How To Run Faster: 15 Expert Tips To Build Speed Quickly

Build power, sharpen your pace, and train with purpose to reach your next level

Asย aย runningย coach,ย Iโ€™veย workedย withย runnersย ofย allย levelsโ€”andย Iย canย tellย youย this:ย almostย everyoneย wantsย toย getย faster.ย 

Itย doesnโ€™tย matterย ifย youโ€™reย chasingย aย newย PR,ย racingย yourย neighbor,ย orย justย wantingย toย feelย strongerย onย yourย regularย loopโ€”thereโ€™sย somethingย incrediblyย satisfyingย aboutย pickingย upย theย paceย andย watchingย yourย progressย unfold.

So,ย howย doย youย actuallyย getย faster?ย 

Itย comesย downย toย aย smartย mixย ofย targetedย workouts,ย consistentย training,ย andย aย fewย simpleย tweaksย thatย canย makeย aย bigย impact.ย Whetherย youโ€™reย aimingย forย aย podiumย finishย orย justย wantย toย feelย moreย powerfulย withย everyย stride,ย our expert tips can help you build theย rightย strategyย toย get youย there.

A peson running fast down the road.

How To Run Faster: 15 Smart Ways To Build Speed, Strength, And Confidence

#1: Build Your Base

Thereโ€™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 plan.

#2: Follow a Training Plan

Choosingย aย trainingย planย tailoredย toย yourย raceย distanceย orย timeย goalย isย oneย ofย theย mostย effectiveย waysย toย boostย performanceย andย stayย onย trackย towardย yourย targets.

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 combined with long, runs, easy days, cross-training, strength training, and interval workouts 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.

A group of people running in a park.

#3: Include Tempo Runs

Tempoย runsย areย oneย ofย theย mostย powerfulย toolsย forย buildingย speedย andย enduranceย inย distanceย runners.ย 

Performedย atย orย justย belowย yourย lactateย thresholdย paceโ€”theย fastestย paceย youย canย sustainย forย aboutย anย hourโ€”theyย trainย yourย bodyย toย clearย lactateย moreย efficientlyย andย delayย theย onsetย ofย fatigue.ย 

Whenย youย consistentlyย includeย tempoย runsย inย yourย training,ย youย improveย yourย abilityย toย runย fasterย forย longerย byย boostingย yourย aerobicย capacity,ย increasingย yourย toleranceย forย sustainedย effort,ย andย sharpeningย yourย mentalย toughness.ย 

Overย time,ย thisย allowsย youย toย holdย aย quickerย paceย moreย comfortablyย inย races,ย makingย tempoย runsย anย essentialย ingredientย inย anyย performance-focusedย plan.

#4: Run Hill Sprints 

As a running coach, I find that many distance runners donโ€™t take advantage of the benefits of hill sprints during a training cycle. Even if you are training for longer distances like the half marathon or marathon, hill sprints should be a foundational part of your plan as you build up towards race day.

Hillย sprintsย areย aย powerfulย additionย toย anyย runnerโ€™sย speedย toolkitย becauseย theyย deliverย bothย aย high-intensityย cardiovascularย stimulusย andย aย formย ofย resistanceย trainingโ€”allย withoutย theย poundingย thatย comesย fromย sprintingย onย flatย ground.ย 

Theย inclineย forcesย yourย bodyย toย recruitย moreย muscleย fibers,ย particularlyย inย yourย glutes,ย hamstrings,ย andย calves,ย helpingย toย developย explosiveย powerย andย strengthย inย yourย stride.ย 

Atย theย sameย time,ย theย shorter,ย fasterย burstsย improveย yourย neuromuscularย coordination,ย leadingย toย betterย legย turnoverย andย moreย efficientย movementย patterns.ย 

Becauseย theย hillย limitsย overstridingย andย naturallyย promotesย properย postureย andย armย drive,ย hillย sprintsย canย alsoย helpย refineย yourย runningย form.ย Overย time,ย incorporatingย theseย intoย yourย trainingย notย onlyย makesย youย fasterย onย flatsย butย moreย preparedย toย tackleย hillyย raceย coursesย withย confidenceย andย strength.

A person running on a track.

#5: Do Interval Workouts 

Interval training can be done on the track with fast repeats of a given distance at a specific speed, or on the road with fartleks or pick ups built into distance runs.

For a fartlek workout, you intersperse bursts of faster running into a distance run without stopping between each one.

For example, you might run 5 miles with 10ร—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 donโ€™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 12ร—400 m, 6ร—800 m, 5ร—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 threshold 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.

A person meditating.

#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.

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 include walking, foam rolling, gentle yoga, Pilates, or tai chi.

A person doing lunges.

#7: Incorporate Strength Training

As mentioned, strength training is a foundational component of your training, though it is often overlooked or neglected.

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, 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.1STร˜REN, ร˜., HELGERUD, J., STร˜A, E. M., & HOFF, J. (2008). Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy in Distance Runners.ย Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,ย 40(6), 1087โ€“1092.

โ€ŒTherefore, 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.2Saunders, P. U., Pyne, D. B., Telford, R. D., & Hawley, J. A. (2004). Factors Affecting Running Economy in Trained Distance Runners. Sports Medicine34(7), 465โ€“485.

