Did tracking your friends or favorite bloggers during today’s Boston Marathon inspire you to run faster? While I may never qualify for Boston, running this race remains an item on my race bucket list and seeing friends fight through the heat and headwinds today, inspired me to push through this week’s workouts. After a few Epsom salt baths (these are my favorite), a deep tissue massage and lots of stretching, I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning’s run! Fingers crossed my body allows me to continue training to run stronger and faster!
Jacket – Shirt – Socks – Shoes
If you have your eye on setting a new PR (personal record) or becoming a faster, more confident runner, the number one tip I can give you is to run faster during training. I spent far too many years training at a steady state or comfortable speed, never pushing outside my comfort zone. Then, on race day, I went into panic mode when I felt that heart pumping, sweat inducing, energy rush and short of breath feeling that comes with racing. The more often you run at previously uncomfortable paces, the more accustomed your body will become. Here are a few of my favorite workouts that have helped me improve my half marathon time from 2:36 to 2:00 over the years.
Benefits of Speed Training
- Improve your running form and efficiency
- Help your body become accustomed to quick feet and stride
- Burns more calories than steady state running
- Increased cardiovascular benefits than steady state running
- Can be performed on the treadmill or outside
Five Speed Workout Posts I Reference Often – Since I am not a certified running coach, I look to other bloggers and resources for advice. These are the ones that I have used, recommended and referenced multiple times for both tips, tricks and the workout included.
Two Speed Workouts for New-ish Runners from Mile Posts and Women’s Running
Speed Work for Distance Runners from Sublimely Fit
Three Workouts to Increase Pain Tolerance from Runner’s World
Mile High Run Club 30 minute workout for Runner’s World
Two Treadmill Workouts to Improve Speed from FITaspire
As my massage therapist reminded me tonight, both the warm-up and cool-down become even more important when running faster. Don’t forget to spend five minutes doing dynamic warm-up such as lunges, butt kicks, high knees, hip openers and grapevines moves before you start!
All pictures courtesy of the talented Lydia Hudgens.
Great post! That’s a HUGE PR by the way so congrats fitst off. I love sublimely fit and follow her blog but need to check out the other articles. One workout I’ve started incorporating into my marathon training for speed is the 2 miler repeat. It’s KILLER. But, I swear it’s put some major confidence in my game. I think speed work is also a big confidence boost. I’m hoping to qualify for Boston in Nashville this month!!!
Thanks! The PR definitely didn’t happen overnight – that’s for sure! Yeah going fast for 2 miles is TOUGH for sure!!
Great roundup & I’m so honored you used some of my workouts for training. So glad to hear they helped – that’s my favorite kind of complement!! 🙂
Of course! They are awesome!
The advice to get faster is always to go faster. Unfortunately easier said than done!
I know it’s easier said than done but pushing yourself hard works, slowly but surely! Even if it’s for a 30 second increment!
Thanks – great insight; off to check out the links. Thank you!
Thanks Michele!
Thanks for the round-up of training posts! I’m definitely looking to shave some time off my current PR.