Speed training is not just for sprinters; speed workouts for distance runners are a vital training component right up to the marathon and beyond.
If you are a distance runner and have not explored interval workouts or speed work before, then be prepared for a big boost in performance.
Benefits of Speed Workouts for Distance Runners
There are several benefits when it comes to adding speed workouts into your training including:
- An improvement in race times and overall performance
- Enhanced running efficiency and technique
- Improve speed and power
- Improve overall running economy
- Make race pace and slower paces feel easier
- Develop mental toughness and confidence
- Great fun, particularly in a group or with a training partner
- Chance to try race shoes and kit
- Enhance leg speed and max speed
Checklist to add speed workouts
Speed workouts for distance runners are a fantastic way to improve your running. However, before you start, there are a few things to do to ensure you have the best chance of success.
Speak to a medical professional: It's worth checking in with a doctor if you are considering adding speed workouts to your training plan by explaining that you want to exercise at a high intensity.
Running pain-free: It should go without saying that you should not start speed workouts if you have any form of injury.
Suitable running shoes: While this applies to all types of running, it's especially important to have comfortable and well-fitting shoes for speed workouts.
Comfortable running kit: This can help keep you cool in summer or warm in the winter. The correct kit is very important and does not have to be extremely expensive.
Workout with a group, club, or training partner: This is optional, but in my personal experience, it can be a lot of fun to do a workout with a group or club as you can learn from other runners or coaches, and it provides a social and motivational element to your training session.
How to Add Speed Workouts to Your Training
Below are 16 speed workouts that you can add to your training. How you add and adapt these depends on your fitness level and experience.
In this article, speed training is not about threshold or tempo runs. While these are fantastic workouts, we will focus on speed workouts to try.
A coach, in particular, can help to make the training session specific to you, while the amount and distance can change.
17 Speed Workouts for Distance Runners
Remember, these workouts can be adapted as needed for your ability, with the key aim of increasing your speed.
1. 200 Meter Reps
10 x 200 meters with a 200 meter jog. This is a great session for the track or on the road. The track is perfect as you can complete the jog round and start the 200 meter effort at the same place.
2. 400 Meter Reps
10 x 400 meters with a 200 meter jog. This is a great session for the track or the road. Again, it works well on the track as it's easier to measure the distance; however, I often set this session up on my watch and do it on the road.
3. Time Intervals, Standing Recovery
10 x 1 minute followed by 10 x 30 seconds, with equal rest time standing, so 1 minute rest between the 1-minute intervals and 30 seconds rest on the 30-second intervals.
4. 200 Metres, Standing Recovery
8 x 200 meters with 90 seconds standing recovery, for each of the 200 meters reps.
5. Strides
Strides are great to do particularly to get the heart rate up and also work on your running form and cadence.
I like to use strides the day before a race and also just at the end of my warm-up before a race to get me physically and mentally ready for the race, a stride may be around 70 meters and is just enough to make race pace or slightly faster feel good.
6. Pyramid Workout
This workout involves working down in the distance and then back up again; if you want to make it more challenging, add another set.
Work through starting with an 800 meter: 800m, 400m, 200m, 200m, 400m,800m with rest periods of 3 minutes after 800M, 2 minutes after 400m, and 1 minute after the 200m.
7. 5 x 1km
A classic workout for preparing for a 5km race. Aiming to try running the reps slightly faster than race pace, it's important to be mindful of the recovery time. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time. It may be wise to start at equal rest for rep time.
Below is a 5 x 1km workout I completed with 1 minute rest, this was a session aimed at 5k race pace. As you can see the reps were 3.03, 2.58, 3.05, 2.59, 3.03. Try to keep your reps as similar as possible during this workout.
Screenshot using Garmin running app - 1k reps
8. Alternate Mile and 400s
This is a great workout, and you could aim for two or three sets of 1 mile and 400, so something like 1 mile, 400m, 1 mile, 400m.
The key here is to push the pace on the 400 meters to run faster on your miles. The pace will change, but having the fast rep in your legs should make the mile pace feel smoother.
9. Time Ladder
You can do this time ladder workout on the grass or the road. It's nice to do in a group; it also works well with mixed abilities. Do reps of 2 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 2minute x 3 sets. An equal rep/rest recovery can work well for this workout.
10. Short Hill Repeats
10 x 20 seconds short bursts on an uphill gradient, thinking of form and driving forward with the knee, with a slow walk recovery back down the hill.
In my experience this workout makes running on the flat feel much easier it's certainly worth giving it a go.