A person stretching their quad.

#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.3Semciw, 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 Kinesiology30, 98โ€“110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.06.005

โ€ŒIf you get injured from your training program, you wonโ€™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.4Videbรฆk, S., Bueno, A. M., Nielsen, R. O., & Rasmussen, S. (2015). Incidence of Running-Related Injuries Per 1000 h of running in Different Types of Runners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine45(7), 1017โ€“1026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0333-8

โ€ŒAlthough 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.

A bowl of fruit, yogurt and granola.

#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.

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, 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 races.

Generally, if you will be running for more than an hour, you should be taking in at least some electrolytes.

A person eating a granola bar.

As you approach 90 minutes or more of running, you should be fueling with carbs while you run.5Naderi, 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. Nutrients15(6), 1367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061367

โ€ŒAccording to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), ingesting 30โ€“60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during endurance exercise is ideal.6American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise41(3), 709โ€“731. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31890eb86

โ€ŒThis 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 donโ€™t fully deplete your glycogen stores for long runs, which can cause โ€œbonkingโ€œ or needing to slow your running speed significantly.

The standard recommendation for carbohydrate refueling after exercise is to consume 0.6โ€“1.0 g/kg carbohydrate within 30 min and again every 2 h for the next 4โ€“6 h.7Jentjens, 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.ย Journal of Applied Physiology,ย 91(2), 839โ€“846. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.2.839

โ€ŒIn terms of protein, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes consume at least 1.2โ€“2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.8ACSM 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

โ€ŒFor example, a runner weighing 154 pounds (70 kg) should consume at least 84-140 grams of protein daily to meet their physiological needs.

A person on a rowing machine.

#11: Cross-Train

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 recommend that runners focus on low-impact cross-training exercises to reduce the musculoskeletal impact stresses of running.ย 

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.9Hirshkowitz, 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., Oโ€™Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., & Ware, J. C. (2015). National Sleep Foundationโ€™s updated sleep duration recommendations: final report.ย Sleep Health,ย 1(4), 233โ€“243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004

A runner.

โ€Œ#13: Work On Your Running Form

Proper running form 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 speed.10Anderson, T. (1996). Biomechanics and Running Economy.ย Sports Medicine,ย 22(2), 76โ€“89. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199622020-00003

โ€ŒYou can get a form 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 drills focusing on aspects of your 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.11Souza, R. B. (2016). An Evidence-Based Videotaped Running Biomechanics Analysis. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America27(1), 217โ€“236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2015.08.006

A running coach.

โ€Œ#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 workoutsโ€”and frankly, getting out there and racing more oftenโ€”will also help you get more comfortable with running faster and pacing yourself in races.

Consider working with a coach to find the most effective training plan to help you reach your running goals.ย 

Here at Marathon Handbook, we offer free training plans and have a team of running coaches to help you run faster, longer, and stronger.

References

  • 1
    STร˜REN, ร˜., HELGERUD, J., STร˜A, E. M., & HOFF, J. (2008). Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy in Distance Runners.ย Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise,ย 40(6), 1087โ€“1092.
  • 2
    Saunders, P. U., Pyne, D. B., Telford, R. D., & Hawley, J. A. (2004). Factors Affecting Running Economy in Trained Distance Runners. Sports Medicine34(7), 465โ€“485.
  • 3
    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 Kinesiology30, 98โ€“110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.06.005
  • 4
    Videbรฆk, S., Bueno, A. M., Nielsen, R. O., & Rasmussen, S. (2015). Incidence of Running-Related Injuries Per 1000 h of running in Different Types of Runners: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine45(7), 1017โ€“1026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0333-8
  • 5
    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. Nutrients15(6), 1367. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15061367
  • 6
    American College of Sports Medicine. (2009). Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise41(3), 709โ€“731. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e31890eb86
  • 7
    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.ย Journal of Applied Physiology,ย 91(2), 839โ€“846. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.2001.91.2.839
  • 8
  • 9
    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., Oโ€™Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., & Ware, J. C. (2015). National Sleep Foundationโ€™s updated sleep duration recommendations: final report.ย Sleep Health,ย 1(4), 233โ€“243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2015.10.004
  • 10
    Anderson, T. (1996). Biomechanics and Running Economy.ย Sports Medicine,ย 22(2), 76โ€“89. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-199622020-00003
  • 11
    Souza, R. B. (2016). An Evidence-Based Videotaped Running Biomechanics Analysis. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America27(1), 217โ€“236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2015.08.006

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sayer headshot

Amber Sayer, MS, CPT, CNC

Senior Fitness and News Editor

Amber Sayer is a Fitness, Nutrition, and Wellness Writer and Editor, as well as a NASM-Certified Nutrition Coach and UESCA-certified running, endurance nutrition, and triathlon coach. She holds two Masters Degreesโ€”one in Exercise Science and one in Prosthetics and Orthotics. As a Certified Personal Trainer and running coach for 12 years, Amber enjoys staying active and helping others do so as well. In her free time, she likes running, cycling, cooking, and tackling any type of puzzle.

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