Not all runners have the desire to take their running to the next level of speed, but if you have the desire and ability, then by all means, do so. Running at top speed for varying lengths of time is difficult to do and pushes your body's limits. With the correct training, patience and freedom from injury, you can reach your ultimate speed.
Sprint Speed
To perform top-end speed training for sprinting, you need to be in peak shape so that your body can handle the tremendous stresses. Dr. Tim Noakes in "Lore of Running" notes that running the 100- and 200-meter sprint distances requires maximum energy production sustained by your body's oxygen-driven metabolism. The book "Run Fast" by Hal Higdon quotes run coach Roy Benson as saying, "Speed work is easy if you do it correctly." Benson recommends 20-second "pick-ups" or short bursts of speed to improve balance, strength, flexibility and leg coordination.
Middle Distance Speed
When training for speed for distances of 5 kilometers/3.1 miles or 10 km./6.2 miles, a different training tactic is called for. Referring again to "Run Fast," Higdon states that a beginner mistake is running flat-out or faster than race pace. This will contribute to your fitness level, but running too hard for too long can cause injury. Higdon recommends 300-meter repeats for longer distance speed training. Start with running 300 meters at your 5 or 10 km race pace, then walk until fully recovered. Do this three times, and increase the number of repetitions over a number of weeks.
Distance Speed
Doing workouts for your ultimate speed at longer distances, such as the half or full marathon, takes some thought and practice. The column "Distance Coach" by Pete Pfitzinger says that for marathoners, running from two to six minutes at maximum oxygen uptake, or VO2 Max, is optimal. Pfitzinger suggests doing VO2 max workouts of:
6 to 10 repetitions of 800 meters each
5 to 10 reps of 1,000 meters
4 to 8 reps of 1,200 meters
3 to 6 reps of 1,600 meters
Various "ladder" combinations, such as 800, 1,000, 1,200, 1,600, 1,200, 1,000, 800 meters
Follow each rep with a slow jog recovery of 50 to 80 percent of the time each rep is run.
Strength Training
Hal Higdon notes that in the past, any form of weight workout was generally shunned by runners. Now with a greater understanding of a more balanced, full-body training, strength training is proven to help. He suggests the squat, heel raise and hip extensions for the lower body, and the clean and press, bent-over rows and upright row for the upper body. "Running Anatomy" by Joe Puleo and Dr. Patrick Milroy says that plyometric exercises to increase core strength are beneficial also. Done correctly and consistently, strength training can improve your form and efficiency as a runner and increase your speed.
Genetics & Persistance
In "Daniels' Running Formula," Dr. Jack Daniels notes that while you may have natural speed, it still can be improved with the right training. He states that if you have yet to figure out what distance you are best at, let your body experience the various types of speed training to find your particular strengths and weaknesses. What you lack in natural ability can be overcome with your superior biomechanical efficiency through correct speed training.
References
- "Run Fast"; Hal Higdon; 2000
- "Running Anatomy"; Joe Puleo & Dr. Patrick Milroy; 2010
- "Daniels Running Formula"; Dr. Jack Daniels; 1998
- DistanceCoach.com: Optimal Marathon Training Sessions
- "Lore of Running"; Dr. Tim Noakes; 1991
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