Whatever your goals as a runner, at some point you’ll find yourself saying: ‘I want to get faster!’ Find out how to increase your speed on shorter and longer distances with a new training plan.
Speed, distance and energy
If you want to increase your speed, the first thing to think about is the distance .
A sprinter needs an entirely different kind of training than a long-distance runner. And even improving your speed across 5 km or 10 km you’ll need to train differently than if you’re improving your full or half marathon time.
To understand the difference, it helps to look at what happens in your body when you run long distances.
On one level, running is about storing and burning energy. Comparing a marathon to a 5 km race, your body needs a different energy strategy. A 5 km race is about how fast your body can burn energy to sustain the high pace. In a marathon, on the other hand, what counts is how much energy you can store and conserve over the longer distance.
So how do you train for this?
Speed training
For shorter race distances like 5 km and 10 km, interval training is a great speed builder . This will condition your body to burn energy faster and build your cardio-respiratory fitness. Here are two variants you could try in your training:
- intervals , alternating 1 km fast-paced running with 2-5 minutes of slow jogging
- fast runs , providing speed training at one consistent speed above your comfort level
For full and half marathon distances you need to focus on fast-paced endurance runs . This will increase your endurance at speed running and condition your body to be efficient in storing and burning energy. Here are some you could try:
- build-up runs , starting at a moderate pace, increasing to a hard pace and again to a very hard pace
- fast runs , at one consistent speed above your comfort level. Depending on your plan, the distance can be increased over time
So if you’re looking to improve your speed, try to include these routines in your training plan.
Whatever training plan you adopt, remember to rest at least once a week and make sure to stretch before you head out running - this will help you prevent injuries and make sure you’re fit to stay on top of your training.
If you use an online tool like MY ASICS there are specific plans designed to help you build up your speed.
These are usually in the second phase called Getting Faster and allow you to build up your speed whether you’re training for a 5 km, 10 km, 5 mile, 10 mile, half or full marathon.
Just enter your goal and MY ASICS will give you a training plan designed to help you get there. It includes all the runs as well as rest days to help you stay on top of your training and minimise the risk of injury so you’re ready for the race.
Start a training plan with MY ASICS
Speed shoes
For serious speed training, you may want to think about an extra pair of shoes, specifically designed for fast running. Keep in mind that professional runners have a whole range of shoes to wear for different training types and distances, and that your feet will thank you for the added variety in footwear.
For fast training, these models are good options:
- most runners prefer the GEL-DS TRAINER
- experienced runners may like to try the GEL-HYPER33
- overpronators benefit from the GT-1000 series
