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Speed Workout on Track

The Workout You Need to Do If You Want to Be a Faster Runner

If you want to become a faster runner (and, after all, why wouldn't you?), logging endless miles on a leisurely run isn't going to cut it. Instead, scheduling regular sprinting workouts — the kind that leave you out of breath and dreaming of your couch — will help you pick up the pace when it counts. This workout, from Blue Benadum, head coach of Nike+ Run Club in LA, will definitely get your heart racing.

Speed workouts like these are particularly important for long-distance runners who'd like to improve on their PRs, but anyone who wants to shave seconds off their normal everyday pace should add these to their routine. "From milers up to marathoners, every runner will benefit from speed training," Blue says. Start with adding speed workouts to your regular running routine twice a week to see results.

Note: If you don't have a nearby track, Blue recommends breaking this workout into the suggested "equivalent time" segments below. For sprints, percentages are based on your all-out pace, so a sprint at 95 percent would be a perceived 95 percent of your maximum speed.

Here are some terms you need to know:
Turnarounds: Sprint 100 meters, then turn around and sprint back for one full rep.

Mile/5K pace: How long it takes you to run just one mile or a 5K (3.1 miles). Your mile pace will be faster than your 5K pace but slower than your 90-percent sprint.

Run Equivalent Time Pace
4 x 100m turnarounds 4 15-second sprints 90 percent of max
Rest 60 seconds
400m 60-second run Mile pace
Rest 60 seconds
4 x 100m (100m recovery after each) 4 15-second sprints, jog back to start after each 90 percent-95 percent of max
Rest 60 seconds
800m 2-minute run 5K pace
Rest 60 seconds
4 x 100m turnarounds 4 15-second sprints 95 percent of max
Image Source: NIKE
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