IMPROVE YOUR SPEED FOR RUNNING

Running has always been a great outlet for me. Ever since I can remember I loved to run, just getting outside and running around. Whether it be playing tag with friends in the school yard, chasing after cows on my farm, or running through trails or a cross country race. Life's struggles and stresses seem to just melt away and solutions to any of my problems seem to come to fruition. I get a feeling of total freedom, as if I have no boundaries and that my feet can take me anywhere.

Running is one of those sports where all you need is your legs and a willingness to get out there no matter the conditions. Whether you are someone who does it to get away from reality or someone who is competitive and wants to win every race they enter into or just someone who does it socially with friends. It doesn't matter why you're doing it, just that you are getting out there and doing it. 

If you are one of those people who is social or just runs to get out and run, and are not looking to improve your speed over a certain distance then this article may not be for you, but if you are interested in getting faster or just to get a great fat burning work out in then read on.

When I run, the repetition of doing long run after long run gets boring to me, and this type of steady state tempo can only get you so far before you plateau.  If you are wanting to improve your overall speed and stamina for a 10K run try incorporating some intervals or hill sprints in with your longer runs. These intervals will be hard and roughly hit your 70-85% max speed.  If you are like me and have run on a track way too many times in your life, head to a near by trail or grassy area and keep track of time with a  watch and landmarks vs running around in circles on the ole rubber track.

My breakdown of a 4 week training cycle would look like this. Now this is if you are already capable of running a 10K event, not just a beginner. If you are a beginner runner, you can do this as well just change any of the 10K runs to 5K and change the shorter tempo runs to 2-3K runs. On the week 3 Wednesday work out, change to 3 x 1-1.5K tempo runs. 

If you are someone who isn't really interested in running long distances but want to run, incorporate just the sprint intervals and hills into your normal weekly work out or weight lifting routine and reap the fat burning benefits this type of work out can supply.

Week 1

• Monday: Test day 10K run - take a base line time
• Tuesday: Rest (Yoga/Stretch)
• Wedneday: Hills- 10min warm up / 5 x 50m strides / 6 x 30sec hill* sprint with 90sec rest bw / 10min cool down
• Thursday: 5K tempo run
• Friday: Rest (Yoga Stretch)
• Saturday: Intervals- 10min warm up / 6 x 30sec sprint intervals on flat or rollers with 60sec rest bw
• Sunday: longer run 8-12K

Week 2

• Monday: 5K tempo run
• Tuesday: Rest (Yoga/Stretch)
• Wedneday: Hill: 10min warm up / 5 x 50m strides / 8 x 30sec hill with 75sec rest / 10min cool down
• Thursday: 5K tempo run 
• Friday: Intervals: 10min warm up / 8 x 45sec sprints with 60sec rest bw / 10min cool down
• Saturday: Rest (Yoga/Stretch)
• Sunday: 8-12K run

Week 3

• Monday: Rest (Yoga/Stretch)
• Tuesday: Intervals - 10min warm up / 8 x 60sec sprints with 60sec rest bw sets / 10 min cool down
• Wedneday: 3 x 2.5K tempo runs with 5min rest bw sets - you know you will have the right speed if your times for your 2.5K are consistent (max of 15 sec apart)
• Thursday: Intervals - 10min warm up / 10 x 60sec sprints with 60esc rest bw / 10min cool down
• Friday: Hills - 10min warm up / 5 x 50m strides / 8 x 45sec hills with 90sec rest / 10min cool down
• Saturday: 5K tempo run
• Sunday: 8-12K run

Week 4

• Monday: Rest (Yoga/Stretch)
• Tuesday: Hills - 10min warm up / 5 x 50m strides / 12 x 20sec sprints with 60sec rest / 10min cool down
• Wedneday: 5K tempo run
• Thursday: Intervals - 10min warm up / 5 x 50m strides / 8 x 60sec sprints with 60sec rest bw / 10min cool down
• Friday: 5K moderate run
• Saturday: Rest (Yoga/Stretch)
• Sunday: Re-test Day - the same 10K run you did on Week 1 Day 1

*For you Hill Sprint find a hill that has an incline that is doable at a good speed. You should be able to power up the hill with a decent stride