windwalker
I need an Adventure
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2006
- Messages
- 6,477
I have seen the question often from new members, "How do you get faster".
In it's most basic, getting faster means increasing the speed that is normal for you. Like, for example, when you stretch regularly you increase your range of motion, or more accurately, your range of comfortable motion. The same is true for going faster, you increase the speed that you can comfortably maintain over distance.
There are several ways to do this. But all of them include working harder so that the new "harder" becomes easier. There is an old saying that always training for long slow distance makes you well trained to go long and slow.
One of the best and easiest ways to get your speed training is to do what is called speed play or fartlak training. That means as you do your regular walk or run and several times pick up the speed for short distances, like from power pole to power pole. Your heart rate and effort level will increase and then when you slow back down your body will recover, then you do it again.
Another, and my favorite way to get faster is to slowly increase your pace each mile so that your last mile is as fast as you can go and finish the distance. First mile slow warmup, next mile a little faster untill your last mile is tough but doable at your current fitness level. Then walk or slowly jog for a few minutes till your feeling recovered again.
Intervals are the "Tried and true" way to get faster. Best done on a track. Warm up for a few miles then go harder than your normal pace for a measured distance. 200m is a good place to start, do 200m 4 times with a full lap of the track to recover between each 200m. Then over time as each interval distance gets comfortable then increase them to 400m, then 600m and so on. Marathon training can be inhanced by working up to one mile intervals with a lap to recover between.
Anyone else that would like to add some personal experience please do.
Dave
In it's most basic, getting faster means increasing the speed that is normal for you. Like, for example, when you stretch regularly you increase your range of motion, or more accurately, your range of comfortable motion. The same is true for going faster, you increase the speed that you can comfortably maintain over distance.
There are several ways to do this. But all of them include working harder so that the new "harder" becomes easier. There is an old saying that always training for long slow distance makes you well trained to go long and slow.
One of the best and easiest ways to get your speed training is to do what is called speed play or fartlak training. That means as you do your regular walk or run and several times pick up the speed for short distances, like from power pole to power pole. Your heart rate and effort level will increase and then when you slow back down your body will recover, then you do it again.
Another, and my favorite way to get faster is to slowly increase your pace each mile so that your last mile is as fast as you can go and finish the distance. First mile slow warmup, next mile a little faster untill your last mile is tough but doable at your current fitness level. Then walk or slowly jog for a few minutes till your feeling recovered again.
Intervals are the "Tried and true" way to get faster. Best done on a track. Warm up for a few miles then go harder than your normal pace for a measured distance. 200m is a good place to start, do 200m 4 times with a full lap of the track to recover between each 200m. Then over time as each interval distance gets comfortable then increase them to 400m, then 600m and so on. Marathon training can be inhanced by working up to one mile intervals with a lap to recover between.
Anyone else that would like to add some personal experience please do.
Dave
