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Speedwork for Beginning Runners

02.17.15

Once most newbie runners work their way up to a goal, often a 5K, they have their eyes on the next goal: they want to get faster. I went through the same thing when I first started running: I finished my first 5K in November of 2005 and decided that I wanted to run the same race the next year in under 30 minutes. To get faster, I needed to add some speedwork into my training.

 Speedwork for Beginning Runners: Simple running workouts to help you get faster!

So you want to get faster. But, where do you start? These workouts are what I’d recommend as a running coach as speedwork for beginning runners.

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Strides

As a running coach, I would recommend starting with strides. They’re really easy to do and even advanced runners incorporate strides into their workouts. In addition to helping us run faster, strides teach our body how to have good leg turnover and help our body learn a more efficient running form.

To run strides, you start out at a jogging pace, then gradually accelerate to relatively fast pace for you—not quite a sprint, but close. You run for just a couple seconds at that top pace, then gradually slow down to a jog. 

To start, I’d recommend starting with 4 to 6 strides that are 100 to 150 m in length. Try adding in strides after an easy run once or ideally twice a week. As you get more comfortable with strides, you can add more in, gradually working up to 10 strides twice a week.

The Fartlek

If you’re getting used to strides, try adding a fartlek into your routine. I know, I know, funny name. It actually means ‘speed play’ in Swedish. I love the fartlek because it’s relatively unstructured, so you can listen to your body and do as much or as little as  you’d like. Fartleks get us used to running fast for longer periods of time than strides, helping our bodies adapt to deliver oxygen to our muscles and remove waste products like lactic acid more efficiently.

So, how do you fartlek? It’s actually really simple. I like to pick a landmark somewhere in the distance: a light pole, a turn in the path, or even a pretty plant. Once you’ve picked your landmark, you run at about 70-90% effort to that landmark. Once you’ve reached the landmark, you slow down to an easier pace to recover for a minute or two, then pick another landmark and speed up again. If you’re on a treadmill, you can run a fartlek by time: 1 minute fast, 1 minute slow, etc.

Fartleks should be done after you’ve fully warmed up, so I’d recommend some easy jogging for 10 minutes or so, then running the fartlek segments for 15 minutes to start, with a 10 minute cool down jog. As you get further in your training, you can increase the duration of your fartlek up to 30 minutes. One fartlek workout a week is definitely enough to help you get faster! 

Just be sure that you don’t do a fartlek workout and a stride workout on the same day or even on back-to-back days. Too much fast running too quickly is a surefire way to get injured!

More on speedwork for beginning runners from other sources:

Running 101: Basic Speedwork for Runners via Competitor
Speedwork for Every Runner via Runner’s World
New Runner? 5 Beginner Questions via Runners Connect (scroll down to “How do I Get Faster?”)

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Linking up with Patty, Erika, and April for the Tuesdays on the Run linkup!

Do you care about getting faster?
Seasoned runners: what speed tips do you have for newbies?
What’s a running goal that you have?

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Comments

  1. jill conyers says

    02.17.15 at 8:16 AM

    Speed work is my favorite type of training run especially if it’s at the hight school track. Great info!

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.17.15 at 12:34 PM

      Thanks, Jill! Confession: I am too nervous/self conscious to go run at the high school track so I do my speed work on the treadmill. (hangs head in shame)

  2. Susie @ SuzLyfe says

    02.17.15 at 9:01 AM

    I do care about getting faster, though I haven’t put the work in this past training cycle to the point that I thought that I would, or would be able to. But I really hope to turn that around this spring and summer!

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.17.15 at 12:33 PM

      I hear ya. I go through cycles where I’m like, “No, let go of the ego, it doesn’t matter how fast you run” and, “You are too slow! Get off your butt and go to the track!” Good luck to both of us getting some speed back in our legs once the snow melts. 🙂

  3. Suzy says

    02.17.15 at 9:47 AM

    Great points! The one thing that helped me get way faster was speedwork…specifically, Yasso 800’s at the track. Those were sick but so effective!

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.17.15 at 12:32 PM

      Love me some Yasso 800s. Gotta run faster to get faster.

  4. Jess@Flying Feet in Faith says

    02.17.15 at 12:10 PM

    Great post! I like to run repeats (800 m x 6-12) and tempo runs. I think tempos have been the greatest speed enhancer for me because you’re training your body to run close to threshold level for an extended period of time.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.17.15 at 12:21 PM

      Ooh, good one! I love Yasso 800s for marathon training!

  5. lacey@fairytalesandfitness.com says

    02.17.15 at 7:19 PM

    I have never done fartlek trainer. I only ever do speed work along with my daily runs. Maybe I should start incorporating That into my workouts.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.19.15 at 6:58 AM

      Definitely try doing a fartlek sometime! It’s a really fun way to add in some unstructured speedwork.

  6. Wendy@Taking the Long Way Home says

    02.17.15 at 8:27 PM

    I love speedwork! I like going all out, and I like the rest in between! Just like yoga.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.19.15 at 6:58 AM

      Amen to that, Wendy! I’m definitely there with ya!

  7. MCM Mama Runs says

    02.17.15 at 9:52 PM

    I tend to be more of a long and slow runner, but my favorite speedwork is fartleks. I sometimes throw a few into a long run, just to break things up a little.

    Thanks for linking up with us.

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.19.15 at 6:59 AM

      My pleasure! Thanks for hosting the linkup! I’ll throw in a few pickups during my long runs, too. (Especially if I’m trying to get across a busier road. ;))

  8. Annmarie says

    02.18.15 at 6:52 AM

    Love this! I just started adding speedwork into my running workouts this round of half marathon training- I can definitely see a difference in my performance! And to be honest, I don’t hate them 🙂

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.19.15 at 7:01 AM

      Excellent, glad to hear it’s working for you! I’ve gotten a lot out of adding speed workouts to marathon training, too. Sometimes it stinks to run hard, but once you start seeing results, suddenly running hard is a lot less tough. 🙂

  9. April @ RunTheGreatWideSomewhere says

    02.18.15 at 7:17 PM

    Speed work was scary at first, but it’s actually my favorite workout! It goes by so fast and I feel like a rock star when I’m done! Thanks for linking up with us!

    • Beth @ Running with the Sunrise says

      02.19.15 at 7:02 AM

      I LOVE the feeling of nailing a good speed workout. Nothing beats that confident feeling!

Trackbacks

  1. What is Running Economy? says:
    09.09.15 at 3:30 PM

    […] Simple speed work exercises like strides can help you to improve running economy. Running faster teaches you how to run in your most efficient form naturally—your body learns how to expend the least amount of energy to run faster. You train your body to move more forward than up, and you start to reduce any funny side-to-side movements in your legs. […]

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Sublimely Fit is a personal blog and all opinions are my own. I am not a medical professional. Please follow the advice of your doctor first and foremost. Although my intent is to do no harm, if you are injured following my opinion or something you have read here, I am not responsible. I am not responsible for comments written by others. Disrespectful or profane comments may be deleted. Privacy: I will never sell your email address or other information. Click here for the full privacy policy.

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