How can I become a faster runner?

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  • Domane1963
    Domane1963 Posts: 85 Member
    What has made a big difference to my speed and stamina is "playing around" on the treadmill at the gym. I recently joined, with a view to staying warm and dry over winter but it took me a while to apply myself to distance running because let's face it, it is dull as ditchwater running on the spot when you've been used to running outside. So instead I did things like power-walking up steep inclines (no holding on) for ten minutes..... then sprinting for a minute on the flat.... then back to walking uphill for five minutes.... chopping and changing. Then I hopped on the static bike and did five minutes of HIIT, 30 seconds high speed, 30 seconds easy cycling. I did this three times a week for a couple of weeks and when I next ran outdoors, I found that I had already knocked two minutes off my 5km speed and could run up hills that I'd previously had to walk. That was only after a fortnight in the gym!

    I should also add that I'm 50 and only started c25k in May so I'm not a seasoned runner at all!!
  • spangler1972
    spangler1972 Posts: 18 Member
    Well, like others have said, you become a faster runner by training that involves running faster. If you want to run faster and longer, train by running incrementally faster and longer. Your body will be forced to adapt.

    Treadmills can be very helpful with creating a specific training regimen. As far as what I specifically did, it was an incremental load:
    1) Set a pace and time that that was doable, but was going to be adequately strenuous (chose the 'hill' setting for elevation changes).
    2) Run every other day, or three days a week. You want to push yourself, then recover.
    3) Run 1: 30 minute pace @ X mph. You have to run the whole time at that pace, no excuses. Start off with a speed that lets you do that.
    4) Run 2-7: Increase your run time by 5 minutes. By run #7, you should now be running X mph for 60 minutes.
    5) Run 8: Back to 30 minute run, but add 0.5 mph.
    6) Repeat steps 3-5.

    If you do this, you should be able to make linear gains in speed + endurance for quite a while. Obviously, adjust the increments in time and speed for you if needed, but the important thing is to keep adding more than last time. There will be some limit, of course, but you can probably improve your pace this way over the course of several months.

    Good luck!
  • aairs1
    aairs1 Posts: 53 Member
    I also just finished the C25K program with Run double and ran my first race at the end of September finishing just under 32 min. Since then I have been using the 5k improver app on Run double. It is a interval training program that is 14 weeks long. I am going to try to finish that and then run another 5k to see how much I improved.
  • KatrinaWilke
    KatrinaWilke Posts: 372 Member
    1) more miles

    2) more miles

    3) more miles

    speedwork won't get you very far if you lack aerobic fitness - maybe some fartleks here and there

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    couldn't have said it better.
    Another vote for more miles.
    Over the course of 18 months, I have gone from a couch to 5k plan to running between 25 and 30 miles a week with no focus on intervals. My times have dropped from 11 min/mile to 8 min/mile. Just now starting to really focus on my running form and some speed training. All of this progression has been injury free as well.

    Good luck.

    Yep! Another vote. When I started running, I could barely go a quarter mile without dying. I worked my way up to a half-marathon and now run a lot of 5k's. I started with 11 min/miles and now I can maintain 8-9 min/miles easily.

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