Hey Runners - How can I get faster?

emmaleigh47

Hey guys... I am a slow, slow, slow runner. I used to be at a 14 min/mile and now since I started training for the half marathon I have dropped to about 14:30/15min mile. Now clearly I cant do anything before the race in 1 week, but when I come back I want to work on being faster.

I have gotten stronger.... and I can run longer.
I ran 10K today... and atfer settling in after the first couple of miles, I ran a whole mile without stopping. I also ran the 7thK and the 9thK straight through without stopping and threw in several 6 and 8 minute runs too....

So I am getting better..... but how do I get faster?
My 10K time was SIX minutes slower than my best 10K time...

Thanks for your help!!

fzyfrog

Sprints! I am on a training plan having me do speed work 1 x a week. I warm up, do 1 mile at a 2 min/mile pace faster than normal, jog for a 1/2 mile, do another mile at the 2 min/ mile faster pace, another 1/2 mile at a job, then a 3rd mile at the 2 min/mile faster pace, then a cool down. This is for an 8 mile run. You would do more repetitions if you're running longer. Check Runner's World. They have some great ideas.

meggonkgonk

Intervals (also known as Fartlek) and tempo runs. Here are the workouts I use:

1x/wk - tempo run 2 miles at my 'tempo pace'
1-2x/wk - intervals 3 miles of walking (1 min), jogging comfy (3 min), running fast (1min)
*set can also be 30s ea/walking and sprinting, 2 min jogging*
1x/k - Distance run (I increase the distance .5-1 mi each week but you can set it at whatever you like)

here is a calculator that helps you find your 'tempo' pace for training: http://www.mypacecalculator.com/

I've seen some pretty good increases in my speed over the last few months- my slow mile used to be 13-15 min, but now it is closer to 12 and I can run a 10k at 11/min mi (5.5 mph). It does take time. Good luck!

MindyC7609

You didn't say how long you've been running, but frankly, time will help a lot too. I've been running for 2 years and haven't focused on getting faster, but my average training mile has gone from 13 minutes to 11 minutes. I ran a 2:34 half marathon in 2009, then a 2:23 half in 2010. And as I said, I haven't been TRYING to get faster. Your body will become more accustomed to running over time, and your speed will naturally increase.

Losing weight will help a lot too. I'm about 15 pounds lighter than I was when I started running, and now I'm deliberately trying to lose another 20 pounds so I can run faster. This is the first time I've made a concerted effort to actually run faster. Once I achieve my goal weight, I'll probably look into speedwork, etc. Having 20 pounds less to schlep around should help me a lot.

Good luck! )

Naomi91

Well I would suggest doing it by progression.

What I do is take my stop watch and time each mile or total.
after I find my time I try to cut 10 seconds off the next one
slow I know.. But works for me :] can run a 10k straight through now in about 59 minutes

and best of all... the more you do it the easier it gets! just takes time
I personally hate intervals xD

coronalime

Track or treadmill if your a lone runner or a fast friend who is willing to help you. Its hard to work on getting faster and running farther. If you really want to get faster you need to pick some 5K races a few months apart and train for them. Sometimes getting faster causes more injuries so watch out. You can google "fartlek" training. Getting the weight off has helped the most for me but I will never be a fast runner so I go for distance.

newjmf

First of all, CONGRATS on your 26 pound loss! I know first hand how amazing that milestone feels!

When I decided to start runing, I read the book "CHI Running" by Danny Dryer. This book helped me tremedously! Also, depending on which major city you live near or in, you can check their site for CHI Running workshops. I have not found one near me, but as soon as I do, I am there!

Just this past week, I improved my 11:23 mile to 9:40. I took the advice of a trainer, who told me to eat something high in carbs about 45 minutes before running. So, I got some packs of "Back to Nature Granola Blueberry Walnut" granola (found at Publix). One individual pack has 30 grams of carbs. It seems like the carbs provided me the fuel I needed to push myself to take longer strides and pick up the pace.

The trainer also told me to eat something high in protein (or drink a protein shake) after my run. This fuels your muscles and enables them to burn fat faster. I got some of the Muscle Milk Light (100 calorie) chocolate protein shakes. They are delish!

I hope this helps you! Good luck!

__flexylexi

Hey GIRL!! I would TOTALLY recommend Hal Higdon's intermediate half marathon plan.. I was on it for 6 weeks before i DC due to not wanting to push myself too hard with baby on the way. It lowered my long distance time down to 9 flat. I ran my half marathon at an average of 11, and I can do a timed mile in like 7:30 ish now if I gun it. It REALLY works, just follow the workouts, then you won't even realize how much faster you are getting.

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/inter.htm

elpete

It depends. How many miles are you running a week?

emmaleigh47

It depends. How many miles are you running a week?

