This Celebrity Trainer Tip Will Help You Run Faster

I love nothing more than setting out for a long, solo run; often I won't wear a running watch to track my stats so I can go as leisurely or as fast as I'm feeling. When I want to push myself, however, I need something more than my own inner coach motivating me. For that, I sign up for Barry's Bootcamp, a combination strength-training and treadmill interval class where intense trainers force me to increase the incline and speed on my machine more than I ever would on my own. But it works: after a few weeks of (tortuous) sweaty sessions I feel ready to take on the miles — and running at my normal pace feels like a breeze.

Even if you don't have a trainer yelling at you to turn up your treadmill, you can mimic this pace-quickening effect yourself with this advice from Barry's Bootcamp master trainer Courtney Paul, who also trains celebs like Katie Holmes (you can also catch him at a fitness-themed retreat at the West Bay Club in Turks & Caicos in May). "Find a running partner who will push you to your maximum capacity and then more," Courtney says. "I find that the mind gives out much faster than the body, so it's very important to find a partner who can push you past your mental limits."

Don't have a running friend? Try your local shoe store to see if they have running clubs or if they are able to point you to one. Most clubs group runners by pace, so you can try out one slightly faster than yours. Go past your comfort zone just a little bit and you'll become a faster, more resilient runner. As Courtney says, "You'll discover that you're stronger than you think you are!"

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