It’s a pretty safe generalization to say that nearly every runner would love to run faster. Even if you are not competitive and do not take part in races, running faster feels good and is certainly a nice boost to the ego if nothing else.
But, how do you become a faster runner? What are the best workouts to run faster? What are the best tips to become a faster runner?
In this guide to how to run faster, we will discuss the best ways to improve your performance so that you can hit your goal times, smash your PRs, or simply become a faster runner.
As a certified running coach, one of the most frequently asked questions is, “How do I run faster?”
In fact, whether I am coaching beginners or experienced runners, almost every runner would love to improve their running speed.
However, what exactly does it mean when runners say they want to run faster?
Does this mean that they want to improve their top speed in a sprint? Do they want to improve their average running pace for a longer distance race such as a 5k, 10k, half marathon, or even marathon?
Although technically asking how to become a faster runner could refer to either scenario, most runners I work with are interested in improving their running speed or average running pace for longer distance events.
How Can I Increase My Running Speed For a 10k or Half-Marathon?
You will improve your running performance if you can maintain a faster running pace without fatigue.
Generally, this mainly involves increasing the lactate threshold for most distance runners.
Your lactate threshold, sometimes referred to as the anaerobic threshold, is the point at which your body starts rapidly accumulating blood lactate and hydrogen ions (the dissociation of lactic acid) due to the reliance on anaerobic glycolysis for energy production instead of aerobic metabolism.
The higher your lactate threshold, the faster you can run or the higher the intensity you can sustain before crossing over into the anaerobic zone.
Once you work above your lactate threshold, fatigue sets in rapidly, and you will experience the uncomfortable burning sensation in your legs and lungs as acidic byproducts of anaerobic metabolism (once thought to be lactic acid) start building up in your muscles and bloodstream.1Sun, S., Li, H., Chen, J., & Qian, Q. (2017). Lactic Acid: No Longer an Inert and End-Product of Glycolysis.Physiology,32(6), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00016.2017
Therefore, training techniques to run faster or become a faster runner for distance runners are largely centered around increasing the lactate threshold, or your body‘s ability to clear lactate and buffer acid at higher intensities.
This involves not only doing threshold runs and tempo runs, specifically performed at the lactate threshold pace, but also improving your VO2 max and running economy.
If you can run with more efficiency (better running economy) and you have a stronger and more efficient aerobic system (higher VO2 max), you will also be able to produce energy aerobically at a faster running speed.2Barnes, K. R., & Kilding, A. E. (2014). Strategies to Improve Running Economy.Sports Medicine,45(1), 37–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0246-y
This, too, will translate to better running performance for long-distance races.
Additionally, though usually less of a major focus when you are training to run faster, it is also important to do speed work that targets your all-out running speed or maximum speed.
This is because training your fast-twitch muscles and your muscular system for high-intensity running improves turnover, running power, fast-twitch muscle strength, and anaerobic metabolic systems.
Finally, strength training and increasing your running power will also help you run faster.3Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). Effects of Strength Training on Running Economy in Highly Trained Runners.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,30(8), 2361–2368. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001316
Stronger muscles, bones, connective tissues, and joints help you run fast because you can generate more explosive force and power, and strength training also decreases the risk of injury.
Strength training can help correct muscle imbalances caused by the repetitive nature of running.
The stronger your musculoskeletal system is, the easier your own body weight will feel when you are running, which again can help you run faster but also decrease the risk of injuries.
Therefore, well-rounded training plans for distance runners should include speed workouts at various running speeds and different types of running workouts with longer distances, shorter distances, and strength training workouts.
Ready? Let’s get into our tips for how to get faster at running!
How To Run Faster: 15 Expert Tips
Here are some of the top workouts and training modalities you can implement for how to get faster at running:
#1: Build Your Base
There’s no shortcut to improving your cardiovascular fitness.
Gradually increasing the distance or duration of a long run in addition to base building with general distance runs will help improve your endurance, aerobic capacity (VO2 max), and running economy.
A solid aerobic base is important to build endurance before you start layering speed training into your training plan.
#2: Follow a Training Plan
Following a training plan geared specifically towards the race distance or goal race times that you aim for will be the most effective and efficient way to hit your goal race times and improve your running performance.
Haphazardly heading out the door and just going for an easy run every day or occasionally throwing in random speed workouts will likely not help progress you toward your goals.
The best training plans for long-distance runners have speed training combined with easy days, cross-training, strength training, and workouts involving running at different running speeds to develop all aspects of your cardiovascular and metabolic systems.
Your training plan should gradually build up in both training volume and running speeds without being too aggressive.
Remember, you need to build endurance before you can build speed.
#3: Add Tempo Runs
Tempo runs are a type of threshold workout performed continuously for a minimum of 20 minutes at your lactate threshold running pace.
