Abby Rotman posted on May 27, 2010 15:15
Many runners fail to recognize the importance of incorporating speed and strength based workouts into their training. Even endurance athletes benefit from speed work. Going on log runs at a comfortable pace will only help you improve so much. In order to be a faster runner, you have to actually run faster!
Here are a few strength and speed workouts to add to your workout routine:
½ mile repeats: If your pace for a 10k is an 8 minute mile, you should complete the ½ mile in under 4 mins. Try doing 4 reps, with the recovery intervals about the same duration as the work intervals. As you become more advanced, try decreasing the duration of the recovery intervals or running the repeats with negative splits, which means the repeats get faster each time.
Hill repeats: 5-10 reps of a steep 100-200m hill; All out sprint to the top. Shorten your stride, push off hard, lift your knees and drive to the top. Slowly jog to the bottom of the hill for an active recovery.
Incorporating these workouts into your routine will help you become a more balanced runner and athlete. If the thought of doing these workouts on your own seems daunting, join the Cycle Life running group at 7am on Tuesdays and 6pm on Wednesdays. Happy training!