute recovery, three times weekly. At the end of the trial, all athletes saw an improvement in their speed, time to exhaustion, peak power, and mean power. In another review, researchers found athletic performance improvements in endurance runners (improved maximal oxygen uptake and overall running economy) when integrating track work two to three times weekly over the course of four weeks.

Simply put: Speedwork has the power to be a total game-changer. “If you want to be faster, you have to run fast—period,” says , running coach for Nike+ Run Club in New York City, and head coach of Brooklyn Track Club. “Just like lifting, you’ve got to stress your body in the direction you want to go. When you lift heavier weight, you get stronger. Add in speedwork, see quicker results.”

Interested in picking up the pace yourself? Here, Finley offers up four essential strategies for adding in speedwork to your regular routine:

1. Analyze form first.

Paying attention to your overall body mechanics, whether you’re hitting 30-second splits or a 30-mile trail run, is integral to staving off injury. It also makes you more efficient, says Finley. “Good form varies, but can make a major difference,” he says. “Look at things such as foot strike, arm carriage, shoulder tightness, and knee drive.”

Remember: The way your body moves is definitely going to be different from your friend, sister, running partner, etc. That’s okay. “There’s no singular correct ‘running form’ for all bodies,” he says. “I want my athletes to be allowed to grow into fitness and speed from their natural state, without necessarily being overcorrected before doing so.”

2. Take rest seriously.

When you’re tackling a marathon training plan, it’s not outside of the box to hit 45 minutes or more of running two or three days in a row before taking time off. But when you’re integrating regular speedwork into your routine, your best work requires giving your muscles time to recover. Finley suggests resting at least 36 hours—ideally 48—between sprint efforts. “My number one goal with my athletes is preventing injury,” he says. “Small injuries are what keep people from performing and growing. Quality matters, which is why you want to give your body enough time to recover and prep for the next quality day.”

Proper rest is also integral during your efforts on the track. If a workout calls for 90 seconds of rest between sets, that’s because your body needs time to clear the lactic acid building up before pushing to max effort again. During that work interval, you should be working hard to “empty the tank” says Finley. Then, truly recover, instead of making the popular mistake of running or jogging through those rest periods. You want to be going hard, and it should feel like it.

3. Make it progressive.

Practice makes perfect. You don’t want to charge out of the gait pushing a new personal record the second you hit the track, treadmill, or pavement. “The goal is to be getting faster with each interval,” says Finley. “It’s good fundamentals. This approach reduces the risk of injury, teaches you to run faster later on, and stresses the importance of patience.”

In order to speed up smart, Finley suggests you have a goal pace in mind to structure the workout around. For me, for instance, my goal mile pace is 6:00. If a workout is 6 x 400m, my first interval may be slightly above, and my last three could be closer to the 5:30 range.

[Smash your goals with a Runner’s World Training Plan, designed for any speed and any distance.]

4. Get the right gear.

Two of the most important things any runner with lightning-fast goals should have: good shoes and a smart watch. Obviously, a lightweight, speed-friendly shoe is going to have less cushioning than your go-to marathon grab, especially since research shows that you expend more aerobic energy with heavier shoes (For ideas, take a look at the Best Running Shoes For Every Type of Run).

As for the watch, look for something that easily lets you track segments or splits (see our list of The Best Affordable Watches for Runners). Having buttons to start and stop the clock when you’re already feeling gassed is super beneficial.

Emily Abbate is a freelance writer, certified fitness trainer, and host of the podcast Hurdle.