How to become a faster runner in weeks 

Most runners dream of becoming faster, whether they’re interested in winning an upcoming race or just pushing their bodies to the limit. It usually takes months, if not years, to build your speed, but is there a faster way to become faster?

The short answer is yes.

Start with a plan

Before you do anything else, put together a plan. What are your goals? Just how fast are you trying to become, and how quickly are you trying to acquire that speed? What are the best exercises and workout patterns to help you get there?

You could, for example, work with a personal trainer to put together a training program. This is usually the best choice, since your personal trainer will have all the knowledge and expertise to help you separate good advice and bad advice. They will also be able to create a training program specifically for you, catering to your existing fitness level and your future goals.

However you choose to create it, your plan will make it easier to:

• Stay consistent. If you’re going to become a faster runner, you need to be consistent. You can’t train for a week and hope that your week of training will make you permanently faster. Sticking to a training regimen will ensure that you’re doing the right thing, every day, to get closer to your end goals.
• Preserve your motivation. Your plan may also help you preserve your motivation. Having a written, documented plan in place is a way of making your ideas and your vision more permanent. In moments of weakness, when you want to abandon your training, you can look at this plan and find new inspiration.
• Avoid overtraining. One of the biggest problems runners face in trying to become faster is overtraining, especially if they’re working with a tight deadline or if they’re trying to become faster in just a few weeks. If you work out too hard, or if you don’t rest enough, you’ll end up hurting yourself. A documented training plan will help you avoid this.

Prioritize rest

Sleep and rest are essential for building muscle and allowing your body to fully recover. During your most intense workouts, you’ll need to take small breaks to recover your breath, allow your heart rate to reset, and drink water. Between workouts, it’s important to take full days of rest – or at least limit yourself to short, easy recovery runs.

On both training days and off days, it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Ideally, you’ll be getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night; otherwise, you may not get the recovery you need.

Watch your nutrition

Physically training is important, but you also can’t neglect the importance of your nutrition. Watch what you eat, and make sure you get all the nutrients your body needs to adequately recover from your intense workouts.

• Protein. One of the most important nutrients to consider is protein, which your body uses to build new muscle tissue. Make sure you get adequate protein from meat, eggs, nuts, and other foods.
• Carbohydrates. It’s also important to get plenty of carbohydrates to refill the glycogen stores you deplete when exercising. Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel, and you’ll need plenty of fuel to train well.
• Calories. Without adequate caloric intake, you may not have enough energy to train properly, and your body won’t be able to recover efficiently. A fair estimate for calories burned while running is 100 calories per mile, And you’ll burn even more when weightlifting. Make sure you’re getting plenty of food each day.

Train hard

Finally, make sure you train hard.

• Sprints. Sprints are usually the best way to build speed as a runner. During these short rounds of exercise, you’ll run as fast as you can in bursts of several seconds to a minute or so. This exercise will engage your fast twitch muscle fibers and gradually condition your body to become faster.
• Weightlifting. A great way to complement your running exercises is to lift weights. Squats, calf raises, and other leg exercises are all designed to build the muscles in and around your legs. With bigger muscles, you’ll have more power.
• Stamina and endurance. Don’t forget about stamina and endurance. Longer, slower runs can also be helpful as part of your well-rounded speed-building routine.

If you follow all the pieces of advice in this article, you should be able to improve your running speed in the span of just a few weeks. If you’re relatively new to the world of running, you may see marked improvements after just one week of consistent adherence to your new fitness regimen. Just make sure you remain consistent in your training if you want these improvements to last.

Story by Darren Wilson