Picking up running speed

Pappabacon
Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am trying to pick up some speed on my longer runs. I am currently running 5 days a week at around an 8 minute pace up to 3 miles. I am trying to get under 7 minutes per mile. Is it better to do tempo type runs (run at my normal pace for 2 minutes, faster pace for a minute and alternate between the two for my entire run) or take 2 days a week to do a hiit type workout (max run 400m, walk/jog 400m x 4)? Not sure what is more effective for building the speed. Any help is appreciated.

Replies

  • MorbidNTT
    MorbidNTT Posts: 43 Member
    HIIT won't likley help you build up speed. Try tempo type runs. When I ran I would use a song to decide when to go all out, Example: Normal/ Steady Beat= Steady Pace, when it turns Heavy or Fast I burn it up.

    Building up speed takes a lot of time and effort, in my experience.
  • IAmFranciscoB
    IAmFranciscoB Posts: 125
    Stick to the Fartlek workouts and tailor them to your liking. usually shorter bursts of speed and rest over a longer period of time will build speed. Thats what we used to do in cross country.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the time proven method to increase you speed (by increasing your level of fitness) is to run more miles at your easy run pace. Before speed work can be really effective, you have to have the appropriate aerobic base to support it. You get this by running lots of easy miles, over time (think months).

    ETA: I think it's important to mention that if you are running all those run at the fastest pace you can and are looking to lower your training run pace, then you are going about it backwards. Slow down those runs. Save the fast running for race day and for the hard workout (usually 3 or fewer during a week).
  • brandyk77
    brandyk77 Posts: 605 Member
    This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the time proven method to increase you speed (by increasing your level of fitness) is to run more miles at your easy run pace. Before speed work can be really effective, you have to have the appropriate aerobic base to support it. You get this by running lots of easy miles, over time (think months).

    ETA: I think it's important to mention that if you are running all those run at the fastest pace you can and are looking to lower your training run pace, then you are going about it backwards. Slow down those runs. Save the fast running for race day and for the hard workout (usually 3 or fewer during a week).

    THIS

    as my coach likes to say "there are no awards for training runs" every workout has its place and you shouldn't be focused on racing each run
  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
    This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the time proven method to increase you speed (by increasing your level of fitness) is to run more miles at your easy run pace. Before speed work can be really effective, you have to have the appropriate aerobic base to support it. You get this by running lots of easy miles, over time (think months).

    ETA: I think it's important to mention that if you are running all those run at the fastest pace you can and are looking to lower your training run pace, then you are going about it backwards. Slow down those runs. Save the fast running for race day and for the hard workout (usually 3 or fewer during a week).

    This is pushing it for me. I'll try to slow it down 3 of the 5 days and doing shorter faster runs 2 days a week. Does this sound like a good way to go about it?
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the time proven method to increase you speed (by increasing your level of fitness) is to run more miles at your easy run pace. Before speed work can be really effective, you have to have the appropriate aerobic base to support it. You get this by running lots of easy miles, over time (think months).

    ETA: I think it's important to mention that if you are running all those run at the fastest pace you can and are looking to lower your training run pace, then you are going about it backwards. Slow down those runs. Save the fast running for race day and for the hard workout (usually 3 or fewer during a week).

    This is pushing it for me. I'll try to slow it down 3 of the 5 days and doing shorter faster runs 2 days a week. Does this sound like a good way to go about it?

    Not ideal, but better than hammering every run, I think.
  • kylTKe
    kylTKe Posts: 146 Member
    A tempo run usually refers to a consistent medium-hard effort run around your race pace. What you're talking about is more fartlek or interval work.

    From the sounds of it, you would benefit greatly from increased mileage. You don't have enough of a base yet to worry about tempo runs. The usual advice is to increase by 10% per week. However, I would think you'll probably be okay with adding 5 miles a week for 2 or 3 weeks and then sticking to that increased mileage.

    Good luck.
  • crazylikefox
    crazylikefox Posts: 100
    Stick to the Fartlek workouts and tailor them to your liking. usually shorter bursts of speed and rest over a longer period of time will build speed. Thats what we used to do in cross country.

    Fartleks are what my husband and I use to gain speed to pass our 1.5 mile run test. For that distance, fartleks work and they work well in my experience.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    My typical training plans include a tempo run, and one day of speedwork/intervals or hill work and a long slow run. Someone posted this the other day and i thought it was great
    http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/calcUsage/calculate
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Stick to the Fartlek workouts and tailor them to your liking. usually shorter bursts of speed and rest over a longer period of time will build speed. Thats what we used to do in cross country.