#4: Run Hill Sprints
As a running coach, I find that many distance runners don’t take advantage of the benefits of hill sprints in a training plan.
Even if you are training for longer distances like the half marathon or marathon, hill sprints should be a foundational part of your training plan as you build up towards race day.
Hill sprints are a great way to add high-intensity speed work that combines strength training due to the resistance imposed by running uphill.
Doing hill sprints is a great way to improve your running form, increase your turnover, and build speed.
#5: Do Interval Workouts
Interval training can be done on the track with faster-running repeats of a given distance at a specific speed, or you can do high-intensity interval training runs like a fartlek (a Swedish term for speed play) pickups built into a distance run.
For a fartlek workout, you intersperse bursts of faster running—the speed play—into a distance run without stopping between each fartlek pick-up.
For example, you might run 5 miles with 10×45 seconds at mile race pace or 5k pace incorporated in the run.
This type of speed workout is a great way for runners to build speed without having to do formal track workouts if they find those intimidating or don’t have access to a track.
Ensure you do a thorough warm-up and cool down on either end of the fartlek intervals.
Track intervals such as 12×400 m, 6×800 m, 5×1000 m, or 3 x 1 mile are some of the best workouts to run faster.
Generally, this type of interval training should be done at your 5k pace or a VO2 max pace unless you are closing in on race day for a half marathon or marathon, in which case you might dial back to tempo run pace or even half marathon pace.
Here, again, it is important to do a warm-up and cool down. You generally want to do a full recovery for high-intensity intervals of shorter distances and a partial recovery when you are doing race pace speed work.
#6: Take Rest Days
It may seem counterintuitive that taking a rest day would actually help you become a faster runner, but to run faster, your body has to be healthy and recovered.
Rest days are essential for giving your muscles, connective tissues, joints, and bones, time to recover and strengthen based on the running workouts you have been doing.
Beginners should start with a rest day every other day of the week. Even advanced runners should take at least one rest day per week.
You can do active recovery if you are healthy and experienced.
Examples of active recovery workouts would include walking, foam rolling, gentle yoga, Pilates, or tai chi.
#7: Incorporate Strength Training
As mentioned, strength training is a foundational component of a training program for runners, though it is often overlooked or neglected by many long-distance runners.
In addition to bodyweight exercises such as walking lunges, squats, push-ups, pull-ups, planks, and exercises for your core muscles, the best strength training workouts for runners actually involve lifting heavy weights for fewer reps and focusing on building power and explosive strength.
It is important to lift heavy weights because if you think about the nature of running, you are already working with your body weight for hundreds or thousands of reps in a row.
Therefore, you are building good muscular endurance but not a tremendous amount of maximum strength for high-force production.
However, as mentioned, the primary goals of strength training for runners are to strengthen your musculoskeletal system to reduce the risk of injuries and strengthen your fast-twitch muscles for greater running power and maximum force production.4STØREN, Ø., HELGERUD, J., STØA, E. M., & HOFF, J. (2008). Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy in Distance Runners.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,40(6), 1087–1092.
Therefore, the best strength training exercises for running faster incorporate heavier weights and dynamic high-intensity power-based exercises such as plyometrics.
Examples include box jumps, weighted step-ups, heavy squats, Bulgarian split squats, kettlebell swings, and exercises for the upper body, such as chest presses, thrusters, lat pull-downs, and overhead presses.
Target all of the major muscles worked by running, including the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, quads, calves, shins, core muscles, upper back muscles, biceps, triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles.
Of course, you can still incorporate bodyweight exercises like lunges, squats, and push-ups into dynamic warm-ups, and core exercises are also very helpful for improving your running form, but make sure that your strength training program includes weightlifting exercises and plyometrics to build speed.5Saunders, P. U., Pyne, D. B., Telford, R. D., & Hawley, J. A. (2004). Factors Affecting Running Economy in Trained Distance Runners.Sports Medicine,34(7), 465–485.
#8: Sprint With Strides
Strides are one of the foundational types of running drills that you can add to the end of a run to improve your maximum speed, neuromuscular coordination, and turnover.
As such, when working with runners of all fitness levels and distances, I almost always have my athletes run strides for at least part of one or two weekly workouts.
Adding strides at the end of a run helps build in faster running on an easy day to keep your legs sharp.
#9: Correct Muscle Imbalances
In addition to a dedicated strength training program for building speed and strength through high-intensity exercises, it is also important to identify and correct muscle imbalances that might compromise your running form, running technique, or running economy.
For example, many runners have weak glutes, particularly the gluteus medius, a key hip abductor that provides stability to the pelvis.