11. 400 Meter Relays
This is a fun workout to try with a friend or group. It works best on a running track. Take it in turns of running 400 meters for an agreed-upon number of times, say 10, for a total of 5 reps each.
While one person runs, the other rests (so the faster they run, the less rest the other person gets). Pick someone of a similar ability and see how fast you can complete 10 reps together.
12. 800 Meter Cutdowns
5 x 800 meter speed cutdown reps. This is a great workout for controlling the pace but with speed, so the idea of the workout is to get each 800 meter rep faster and importantly that the last rep is the fastest.
Feel free to take a complete recovery on these so you feel ready for the next rep 3 - 5 minutes.
13. Running To Music
Running speed workouts to music can be great fun, perhaps pick a song and add it in to your playlist when it comes on run fast during it, and then recover during the next song.
14. Running To Landmarks
A form of speed play in which you run fast over different distances such as between 2 or 3 lamp posts or between certain buildings.
15. 100 Meters Within A Run
100 meter reps within an easy run, do these on feel and don't think too much about the recovery. This can help you surge when you feel good in races.
16. Follow The Leader
A workout for groups of two or more. This session allows the leader to designate how long the rep is. Perhaps add a max time of 2 minutes and you need to follow the pace. Take in terms to be the leader and it's up to you when you start and finish the interval. This is great to help practice responding to changes in pace in a race.
17. Treadmill Intervals
The treadmill is perfect for speed intervals it allows you to manage your speed with ease. Additionally performing the treadmill interval at a 0% gradient, can mean you can reach a faster turnover, (number of strides) this is because when running outside you also need to account for wind resistance.
Some runners find the treadmill harder for interval sessions, whereas others find it easier than running outside. Give it a go and see if you enjoy it.
Incorporating Speed Workouts Into Your Training
Speed training can be done all year round for runners; however if you have just recently returned from injury, keep your running at a steady effort until you have completed a few weeks pain-free.
Speed training can be done in the following elements of the training cycle,
During base training for building endurance and speed. It is crucial to schedule training sessions strategically to maximize benefits and avoid overtraining.
During specific training for targeting race distances and improving speed endurance, you would want to target the race distance in particular and make your speed workouts specific to the event you are running.
During taper periods for fine-tuning speed and endurance, it's important to reduce the volume of speed workouts as your race day or event you are aiming to peak for approaches. This is to ensure you can the most out of yourself come race day.
Consulting a certified running coach can provide personalized training plans with speed workouts tailored to your goals.
Key Considerations For A Successful Speed Workout
While the above can be tailored to you, it's important to ensure you are training at your level. While I am a certified running coach, it can still be useful to check in with one to ensure the sessions are suitable for you.
The key variables of a speed session being
Rep length: How far in distance you will run. This can be in miles or kilometers. Generally speaking, a rep would not take more than one mile for a speed session.
Rep time: How long in time is the rep, in minutes and seconds.
Recovery time: How long in time you will recover; if the recovery is set in time, this will also be in minutes and seconds.
Recovery Distance: How long is the distance you will recover between reps.
Sets: How many sets of a workout will you do, a workout can be split in to sets where you may have a bit more rest than in between reps for example 3 x (4 x 200) in this the 3 are the sets, and the 4 the reps.
Reps/Repetitions: How many reps of the workout will you do, and how many times will you perform the effort over time or distance.
Pace/effort: How fast or how much effort you will put in, with speed workouts you will be really at the highest effort for most to get the full benefit. While ensuring you can complete the workout.
Conclusion
Speed training is so important for improving as a runner as it allows slower paces and runs, be it threshold, steady, or easy runs, to feel even better, and it can really push up your overall capacity by working at high intensity.
However, remember that speed workouts are very challenging, and a good period of recovery and easy running should follow after the session. It's important when you plan your training week that you don't do too many speed sessions or schedule them to close the training cycle together.
Speed training is also very fun, and it can provide a great sense of achievement, particularly when you complete a workout with a team, group, or training partner.
FAQ
Can you run 3 miles in 30 mins?
With the right training and preparation, running 3 miles in 30 minutes is possible. However, when setting a goal, ensure it is realistic and not a huge step forward in your current ability or fitness level.
How to increase speed for distance runners?
Increasing speed can be done in various ways, with a balanced approach to training and prioritizing recovery. Sessions such as tempo runs, speed workouts, easy pace runs are all important. Weight training and plyometrics can also be used to increase speed as a distance runner.
Is there a secret to running faster?
Hard work is definitely required; however, a secret is that all your running training does not and should not be hard. Easy runs are important to work your endurance system and allow the body to recover so you can really maximize your speed sessions. Running with proper form is also essential for running faster.
