Summary: Here are a few different types of speed workouts for you to incorporate into your running routine.
Once people start running and complete distances that they aspire to, they usually start looking for something else to work on: speed. There are so many different ways to work on your speed, and it’s a great way to add some intensity and challenge to your current runs and workouts. Here are a few different types of speed workouts for you to incorporate into your running routine:
Tempo: A tempo run is a run where you have a certain speed that you want to stay at for the majority of your run – usually this is your “goal pace” for a race you’re training for. Start by warming up for a mile, and then run at your goal pace for X number of miles, and then cool down for a mile. If I’m training for something shorter, like a 5K, I’ll warm and cool down for a half mile each instead.
Speedwork: Although all of these are technically speedwork, speedwork runs usually incorporate sprints at specific intervals and for specific distances. For example, after warming up, sprint for a quarter mile, jog for a half mile, sprint for a quarter mile and so on. As you get better, you can increase speeds and distances as well.
Fartlek: Fartleks are by far my favorite way to do speed workouts because, well, you don’t HAVE to do anything. When doing fartleks you kind of go with the feeling, so if you want to sprint a quarter mile, run a quarter mile and then jog you can do that – and then mix it up the next cycle. I like this because I get to be creative and it keeps my mind more occupied. It’s also great for running outdoors when you can’t judge your distance quite as well. Instead of saying a half mile, you can say, until 7th street, or I’ll sprint full out until that bench up ahead.
HIIT Treadmill Workouts: HIIT stands for high intensity interval training. Although there are many types of HIIT workouts, you can incorporate them into your cardio as well. I have several options on my Workouts Page,or you can find them online. They’re also adaptable to other cardio machines if you need to mix things up one day and give running a rest.
Hill Training: Running hills is also a great way to increase speed. If you run hills and succeed, you end up going faster once you get back to flat ground because you’ve increased your endurance and power. Try finding a good hill and sprinting up it, and then walking back down several times!