Weakness in this muscle will not only compromise your running technique by causing excessive pelvic dropping in rotation, but it can also increase the risk of injury.6Semciw, A., Neate, R., & Pizzari, T. (2016). Running related gluteus medius function in health and injury: A systematic review with meta-analysis.Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology,30, 98–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.06.005
If you get injured from your training program, you won’t be able to consistently train or follow the running workouts you are slated to do.
Many runners who fail to meet their running performance goals in a race fall short because they had to take time off from their training plan due to an injury leading up to race day.7Videbæk, S., Bueno, A. M., Nielsen, R. O., & Rasmussen, S. (2015). Incidence of Running-Related Injuries Per 1000h of running in Different Types of Runners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports Medicine,45(7), 1017–1026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0333-8
Although you can often do cross-training instead of running workouts, missing too many speed workouts or longer distance runs because you are nursing an injury will generally compromise your potential race times.
#10: Dial In Your Diet
Talking about weight loss can start to tread into murky waters because body weight can be a triggering issue for many distance runners, as eating disorders are common in distance running.
However, working with a registered dietitian or nutritionist to safely and gradually lose weight can help you run faster if you are overweight or carry excess body weight.
On the other hand, if you are at a healthy body weight, trying to lose weight or failing to fill your body properly with enough carbs and calories, in general, will actually lead to worse race times, a greater risk of injury, poor recovery, low energy, among other more severe health problems.
That said, whether you are trying to gain, lose, or support your body weight, fueling your body with nutritious foods is essential to staying healthy and running faster.
You not only need to follow a well-rounded diet with enough calories, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water in your everyday diet, but you also need to fuel well before, during, and right after longer runs and hard workouts.
Particularly for marathon and half marathon training, you should ingest carbs, electrolytes, and water or other fluids during your long runs and longer-distance workouts.
Generally, if you will be running for more than an hour, you should be taking in at least some electrolytes.
As you approach 90 minutes or more of running, you should be fueling with carbs while you run.8Naderi, A., Gobbi, N., Ali, A., Berjisian, E., Hamidvand, A., Forbes, S. C., Koozehchian, M. S., Karayigit, R., & Saunders, B. (2023). Carbohydrates and Endurance Exercise: A Narrative Review of a Food First Approach.Nutrients,15(6), 1367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061367
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), ingesting 30–60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during endurance exercise is ideal.9American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). Nutrition and Athletic Performance.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,41(3), 709–731. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31890eb86
This equates to 120-240 calories of carbohydrates per hour. These carbohydrates can come from sports beverages, energy gels or chews, or foods such as dried fruit, pretzels, bananas, or honey packets.
This will help ensure that you don’t fully deplete your glycogen stores for long runs, which can cause “bonking“ or needing to slow your running speed significantly.
The standard recommendation for carbohydrate refueling after exercise is to consume 0.6–1.0 g/kg carbohydrate within 30 min and again every 2 h for the next 4–6 h.10Jentjens, R. L. P. G., van Loon, L. J. C., Mann, C. H., Wagenmakers, A. J. M., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2001). Addition of protein and amino acids to carbohydrates does not enhance postexercise muscle glycogen synthesis.Journal of Applied Physiology,91(2), 839–846. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.2.839
In terms of protein, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes consume at least 1.2–2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.11ACSM Certification Blog and Articles. (n.d.). ACSM_CMS. https://www.acsm.org/all-blog-posts/certification-blog/acsm-certified-blog/2021/01/25/nutrient-ratios-for-strength-training
For example, a runner weighing 154 pounds (70 kg) should consume at least 84-140 grams of protein daily to meet their physiological needs.
#11: Use Cross-Training Workouts
Cross-training refers to any type of exercise other than running, such as cycling, swimming, aqua jogging, rowing, rollerblading, cross-country skiing, dancing, and using an elliptical trainer or stair stepper.
Most running coaches and programs recommend that runners focus on low-impact cross-training exercises to reduce the musculoskeletal impact stresses of running.
Cross-training is one of the best ways for runners to build endurance and add volume to their training program while minimizing the risk of injury.
Essentially, cross-training can serve as a preventive measure against injuries by reducing the impact forces on your muscles, joints, bones, tendons, and ligaments, adding variation to the repetitive stresses imposed by distance running, and correcting muscle imbalances by strengthening opposing muscles worked by running.
The best cross-training workouts for runners complement the muscular demands of running using opposing muscles or different movement patterns.
For example, cycling puts different demands on your quads, glutes, hip flexors, core muscles, and hamstrings, which can be a good adjunct to running.
#12: Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is essential to recovering from all of the mileage, speed work, strength training, cross-training, and everyday physical activity you are doing.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, adults need at least 7 to 9 hours a night, and distance runners often need even more sleep to recover.12Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., Hazen, N., Herman, J., Adams Hillard, P. J., Katz, E. S., Kheirandish-Gozal, L., Neubauer, D. N., O’Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., & Ware, J. C. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations: final report.Sleep Health,1(4), 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004
#13: Work On Your Running Form
Proper running form or running technique is one of the lowest-hanging fruits to run faster.
