How To Run Faster And Longer

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
myTreadmillTrainer.com

I’ve played sports for years, and no matter what sport it is, my teammates have all been interested in getting in better shape.  When I was a kid, this was in an effort to avoid losing every game. (We got a lot better later on, I promise.)

Learning how to run faster and longer is, I believe, the best way to increase your overall performance in the sport or athletic activity of your choice.  It’s hard to think of an active sport that wouldn’t benefit from increasing your endurance and your speed.  So, no matter what your sport, learning how to run faster and longer is something worth pursuing.

And hey, maybe you’ll win more often too. (Not saying you don’t, er, win. Okay, moving on…)

How To Run Farther

I think it is more efficient to develop a good foundation of endurance before learning how to improve your speed.  Believe it or not, the two are related.  One does influence the other.  So, getting that foundation of stamina will help you run faster.

The best way to learn how to run farther is to create what I call a graduated routine.  You start with the greatest distance you can run, and run 4-5 times a week with that distance.  Then, after two weeks, raise your distance by a mile.  Two weeks later, raise it by another mile.  For most people, after a certain distance – usually around 6 miles – increasing the distance further actually will just tire you out and wear you down. 

Unless you want to run marathons. In that case, have at it.  The more miles the merrier.

How To Run Faster

Running farther is all about distance.  Running faster is all about explosiveness.  Sprints are the best way to learn how to increase your speed.  Ironically enough, though, good sprinting workouts will cover the same distance as a two or three-mile run – just in small, really fast parts.

Turning your feet over as fast as possible is how you increase your speed.  The faster you can move your feet and stride, the faster you will go.  Here are a couple of drills that will help.

High Knees- Run this drill by kicking your knees up as far as they can go while running forward on the front half of your feet.  Go 50 meters while doing this, and remember: drive your knees up with power.  The faster you can do this, the faster your feet will move.

Progressives- Begin at the starting line and take off, increasing your speed over 20 meters.  The goal is to accelerate so that by the 20-meter mark, you are running as fast as you can.  Then, for the next 30 meters, run all out.  Do 4-5 repetitions per workout session.

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