Run Speed Practice
There are several objectives we may have for run training sessions. We prefer to call these sessions ‘practices’ because this implies that there is skill involved and skills need to be practice and can always be improved. Even when the session is focused on physical performance of some kind, like going a certain pace, skill still plays a central role in making that performance possible with least energy cost and risk of injury.
In running more speed is produced, in large, by applying more power. But how you apply power matters. One can produce power and apply it with efficiency or inefficiency. Maintaining your best form and then activating power in certain ways will produce greater sustainable speed than when you let form degrade or activate power in inferior ways.
It is recommended that you work on getting stronger before you work on getting faster. Strength is the foundation of power.
The guidance below is aimed primarily at those who are following the 5K Run Training Plan….
Run Speed Practice
In the Speed Practices you are applying the lean of your body line to provoke an increase in speed, rather than using a stronger push off the ground. This is the essential speed technique you will practice. You may run these sprints at the assigned speed or intensity by leaning forward with straight posture to induce it.
Speed and ‘sprint’ are relative terms in the context of distance running. If you are running a 5K or up to a half-marathon, your sprint is not intended to put you into the anaerobic zone. Speed work for your distance running may be a strong effort at your highest aerobic capacity, something you might sustain for 3 to 5 minutes or so.
These practices may be conveniently done at a track for easy distance measuring, if there is one nearby that you can use. Or, you may convert the assigned distances into time intervals and use your watch chronometer or timer to keep track of how long to sprint and when to stop. Some GPS running watches can be programmed to chime for intervals of a set distance so you can run anywhere and do speed work for a measured distance.
For recovery between speed intervals you may either do jogging or walking. Make recovery only a fraction of the speed time or distance. Often the amount of recovery, whether walking or light running, will be assigned.
Distance Intervals
For example, the total speed distance assigned is 1600 meters (yards). You could divide that into one of these sets:
- 2x 800 with 200 recovery
- 4x 400 with 100 recovery
- 8x 200 with 100 recovery
- 3x 200, 1x 400, 1x 600
Time Intervals
Or you could estimate how long it would normally take you to run 400 meters (1x around the track) and convert to timed intervals:
- 2x 4 minute sprints with 1 minute recovery
- 4x 2 minute sprints with 30 second recovery
- 8x 1 minute sprints with 30 second recovery
In this program the distance of the intervals is not as important as the practice of the technique for increasing speed through your lean. Choose distances (or times) that are long enough to challenge your your attention and ability to hold form, but not so long that you fail often.
Landmark Sprints
For variety, you may also go on a run through the neighborhood and just choose a landmark ahead to sprint to, a distance close to what you may do on the track. Then switch into a recovery jog or walk to the next landmark and then choose another landmark and sprint ahead. Estimate the total time you may need for both the speed work and the recovery intervals.