If you are running with poor running technique or have problematic biomechanics, you not only increase your risk of injury but also compromise your running economy and running speed.13Anderson, T. (1996). Biomechanics and Running Economy.Sports Medicine,22(2), 76–89. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199622020-00003
You can get a running forum analysis at a running shoe store, and examining the soles of your used running shoes can also provide insight into potential running stride issues.
Working with a running coach and practicing running drills focusing on aspects of your running technique that need work can help you correct running form problems.
Some of the most common running technique mistakes I see in the long-distance runners that I coach include shuffling the feet, excessive arm swing across the body instead of front and back, excessive hip or trunk rotation, overstriding, heel striking, and landing too hard on the ground.14Souza, R. B. (2016). An Evidence-Based Videotaped Running Biomechanics Analysis.Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America,27(1), 217–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2015.08.006
#14: Practice Visualization
Athletes often focus on the big picture parts of training for sports or competitions, namely workouts and diet.
However, while you certainly have to put in the work in your physical training and keep your nutrition on point if you want to optimize athletic performance, there are other strategies you can employ to improve exercise performance, including sports meditation.
Visualization and sports meditation with positive imagery can potentially help improve running performance, calm your nerves on race day, and help you run faster.
#15: Work On Your Pacing
Doing race pace workouts—and frankly, getting out there and racing more often—will also help you get more comfortable with running faster and pacing yourself in long-distance races.
Consider working with a running coach to find the most effective training plan to help you reach your running goals.
Here at Marathon Handbook, we offer free training plans and have a team of running coaches here to help you run faster, longer, and stronger.
1:1 Online Run Coaching From Marathon Handbook
References
- 1
Sun, S., Li, H., Chen, J., & Qian, Q. (2017). Lactic Acid: No Longer an Inert and End-Product of Glycolysis.Physiology,32(6), 453–463. https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00016.2017
- 2
Barnes, K. R., & Kilding, A. E. (2014). Strategies to Improve Running Economy.Sports Medicine,45(1), 37–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0246-y
- 3
Balsalobre-Fernández, C., Santos-Concejero, J., & Grivas, G. V. (2016). Effects of Strength Training on Running Economy in Highly Trained Runners.Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,30(8), 2361–2368. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001316
- 4
STØREN, Ø., HELGERUD, J., STØA, E. M., & HOFF, J. (2008). Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy in Distance Runners.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,40(6), 1087–1092.
- 5
Saunders, P. U., Pyne, D. B., Telford, R. D., & Hawley, J. A. (2004). Factors Affecting Running Economy in Trained Distance Runners.Sports Medicine,34(7), 465–485.
- 6
Semciw, A., Neate, R., & Pizzari, T. (2016). Running related gluteus medius function in health and injury: A systematic review with meta-analysis.Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology,30, 98–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.06.005
- 7
Videbæk, S., Bueno, A. M., Nielsen, R. O., & Rasmussen, S. (2015). Incidence of Running-Related Injuries Per 1000h of running in Different Types of Runners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports Medicine,45(7), 1017–1026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0333-8
- 8
Naderi, A., Gobbi, N., Ali, A., Berjisian, E., Hamidvand, A., Forbes, S. C., Koozehchian, M. S., Karayigit, R., & Saunders, B. (2023). Carbohydrates and Endurance Exercise: A Narrative Review of a Food First Approach.Nutrients,15(6), 1367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061367
- 9
American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). Nutrition and Athletic Performance.Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,41(3), 709–731. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31890eb86
- 10
Jentjens, R. L. P. G., van Loon, L. J. C., Mann, C. H., Wagenmakers, A. J. M., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2001). Addition of protein and amino acids to carbohydrates does not enhance postexercise muscle glycogen synthesis.Journal of Applied Physiology,91(2), 839–846. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.2.839
- 11
ACSM Certification Blog and Articles. (n.d.). ACSM_CMS. https://www.acsm.org/all-blog-posts/certification-blog/acsm-certified-blog/2021/01/25/nutrient-ratios-for-strength-training
- 12
Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., Hazen, N., Herman, J., Adams Hillard, P. J., Katz, E. S., Kheirandish-Gozal, L., Neubauer, D. N., O’Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., & Ware, J. C. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations: final report.Sleep Health,1(4), 233–243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004
- 13
Anderson, T. (1996). Biomechanics and Running Economy.Sports Medicine,22(2), 76–89. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199622020-00003
- 14
Souza, R. B. (2016). An Evidence-Based Videotaped Running Biomechanics Analysis.Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America,27(1), 217–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2015.08.006
