4 Workouts That Will Make You A Faster Runner

You know what’s so great about running? It’s just putting one foot in front of the other. Speed? Nah. Whatever you can do is good enough. But if you’re looking to improve your speed, like everything else in life, you have to actively practice.

“Running can help improve coordination, flexibility, and speed, which are three very important bio-motor skills,” says Joe Holder, Nike+ Trainer, Nike Run Coach, and coach at S10 Training in New York City. “Proper programming and frequency of training will ensure you get faster because the body has no choice but to adapt.”

But you don’t (and shouldn’t!) do the same running routine over and over again. Mix things up with the workouts Holder created below and you’ll be setting all types of new personal records. And since it’s basically summer, put on your sneaks and head over to your local track to do these routines, just be sure to start each one with an easy-breezy one-mile jog to warm up your muscles.

Don’t forget…becoming a better runner isn’t just about running more—you also have to get real about your strength routine. So Holder created a runner-specific workout that will help to strengthen your butt, legs, and core, too.

You can start with any of the workouts below, but if you’re looking for a plan to follow here’s what Holder recommends:

• Start by doing workout #1 at least three times per week.
• After a few weeks, begin to introduce workout #2 and #3 no more than two times a week.
• And do the strength routine (workout #4) once or twice a week depending on how your body feels.

Now let’s get to the workouts…

1. Workout #1

Graphic by Jocelyn Runice

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