Tips to Be A Faster Runner

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve likely seen pictures like the one above that I generally share after a run or workout.  I will often get questions or comments about my pace and how I’ve gotten it to where it is.  Generally I’m around the 8:30 min/mile mark for an easy/comfortable pace but some days I go slower and some days I go faster all just depending on how I feel…but I wanted to share some tips to be a faster runner because I definitely have incorporated some different things that have helped me improve my pace.  For reference, my old “easy” pace used to be closer to 9:30/10 minute/mile.

Now, I’m not a certified running coach or anything like that, but these are the things that have helped me personally be a faster runner and improve my pace!

Tips to Be a Faster Runner

1. HIIT/Circuit Training:  This 100% made the biggest difference in my endurance and my strength.  The workouts I share every Wednesday are exactly the kind I started doing about 3-4 years ago that helped me lean out, get stronger, and have better endurance.  I do this HIIT/circuit training 3x per week (M-W-F) and then I run (or sometimes walk) 3x per week (T-Th-Sa) with Sunday being a rest day.  This style of training made my muscles stronger but also, since I’d train with a high heart rate during these workouts, I got more comfortable and acclimated to the higher heart rate.  What I essentially just described is: conditioning.
2. Use the Downhills:  One of my besties was a cross country runner in high school and she always used to say on runs that you need to use the downhills, meaning, allow the momentum of going down hill to let you run a little faster.  Of course, try not to face plant but let the momentum propel you a bit more.
3. Use your Arms:  Pumping your arms when you run also really helps.  It just gives you a little more oomph and will help you out rather than making your legs do all the work.  Another reason why the circuit strength training helps too because it gets those arms stronger, and in turn you put that into the effort running.
4. Listen to music:  Specifically, music that matches the pace you’re trying to hit!  If you’re out for a casual run just to move and don’t care about pace, some good country music might be perfect but for me, I need something super upbeat and energetic.  I easily run 30 seconds faster per mile when I have on music versus when I’m just listening to a podcast or something like that.  I have a ton of really great playlists for running on my Spotify that you can follow & add to your library!  Been currently on this playlist and then, what do you know?!  I have one called “Run Faster“.
5. Push Yourself During Your Runs:  If you’re actively trying to get faster, running in an interval sort of style by incorporating some longer stretches of faster pace will help you get faster.  Try to do 15 or 30 second intervals of running a little faster than your base pace throughout a run to start getting used to it.  Gradually you will get used to that faster pace!

Those are my main tips to be a faster runner!  And remember, with running you need to be consistent.  You can’t go out for a run every 2 weeks and expect to see improvement.  I’d say you probably need to be running a minimum of 2-3 days per week if your goal is to improve your endurance and speed.  If you have any helpful tips, be sure to leave them in the comments below!

xo,

Bess