How to master the art of speedwork
In marathon training, the long, slow run is the 'golden' run each week to get your body ready for the 26.2 miles ahead. But there's another important run in the marathon training schedule – and in any training programme for that matter – and that's the speedwork session ...
What is speedwork?
‘Speedwork’ is a catch-all term for several different types of running workouts. ‘Running at goal race pace, track repeats, tempo runs, strides, fartleks – they all fit into the ‘speed’ category of training,’ says running coach Elizabeth Corkum. But to keep it simple: ‘Any running that’s faster than your current steady-state pace can be classified as speedwork,’ adds John Honerkamp, running coach and former head coach at New York Road Runners.
Speedwork pushes your limits to make you fitter and faster – ultimately helping you to run harder for longer across all distances. Running at a faster pace places high demands on muscles and joints that may already be fatigued from previous sessions, so a warm-up is essential. If you’re new to speed, start with strides and tempo sessions rather than all-out reps to allow your body to adapt and get your body used to a faster pace.
Why is speedwork important?
Here’s the thing about running: if you never run fast, you’ll never get faster. So if you’re trying to improve your running performance, smash a new personal best or spice up your usual training, then it’s time to incorporate speedwork into your routine.
Speedwork is important because it can improve your form and efficiency at all paces. ‘It recruits and develops fast-twitch muscle fibre, builds muscle, elevates heart rate and increases calorie burn,’ says Corkum. The increased effort makes you uncomfortable, forcing you to change your breath, stride and effort. ‘Both steady-state runs and speedwork help build a stronger running engine anaerobically and aerobically,’ says Honerkamp. ‘Speed training helps your body get better at supplying oxygen to your muscles in a more efficient way,’ which will help you improve at any distance.
Increasing your speed – even if it’s just for a one- or two-minute push – is also the ticket to getting fitter when you hit a plateau. ‘To see progress, you need to keep subjecting your body to a stimulus it isn’t used to, in this case, faster speeds,’ explains Matt Lee, an exercise physiologist and a professor of kinesiology at San Francisco State University, US. ‘You gradually overload the body with speed, let it adapt, then overload it a little more, let it adapt, and so on.’
This was borne out in a new study. Researchers placed a large number of young, healthy participants into one of six training groups: no training, continuous moderate training, continuous low-heavy, continuous high-heavy, HIIT for 4 minutes and a sprint interval group. Subjects did three sessions a week for six weeks. Which one improved the most? The four-minute HIIT group, which had the best results for increases to VO2 max and running economy, followed by those doing continuous high-heavy training. Moderate continuous training had no better impact on VO2 max than the group that did no training at all, evidently showing that for competent runners at pays to up the pace on a frequent basis.
Aside from the physical benefits of speedwork, you’ll gain mental benefits as well, because pushing the pace trains your brain as much as your body, fostering mental toughness for future runs.
Adding in speedwork just one to two days a week can yield huge benefits – especially if you’re new to it. (Just give your body one to two days to recover before your next high-stress workout.)
What are some of the best speedwork sessions for runners?
There are lots of types of speed sessions you can do – here's an example of some of our favourites:
STRIDES
‘I usually start runners new to speedwork with strides, or short bursts of speed,’ says Corkum. ‘Speedwork is high stress, so strides are a short taste of that stress. Like anything new to the body, diving into the deep end too often increases injury risk.’
Warm-up
• 10 minutes at warm-up pace (3-4 RPE)
• 20m or 30 reps of dynamic drills: high knees / bum kicks / skips / side shuffles / squats
• 10 minutes running (5-6 RPE)
Speed up
• 20 seconds of strides (9-10 RPE)
• 30-40 seconds of recovery jogging or walking
• Repeat 4-6 times
Cool-down
• 10 minutes easy recovery jog (RPE 3)
400 REPEATS
‘400 repeats help ease a runner into intervals,’ Honerkamp says. If you don’t know your 5K or 10K paces, work off effort and build speed as you become more comfortable.
Warm-up
• 1-2 miles at easy pace (3-4 RPE)
• 20m or 30 reps of dynamic drills: high knees / bum kicks / skips / side shuffles / squats
Speed up
• 400m at 5K or 10K pace (7-8 RPE)
• 2 minutes of rest or walk
• Repeat 8 times
Cool-down
• 1-2 miles jogging (RPE 3)
TIRED-LEG TRAINING
‘This workout ends with faster paces than the bulk of the workout, teaching the runner to find that next gear while tired,’ says Corkum. That said, she warns it’s intense and these short recoveries should not be underestimated.
Warm-up
• 1 mile at easy pace (3-4 RPE)
• 20m or 30 reps of dynamic drills: high knees / bum kicks / skips / side shuffles / squats
Speed up
• 600m at 5K goal pace (8 RPE)
• 200 metres recovery jog
• Repeat 8 times
• 200m at mile pace (9 RPE)
• 200m recovery jog
• Repeat 4 times
Cool-down
• 1 mile recovery jog (RPE 3)
RELAXED SPEEDWORK
‘Ease into the first two intervals to warm up,’ says Honerkamp. ‘And pretend you have two more intervals on the last one. You don’t need to go out too fast or all-out at the end. Stay relaxed throughout.’
Warm-up
• 1-2 miles at easy pace (3-4 RPE)
• 20m or 30 reps of dynamic drills: high knees / bum kicks / skips / side shuffles / squats
Speed up
• 1km at 5K goal pace (8 RPE)
• 2:30 mins rest or walk
• Repeat 5 times
Cool-down
• 1-2 miles easy recovery jog (RPE 3)
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