By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

As a running coach and trainer, I often get asked by people how they can get faster running. I’ve trained everyone from NYC Marathon runners to NYPD and FDNY runners who need to pass a run test, and I developed the best system to run faster. Whether you want to PR in a race or pass a run test, these are the best techniques to become a faster runner. The proven strategies have worked for everyone from pro athletes to runners that I coach.

Build Your Fitness Base

Before diving into speed workouts, first build your endurance with regular, relaxed pace runs. Do at least four to six weeks of base runs before adding high intensity workouts like speed training to your program. A regular running routine will ensure you have a strong fitness base, reducing your fatigue when you're running. A regular training schedule will also help you build your weekly mileage gradually, reducing your risk of injuries.

If you need a training plan, head to the Runstreet Training Center for a personalized program designed by a running coach and trainer.

You can improve your fitness by doing Zone 2 training. This training zone is low to moderate intensity and includes endurance training workouts such as base runs. If you’re training by heart rate, Zone 2 workouts should be at 60 to 70 percent of your max heart rate. You should be able to keep up a conversation at this pace.

Speed Workouts

Speed workouts are the first and foremost way to get faster. There are many forms of speed workouts but basically, a speed workout is a run that you do at a faster pace than your regular relaxed, base run pace.

Speed workouts can be interval workouts, tempo runs, Tabata running, Yasso 800s, and more. A fartlek workout or a 400-meter interval workout are both excellent beginner-friendly speed workouts to ease into speed training.

I’m including more details on how to get faster running by doing speed workouts below, as well as a sample 400-meter workout:

400-Meter Intervals Workout

A favorite speed workout I often give to runners of all levels is 400s. You can do these 400-meter intervals on a track, treadmill, or road. Here is a sample 400-meter intervals speed workout:

Run 800 meters (.5 or half of a mile) to warm up at a relaxed pace.
Do dynamic stretches to complete the warmup.
Run 400 meters at a fast pace (.25 or one-fourth of a mile) at about 80% effort level.
Run 400 meters at a relaxed, recovery jog pace
Repeat to do at least 6 fast intervals and 6 recovery laps. If you are a beginner, you may want to start with 4 intervals and build up to 6. You can also add more intervals to the workout as you progress in training or if you are training for longer races such as a half marathon.
Cool down with 800 meters of relaxed pace running and then stretch.

Do at least one speed workout a week, and up to three speed workouts at the most. Make sure you take a rest or easy run day following a speed workout.

For more speed workout ideas, we have a whole section of Runstreet dedicated to speed workouts, which you can check out here.

Strength Training

Strength training increases your muscle power, improves running form, and makes you a faster runner. Strength workouts are a must for any runner who wants to get faster. Some key strength training exercises for runners include planks, flutter kicks, squats, back lunges, lateral lunges, deadlifts, and pushups.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends doing strength workouts at least two times per week for good health.

Full-body strength training will improve your running efficiency and form as well as increase your speed. Core exercises such as flutter kicks and planks strengthen your core muscles, boost your balance, improve running form, and help with injury prevention.

Lower body exercises strengthen the muscles you rely on most for running fast, such as hamstrings, quads, glutes, and calves. Some excellent lower body exercises to add to your training program include squats, lunges, side lunges, and deadlifts.

Related Post: 10 Best Leg Exercises with Dumbbells

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Upper body exercises help your running form and improve your overall lean muscle mass and fitness level. Check out our guide to strength training for runners for more details on how and when to strength train to improve your running.

Plyometrics

Plyometrics are exercises that use speed and force to produce more power. Plyometric drills for runners involve short, forceful movements — oftentimes involving jumps — that improve fast-twitch muscles that are used for running. If you ever played a sport, you most likely did plyometrics exercises, which people sometimes call drills.

Plyometrics are intense and involve more force than regular strength training so you should have built up a strength training base for at least 6 weeks before adding plyometrics to your workouts. I recommend doing plyometrics once or twice per week to improve your running. They are best to do after a speed workout as your muscles will be warmed up and primed. Take a rest day or easy day after doing plyometrics.