    Fartleks are what my husband and I use to gain speed to pass our 1.5 mile run test. For that distance, fartleks work and they work well in my experience.

    Lol , the dreaded 1.5 mile test , yes.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Three tips:

    1) more miles
    2) more miles
    3) more miles

    increase your endurance and the speed will follow naturally
  • PeakToValley
    PeakToValley Posts: 8 Member
    ^^^THIS
  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
    Ok, got it! I'll just keep running. Worry about the speed after a few months of adding on some miles. So if I am looking to run a 7 minute pace 3-5 mile run what kind of eventual mileage should I be running? 10 miles a day on my slow pace days? And if 8 is pushing it for me, should I be shooting for 9 minute miles on these long runs?
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    If you have a recent race time, plug it into the McMillian calculator. It will tell you what paces you should be running for all your workouts.

    http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/calcUsage/calculate
  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
    If you have a recent race time, plug it into the McMillian calculator. It will tell you what paces you should be running for all your workouts.

    http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/index.php/calcUsage/calculate

    Wow, that's a pretty sweet tool. So I plugged in my most recent 5k times and it gave me a bunch of numbers for what the pace should be for each thing. My question is how should my week breakdown? There are "endurance runs," (with 3 options)" stamina workouts," (with 3 options) "speed workouts," and "sprint workouts.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Running 5 days a week, I would suggest you run easy pace 4 days. On one of those days, do strides at the end of the run (4 to 10 comfortably hard repeats of 15 to 30 seconds with a minute between each. Start with 4 for a month, then go to 6, etc. Same thing with the duration). For the 5th run, do 20 minutes of tempo toward the end of the run. Warm up for 3 miles, then do 20 mins at the tempo pace, then do a mile cool down. Something like that. 85% or more of your running should be at that easy run pace.

    Make sense?
  • Tribbey143
    Tribbey143 Posts: 388 Member
    Bump
  • angel823
    angel823 Posts: 190 Member
    This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but the time proven method to increase you speed (by increasing your level of fitness) is to run more miles at your easy run pace. Before speed work can be really effective, you have to have the appropriate aerobic base to support it. You get this by running lots of easy miles, over time (think months).

    ETA: I think it's important to mention that if you are running all those run at the fastest pace you can and are looking to lower your training run pace, then you are going about it backwards. Slow down those runs. Save the fast running for race day and for the hard workout (usually 3 or fewer during a week).

    i can definately second this I have gained more speed by running more miles at my normal speed
  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
    Running 5 days a week, I would suggest you run easy pace 4 days. On one of those days, do strides at the end of the run (4 to 10 comfortably hard repeats of 15 to 30 seconds with a minute between each. Start with 4 for a month, then go to 6, etc. Same thing with the duration). For the 5th run, do 20 minutes of tempo toward the end of the run. Warm up for 3 miles, then do 20 mins at the tempo pace, then do a mile cool down. Something like that. 85% or more of your running should be at that easy run pace.

    Make sense?

    Sounds great, did this today. Long slow run at my "Easy Run" pace. Followed by strides. Thanks for the help.
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    No problem. I'll do anything for bacon. :laugh:
  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
    No problem. I'll do anything for bacon. :laugh:

    Good one!

    As an aside. How much time between my run and beginning the strides? On Friday when I finished up I took like 5 minutes and then did the strides. Is that ok?
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    No problem. I'll do anything for bacon. :laugh:

    Good one!

    As an aside. How much time between my run and beginning the strides? On Friday when I finished up I took like 5 minutes and then did the strides. Is that ok?

    That's fine or you can just roll right into them without any break. Either one.
  • Pappabacon
    Pappabacon Posts: 104 Member
    Just wanted to update this. Been doing a lot of long ready runs for the past few weeks and today tried to run a mile for time. I cut about 20 seconds off my previous best one mile time, do it appears to be working. Thanks again!
  • CarsonRuns
    CarsonRuns Posts: 3,039 Member
    Just wanted to update this. Been doing a lot of long ready runs for the past few weeks and today tried to run a mile for time. I cut about 20 seconds off my previous best one mile time, do it appears to be working. Thanks again!

    Well done!

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