8 tips to become a faster runner

Become a faster runner!

Many runners have the ambition to become faster. It’s both cool and healthy to have ambitions and goals, it sharpens both you and your training. But are you training correctly if you want to become a faster runner?
You will get 8 tips on how to optimize your running and thereby become a faster runner.

1.Drop your running shoes – find your bike

It may sound counterintuitive, but it is actually the case (see also the next tip) that if you plan to train high intensity 1-2 times a week, your form will improve, and you can therefore achieve better running economy, and ultimately become faster.
You can use your exercise bike (I’ve practiced it successfully myself) or a trip to the spinning room to become a faster runner. Especially when you spin, you get some high-intensity workouts that can really affect both your form and your leg muscles.
However, it is important that you learn the balance – because if you overtrain with spinning, you often end up with the opposite effect. Namely, your legs get tired, and then it actually goes the opposite way, so you become a slower runner. So do it in moderation, but if you do it, I promise you will feel an effect.

2. Use interval training – even if you hate it

A bit in the same box as the above tip – but with modifications. If we assume that you use your spinning for the very high-intensity training sessions, then you should use your interval training on the road a little differently. Because you will never get as high in intensity as with spinning. But it is on the road that you build your real running form – also the one that needs to be faster.
It is important, or at least easier, if you know your normal times here, because those are the ones you need to play with and manipulate a bit. You need to go beyond your normal limits, your so-called comfort zone, to optimize and get better.

A few main rules for interval training on the road are that you:

– Not exclusively interval training
– Your intervals and your breaks are roughly the same length
– Measure your performance.

It’s important that you don’t just train intervals to get faster. The body still needs varied training, so still combine it with recovery and long runs. VARIATION is the key word
If you run intervals, push your body. But don’t over-press, or for that matter under-press. Let’s say you know you can push yourself across the grass for 1 minute. Then it’s important that you give your body at least the same amount of rest afterwards before you start the next interval. You shouldn’t give it too much. My main rule is usually that if you are in good shape, you can easily do 1/1 intervals (1min hard work / 1 min recovery). If you are in less good shape or a beginner, combine your intervals a little less hard. 1/1.5 (1min hard work / 1.5min recovery)

Keep track of your goals and progress. Not because it does anything physically, but just because it gives you a kick to see yourself getting better. It sets something in motion in your body. More wants more, and when you can see the results coming, you are also more willing to “suffer” what you have to during the intervals.

Read more about interval training HERE

Read more about refund HERE

3. Become good friends with your bathroom scale

It almost goes without saying. If you get lighter, you get faster. So keep an eye on your weight and don’t let the pounds pile on. You may not want to lose any more weight, but it’s important not to get heavier if you want to be faster.
However, you should be aware of one thing (also mentioned in a tip further down). Strength training can make you faster, as you get better and bigger muscles that can perform more. There is just the small downside that muscles weigh a lot more than fat in the body. So if you strengthen your leg muscles, you can “risk” gaining weight, but don’t worry, you have much more strength to run faster. So it’s not actually in all cases that you just have to lose body weight.

4. Strength training can make you faster

You can choose to strengthen your leg muscles in advance of becoming a faster runner. If your legs and their muscles can perform better, then you have a greater preference for becoming a faster runner.
It’s the heavier strength training you should prioritize. What happens is that your muscles become better at using a lot less energy to run at a speed.

Exercises you could use are: Lunges, deadlifts, squats

5. Think of the body as a whole

It’s actually meant a bit like a raised index finger. You need to involve your whole body in the project. There MUST be time to recover, and not least sleep. It’s important that the body gets the correct rest and time to recover.
So don’t let yourself get carried away by the mood – it’s very easy to do that when things are going well. But always remember that the body needs rest to perform at its best. The only thing that will happen if you don’t give your body the rest it needs is that you increase the risk of injury and your training sessions will be less effective because your body can’t perform at its highest level. Then it will be difficult to improve and become a faster runner.

6.Plan your training and get faster

Although many people claim that they run because it is flexible and can be done when it fits in with work, children, family and everything else. Then I would argue that if you really want to optimize your speed, you will have to pack away the flexibility during those weeks. You get more out of putting your training into a fixed framework because then you will get it done.
If it sets a framework and becomes part of the planning, then it’s not as easy to jump out and say “arghhh we’ll do that tomorrow” Because with that attitude you won’t become a faster runner. And it takes a little thought and discipline if you want to optimize your speed.
So put away the excuses – plan your optimization – and get started.

7.Optimize your equipment

There are several things you can tweak.
Your running shoes can be a parameter. There are lighter race shoes that cut a few grams off the total weight of the shoe. Of course, this is not something that will give you 30 seconds per kilometer, but it can certainly give a little.

The heart rate monitor, or rather the running watch, can help you
As a general rule, you shouldn’t use your heart rate to optimize unless you’re extremely nerdy. But investing in a running watch that can help you keep track of your kilometer times and can tell you a little about distance, etc. is clearly preferable. You’ll just get so much more control over your training, and have a better opportunity to optimize as the overview becomes much better.
And if you can, see if you can use and build your own training with the watch. If you can build your intervals and let the watch control them when you train, then you can stay 101% focused on the training, and not have to think about time, and look at the watch or phone.

8.Faster on race day

If you have worked hard to become a faster runner – possibly with some of the advice above – then it’s disappointing not to be able to show this improvement on the day of the big goal/race.
So prepare yourself properly for the day and do what is best for you. No frills.

Read the guide to running a half marathon HERE.

But what I mean by optimizing the day is getting the body/stomach in good shape so that it can handle the run, but without having too much in the stomach..
This can usually be done with a solid meal 3-4 hours before the start of the race, and then a few different energy measures, possibly a banana or a spot bun with nutella before the start. It is important that you do not stuff too much into your stomach right up to the start. Both because you will be heavier, but of course also because it is super uncomfortable to run on a stomach that has just been full.

You can do various other things during the day to optimize your speed. Some people can get a kick out of caffeine. Just boosting your body with a little “coffee doping” can give you the last bit. Others use beetroot juice as a power measure. The same for both is that you shouldn’t experiment with it during the day unless you’re used to it. Because if you’re not used to it, it can really ruin your entire run. Take it from someone who has run a very slow half marathon because they had to experiment with a Redbull right before the start. It’s not recommended. Trust me.