Do your plyometrics on a cushioned, flat surface such as grass, a football field, or track. Some great plyometrics to help you get faster running include:

High knees - High knees are a common drill for track runners and for good reason — this exercise helps improve your leg turnover, power, and speed. To do high knees, begin from a standing position and quickly bring one knee up to waist height then alternate and quickly bring your other knee up to waist height. To make sure you get high enough with your knees, you can hold your hands in front of you and tap each hand with your knees as you do this exercise. Engage your core and keep your posture upright as you focus on speed throughout the exercise.
Single-Leg Hops - Stand on one leg and hop forward, hop back and then hop to one side and then the other. Do this exercise 10 times on each leg.
Bounding - This exercise is exaggerated leaping. Push off from one leg and spring forward, using an exaggerated running motion with each step as a leap forward. Count your steps to do 10 bounds on each leg/20 leaps total. Repeat to do two sets.

Lunge jumps - Begin in a lunge position, with your core engaged and posture upright. Jump up into the air and alternate legs so your back leg comes forward and you land in a lunge position with the opposite leg in front. Make sure you have some bend in both your knees when you land. Continue to jump and alternate legs for a total of 10 on each side. Do two sets of 10. If you have difficulty maintaining good form, do a few reps with good form and over time build up to doing 10 lunge jumps on each side.
Squat jumps - Begin from a standing position and squat down, with your chest up and glutes engaged. Push up and off your heels, jumping into the air. Then land with your knees slightly bent and return to a squat position. Quickly jump back up. Repeat to do two sets of 10.

Recovery

Rest and recovery are a necessary part of your training as a runner. Use the easy-hard strategy in your running program to make sure you get enough rest. Any time you have a hard workout — such as a speed workout, plyometrics, or strength training, you should follow the workout with an easy day or rest day. I recommend taking at least one complete rest day a week where you do no activities. For easy run days, you can do relaxed pace base runs.

Eat Nutritiously

So many runners I coach do not eat enough nutrients to fuel their workouts well. As you step up your training intensity, you need to take in enough macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to stay energized and allow your body to recover well.

Eat a diet rich in colors and real foods, such as sweet potatoes, whole grains, lentils, fish (or plant-based protein like soy), bananas, strawberries, and greens like spinach and kale. Reduce your intake of processed foods and you’ll boost your nutrient intake by eating more real foods.

A lot of runners do not eat enough protein for muscle repair and growth, which is vital for getting stronger and faster. I recommend eating as many grams of protein as you have pounds of lean muscle mass, which amounts to around 100 grams a day for many women and around 150 grams a day for men. Carbs are also essential, and especially important for long-distance runners to stay fueled on long runs.

Check out our nutrition for runners tips from a dietitian for more specific guidelines on how much to eat of carbs, protein, and other nutrients.

Visualize

Visualization is a key technique professional athletes use because it works so well. When your mind taps into the meditative state of visualizing, your body does not know the difference between visualization and reality, so it’s a powerful tool to “see” your running success. It is the ultimate mental practice run.

If you have a big race or speed test coming up, try practicing visualization for 10 to 15 minutes a day. You can use a meditation app with visualization options or try this visualization exercise to get started:

Create a calm space, with relaxing sounds or music and a quiet room.
Lie down and close your eyes.
Breathe deeply by inhaling for 3 counts, holding for 3, and then exhaling for 6 counts. Repeat for five cycles of breathing.
Now in your mind picture your race day. What do you see? Pay attention to the environment.
What do you hear, smell, and even taste as you prepare for your run? Be as immersive as possible, imagining yourself calmly and confidently preparing for your run.
See yourself warming up. Focus on how you feel and what you experience around you, with the sounds of other runners, the cool air on your skin, etc.
Now see yourself at the start and beginning of your run. This is a good time to also repeat mantras as you experience the race in your mind.
Notice how strong and fast you feel and how you are running a smart race. Focus on how powerful and tough you feel and on the sights, sounds, and smells of the race experience.
Envision times where you may have a challenge — uphill, people to pass, or maybe there is some inclement weather — and how you repeat your mantra and continue to run strong and confident.
Visualize the end of the race and how you finish strong, feeling powerful and fast. Focus on how great you feel and the sensory details around you.

Practice this visualization at least twice a week leading up to a race and in the final week before the race, visualize it every day.

I hope this article helped you find some new tools and techniques to improve your speed. If you need more personalized training, get your own customized training plan in our Training Center.

Happy running to you! Follow and tag @Runstreet on Instagram to share your workouts and get cheered on.😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

How to Get Faster Running: Tips from a Run Coach