Last week I ran 23
This week I ran 11 (but Im in taper mode for the race)

I average 15-20 per week, sometimes more and sometimes less.

rachaelski

I ran both track and cross country in college. Fartleks are great, but doing speed work on your own can be pretty challenging. A former teammate of mine sped up her 1/2 marathon time significantly when she began spinning. It works those fast twitch muscles, but also gives your legs a break from the pounding.

elpete

It depends. How many miles are you running a week?

Last week I ran 23
This week I ran 11 (but Im in taper mode for the race)

I average 15-20 per week, sometimes more and sometimes less.

OK. I personally don't think you need sprints yet. You would benefit more from just adding running volume. A lot of the running gurus will tell you that easy running and consistency are the key. This is what worked for me. I was only at about 20 miles a week. I built to ~30 and dropped my times quite a bit.

When I started to add to my volume, I was at around 15-20 miles a week I think. From the time i started my volume build to now, I've dropped 2:30 off my 5k PR and my easy training pace has dropped considerable as well. As you add volume, your easy pace gets faster. Just run often and run easy and you'll get faster. Once you plateau at a decent volume, then add speed work in my opinion.

I'm not fast at all but you can see my training charts and see how my easy training pace has gotten quite a bit faster. I saw the results by easy running done often. All my training runs were done easy. Monthly totals are shown here.



Sprints will help for sure as there is more than one way to skin a cat. But easy running and adding volume has less chance for injury if done right in my opinion.

I suggest building to 30-35 miles a week and holding that for a couple months. Be careful. Only increase mileage by 10% a week.

Or do sprints. Whatever you prefer.

If you want great advice get "Daniel's Running Formula" by Jack Daniels. Great information in there.

emmaleigh47

Thank you for the advice. I am concerned about increasing my mileage more, when I went from 12-15 consistently to 15-20 consistently my speed dropped, not got better.Although I do have one problem that I have noticed that I dont see other people have... according to a pace caclulator by my 5K time, my half marathon time should be significantly slower... and its not. My 10K time... 10 mile time, and half marathon time are all basically the same pace. I dont tend to drop the pace much when I run... but I settle into this nice even 14:00/mile jog...

LOL, I am so slow that at the YMCA I run the in the walk lane, because I dont want to hold people up!

MrX8503

They key to increasing your running speed is intensity.

If you want to be faster, cut your mileage down to 2miles and try to finish that in 20minutes. If you increase your running distance, you'll only get slower.

A way to get your body used to the increased strain is through hill running.

Keep doing that until your body is accustomed to a 10min mile, then convert back to distance running.

rybo

I think you have fallen into a rut of going slow and long since you were building up mileage and stamina. And that is slowing you down gradually.
To run faster, you have to.... run faster. I would push your limits a little with some shorter but faster paced runs. If all you do are long slow runs, you will just get better at long slow runs.
There's a book by Hal Higdon called "How to Run Faster" (I'm pretty sure that's the title)that I think is pretty good because it applies for anyone regardless of starting speed.

frogtox

I had a friend tell me that if I wanted to run faster I'd have to run faster. Uh, yeah...

So, you can do that! Sprints, fartleks or tempo runs are all great for building speed.

But my secret weapon is hillwork. Hills are speedwork in disguise. If you can increase the incline on your 'mill or find a hill or two to trudge up and down once or twice a week you'll get faster.

GOOD LUCK!

gdunn55

They key to increasing your running speed is intensity.

If you want to be faster, cut your mileage down to 2miles and try to finish that in 20minutes. If you increase your running distance, you'll only get slower.

A way to get your body used to the increased strain is through hill running.

Keep doing that until your body is accustomed to a 10min mile, then convert back to distance running.

The military does something called Hills and Flats. One day you run on a flat surface the next a hilly surface, and I'm not talking about just a gentle sloop, I"m talking about a big *kitten* hill that puts you to the test. Also I know on some bases they have Meta-Miles which are trails that are nothing but sand. The sand helps strengthen their running. I done it for a few months. When I started this routine I was running 12 minute miles, and I was able to shave a minute off my mile time.. Currently I'm running about a 9 minute mile.

mlb929

I did P90X just for this reason, and I'm going to do insanity when I finish P90X in 4 weeks. My MPM was 11:11 when I started P90X and had finished my marathon at that rate. I"m now at 9:20 on my runs. I also started with just short runs fast and went a little longer on each run.

emmaleigh47

Thank you for the advice. Im excited to try the new ideas. Im hoping too that once I get outside i will be going a bit faster.
I am going to start a 5K prep class which is training on hills once a week -- and then I am going to try and encorporate short sprints once a week as well...

Plus I start P90X on February 7th or 14th...
Hopefully all of the above will work!