How To Increase Running Speed?

If you're looking to enhance your running speed and take your performance to the next level, you've come to the right place. Increasing your running speed is a multifaceted endeavor that combines proper training techniques, conditioning, and a commitment to pushing your limits. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting on your running journey, this guide will provide you with essential tips and strategies to help you unlock your full potential and achieve greater speed.

How to increase running speed?

Runners who want to improve their running speed and endurance need to cross-train speed with more moderate endurance training to improve their aerobic and anaerobic systems.

Today’s training methods are applicable to runners of all levels. You'll notice significant changes in the first two to three months of training, but remember that only gradual and consistent training will continue to improve your running performance and develop your potential. 

Increase Your Mileage Each Week

Before you start, you can take a quick look at some of the training plans available on the net. From the contents of these plans, you can see that the training distances are gradually increased, rather than a one-time over-training. 

To see progress, you need to continually expose your body to stimuli it is not used to. Then one day you will find that you can run longer distances and have faster speeds.

Listen To Your Body

How many miles should you add to your training plan each week? The common saying is not to add more than 10% of the previous week's total mileage each week.

At the same time, you should pay attention to how your body feels and adjust your mileage increase appropriately. Most intense workouts should be paired with at least one or two easier recovery days. During the training process, you should always pay attention to your physical condition and adjust the training intensity moderately.

Increase Speed In Long Runs

Incorporating speed training into your long runs to prepare your body can help you overcome fatigue during a race. You just need to practice trying to pick up the pace at the last minute of each kilometer.

Increase Muscle Strength

Strength training is the foundation for improving running speed.

• Lower Limb Strength Training

When running, the joints of the lower limbs provide sufficient propulsion for running, especially the flexion and extension of the hip and ankle joints. All you need to do is strength and coordination training of the muscles of the lower limbs, for example, strengthening exercises for the muscles of the back of the calves: standing padded exercises.

• Increased Core Stability

When running, the higher the stability of the trunk and the less the body shakes, the more it helps to improve running speed.

Therefore, in order to increase running speed, you also need to incorporate core muscle strengthening exercises to improve the stability of the body. One of the most common examples of exercises to strengthen the core muscles is the side plank support.

Explosive Strength and Endurance Training

If you are a sprinter, then you need to focus on explosive power exercises to improve your running speed. An example of a common explosive power exercise is the "Z" run.

If you are a long-distance runner, you need to focus more on endurance training to increase your running time. Example of endurance training: Yasso 800s.

How to train with Yasso 800s?

For example, if your marathon goal is 4 hours and 20 minutes, then convert that marathon running time to a 4-minute 20-second training pace.

Then following the Yasso 800s training method, the runner would train for an 800-meter run at a 4-minute 20-second pace.

800s training tips:

• Yasso 800s training once a week for 3-4 sets of each repetition, increasing by 1 set each week until you have 10 sets.
• Incorporate a 5-10 minute warm-up, such as jogging, prior to 800 meter training.
• Incorporate 5 minutes of jogging or walking and proper post-run stretching between sets during training. 

Increased Flexibility

Stiff and tense muscles will affect the performance of muscle power in sports and also easily lead to sports injuries.

Therefore, while strengthening muscle training, you need to add appropriate stretching exercises, which will help increase the flexibility of the muscles, thus increasing the flexibility of the hip, knee, and ankle joints.

Increase Step Frequency

The faster the stride frequency, the faster the running speed. So, increasing stride frequency is the key to increasing running speed.

Step frequency refers to the number of times the legs move alternately per unit of time when running. It is generally expressed in steps per second.

In fact, human consciousness automatically protects the body from injuries and falls, and basically runs at a fixed natural stride frequency. People need specialized training to get their bodies to adapt to faster paces so that their legs will naturally run at a faster pace.

Warm Up Before Running

Foreign studies have pointed out that adequate warm-up before running can help runners activate their muscles in advance, which can help runners perform better while running and reduce the chance of sports injuries.

In other words, a good warm-up before running is also helpful to improve running speed.

Drink Some Coffee

A study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine suggests that ingesting 5 milligrams of caffeine can make running more motivating and effectively increase running speed. Runners who consumed caffeine before running a 5k improved their time by about 1% compared to runners who did not consume caffeine. This means that if you run a 20-minute 5k, caffeine can help you shave 12 seconds off.

How to use treadmills to increase your running speed?

Running is a great workout, but there are limitations to running outdoors. The ideal solution is to train on a treadmill.

Running is a great exercise that lowers blood pressure, improves lung capacity, tightens and strengthens muscles, helps with weight loss, releases mood-enhancing endorphins, and makes you feel great. 

There are limitations to running outdoors. Depending on where you live, the terrain can be difficult to change. Stopping at intersections, interrupting your run, and pedestrians can be obstacles that slow you down.

The ideal solution is to train on a treadmill. The treadmill can gradually build up the intensity.

Using DeerRun smart treadmills to connect with a fitness app - PitPat that can offer various professional free running courses. You can train with AI coaches to improve your running skills and speeds. PitPat not only has training courses but also has many competitions for runners. You can compete with friends or strangers on it. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, increasing your running speed is a journey that demands perseverance and a well-structured approach. By incorporating the principles discussed in this guide into your training routine, you can steadily work towards becoming a faster and more efficient runner. Remember, progress may not happen overnight, but with consistent effort, you will see improvements in your speed and endurance. Additionally, always prioritize safety and listen to your body to avoid overtraining or injury. Keep setting goals, staying motivated, and enjoying the process, and you'll find that the pursuit of greater running speed can be both rewarding and transformative for your overall fitness and well-being. So lace up your shoes, hit the pavement, and let your passion for running lead you to new levels of speed and performance.

And if you need a treadmill, just check DeerRun!