subject: Speed Workouts: Want To Improve Your Running Speed? [print this page] Do speed workouts play a part in your running cross training? If you are not, then you are missing out on a big opportunity and could be finishing your next race much quicker.
Like most competitive athletes, you want to perform your best in the best possible time. You are likely aware that there is room to improve your running speed if you really want it.
There are a few speed workouts that will always get you results Fartlek Runs, Hills, Lunges, Tempo Runs, and Stairs. If you use these in your weekly workout plan, you will definitely see results. Lets break these down in great detail...
Fartlek runs are probably one of the most common speed workouts for runners.
It essentially is used to describe a workout which is extremely intense for brief periods, followed by periods where the athlete rests.
Not only will Fartlek workouts make you faster, but they will also improve the rate at which your body recovers, which is a huge plus if you are training for an upcoming race!
When beginning your Fartlek speed training, pick out a course that has evenly spaced divisions. I use city blocks for my training. The idea is to run at full speed until you reach your first marker. Your initial segment should be no longer than one minute.
After completing the first block, decrease your speed to a walking pace. Keep this pace until you reach the next marker, no more than 3 minutes.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you have done the process for 30 minutes.
The second part of the speed workouts is using hills. You will become more flexible, become stronger, and will impress yourself with your newfound speed.
Make sure that you are warm before starting your speed workouts on hills.
Find some nearby hills that you can use for this exercise. The height of the hill should be a challenge, but take you no longer than 15-20 seconds to reach the top.
Starting at the base, jog up to the top of the hill at an easy pace. You have then completed the first leg and should jog down the hill to the start.
Once at the base, turn around, and sprint back to the top. After this short sprint, you should once again walk down the way you came.
Do this 10-20 times, or until tired. You should be exhausted.
If you are looking for another simple, yet effective, exercise then start with lunges. Speed workouts that include lunges will ensure the runner is strong throughout their body. They will have the race time to prove it. You will not only improve your strength, but your stride will be noticeably improved too.
Start the exercise by striding forward with your right foot. Your left foot will rotate to the toe. Make sure that your front knee does not overextend but stays behind your toes.
The left knee will be at a right angle. You may need to lengthen or shorten your step to get this proper form and avoid injury.
Complete the move by easily stepping forward with your left leg, so you are standing once again.
Repeat with each leg 25 times before resting for one minute. Repeat twice more.
To increase the intensity of your lunges, try doing these with weights.
Another suggestion for speed workouts is doing tempo runs during your workout. This is a great technique that is awesome at getting results.
For the best results, start your fast runs at five minutes, and slowly increase that time each week.
Start your tempo runs by jogging for around eight minutes.
After completing the easy jog, you then run at a quicker pace for five minutes in total.
Once completing the aggressive run, return to the slower pace for another eight minutes.
Continue alternating the run pace a total of four times.
Stairs are a great way to squeeze a speed workout into just about anyones schedule! The beauty of stairs is that they are readily available in almost any location.
The trick is to be adventurous and use your imagination! A easy place to locate stairs is at your local high school.
The best training locations are those with at least 3 flights of stairs and those that have a hand rail in the middle. Begin your workout by jogging up to the top.
Once at the top, walk back down, using the rail for support.
After reaching the bottom again, do another set by jogging back up. Once again, you should easily walk or jog back down the other side.
Repeat these steps until you have done the process for 45 minutes.
Adding any combination of these speed workouts into your cross training plan is a great tactic for improving your running speed. A cool bonus is that you are likely to see other improvements in your future runs, like increased endurance, and quicker recovery.
So incorporate a few of these speed workouts to your running training plan, and see what works best for you. The best part of employing running speed training in your workouts is the results that you will definitely see.
