Improving on your mile time may seem like a near impossible task, yet it is not. You can be certain that, with a suitable exercise routine and enough dedication, you can get quicker at running a mile to the point at which it feels like you are regularly saving minutes. Below, you can find 11 steps that will enhance your running speed, as well as a suggested one-mile workout program.
1. BE CONSISTENT.
In order to lower your mile time, the most essential thing is to run regularly. Typically, success in athletics tends to come from being consistent, whereas a lack of consistency leads to failure.
It is recommended that you have a training program (which could be created by you or a coach) and include around 4-5 days of running each week to increase your speed. It is not beneficial to jog only at times of suitability or when one has a spontaneous desire to do so if one is aiming for personal records. You need to keep up with regular and frequent running so that your body gets used to the pressure of running quicker.
A word of advice to those who are just beginning their running journey – there is no need to rush into advanced track intervals or running every day. Take your time and progress gradually, starting with a run/walk plan. Instead, concentrate on making sure you go for a run a few times a week for an extended period of time. That alone should help improve your speed a bit. After you have been exercising for a few months, it is time to begin incorporating hill training and fartleks into your routine. After getting comfortable with these elements, it is then time to progress to speedwork sessions on the track.
2. FOCUS ON FORM.
Prioritize technique before increasing your pacing, particularly if you are just starting out in running. Attempting to go faster while using improper technique is a guarantee of getting hurt.
When you go jogging, make sure to hold your head up high so you can stay in good form and hold your equilibrium – don’t stoop or dip your chin. Check that your arms have a 90-degree bend in the elbows and move loosely in a swinging motion. Engage your core and use short, gentle strides. Do not take overly large steps; avoid taking long strides, as this can heighten the possibility of an injury.
Concentrate on taking deep breaths and if necessary, come up with a tune or chant inside your head to stay on track and to prevent yourself from the psychological distress.
3. RUN HILLS.
Incorporating hills into a running program is a great way to add difficulty to workouts without putting too much strain on the joints. Inclines necessitate more effort from one’s muscles as well as an increase in energy expended, thus making them a more intense exercise even before looking at the velocity.
Search for hills that will require approximately 1-2 minutes to ascend. You want it to be challenging but doable. Start off by running a mile or so at a moderate pace to get your body warm and then sprint uphill at your fastest rate of speed. Run or stroll downhill once more, and then do this a few times as part of your exercise.
It could be beneficial to take your time when beginning exercises such as these, as it can be difficult to anticipate how strenuous running up a hill can be. Discover if you can manage the speed and then gradually raise it.
4. DO INTERVAL TRAINING.
Repeated bursts of exercise can be utilized to boost your performance in the mile run. Veteran runners should plan to do track workouts at least once a week. Some competitive athletes may include two days per week of these exercises in their routine.
For those training to run a faster mile, you might include track workouts that utilize these intervals:
- 100s (straightaway)
- 200s (½ lap)
- 400s (1 lap)
- 600s (1 ½ laps)
- 800s (2 laps)
- 1000s (2 ½ laps)
- 1200s (3 laps)
The amount and sorts of intervals, as well as the speed of those intervals, will vary depending on your current physical fitness level and any injuries you have had.
It is imperative to remember that it is not wise for newbies to perform track speed workouts until they are used to running at a constant pace for several months and have done trial runs with slopes, intervals, and moderate intensity runs. Engaging in speed-related activities too rapidly can lead to the likelihood of getting hurt.
5. DO STRENGTH TRAINING.
Exercising with weights can assist in making your stride more proficient and reduce the likelihood of injury, both of which are beneficial when you are preparing to run your fastest mile.
Many individuals consider strength training that targets the legs and buttocks, which are vitally essential. Building up your glute, quad, and hamstring muscles can help boost the explosive force in your running form. Moving the hips is also a must, since they keep the pelvis balanced during running.
But it’s also really important to strengthen your core. The muscles in your core, mainly your abdominal and back muscles, give steadiness and assistance while you are running, securing your body in its correct posture. Having a sturdy center will result in a soft and even step when your limbs go through the running action. Having a weak core can result in attempting to use muscle groups that ordinarily should not have to be recruited when performing a given task, which in turn can cause harm.
Strength can be bolstered with various techniques such as bodyweight exercise, elastic bands and with the use of gym apparatus.
Doing a couple of days of strength training in a week can be advantageous for those who run. You don’t have to be in the health club performing strength training every day; doing so is likely to lead to exhaustion and overtraining when combined with your running program. Ensure that you take a full day of rest every seven days (though an active recovery-walk or leisurely bike ride- is allowable).
6. CONSIDER CADENCE.
Number of steps taken per minute is referred to as running cadence or turnover.
Do not worry too much when you first begin running about your cadence; feeling relaxed and finding your unique stride should be your priority.
In case you have been running for a few months, take note of your foot strike rate and evaluate your performance.
You can manually figure out the total number of steps you take in a minute. A lot of people like to count the times their right foot comes down and double it to figure out how many steps they take in total. Most major running watches these days also estimate cadence.
It is not true, contrary to what some articles may say, that there is one ideal running gait. There are general ranges though which are helpful.
Generally speaking, when runners are running leisurely, they will tend to take around 160 to 180 strides within one minute; however, when they are running a more intensive workout such as an interval sprint, they don’t need to keep an eye on their step cadence.
If your pace is much more sluggish than usual, it could be a sign of over-extending your steps. If you take strides that are too big, you won’t be touching the ground with your feet as often in one minute. However, by taking longer strides, you will place greater strain on your legs and it will decrease the efficiency of your running.
If you’re having this problem, when you’re doing your shorter runs, try to mentally tell yourself to have “fast feet” or “feet like they’re on fire”, and move your legs quicker with a shorter stride. Doing this while you are jogging less intensely can help enhance the precision of your running form which can then apply to your more speed workout.
8. Develop Your Speed
It’s critical to train your speed to have the capability to compete at your desired race rate smoothly.
One way to do this would be to condition your body to move faster than what you’re aiming for in the race.
Moving faster than a mile per minute or the time taken to cover the 1500 meter distance is looked at as more intense and demanding than aerobic activity.
For example, running 800m is thought of as 67% anaerobic and 400m at a faster speed is 83% anaerobic, but 3k speed is considered to be 60% aerobic and 40% anaerobic.
You need to use your fast twitch muscle fibers more when you make the transition from aerobic to anaerobic activity.
One way to help your body get ready for this is to practice running at the rate you expect to for the 800m and 400m races.
Your goal should be to complete 800 meters in 84 seconds per 400 meters. The following are a few helpful practices: 12 repetitions of 200 meters with a minute respite between sets, 8 repetitions of 300 meters with a 1 minute and 15 second break, and strides.
Take note that the workout intensity and velocity is going to be quite strenuous, so make sure to carry out an extensive warm-up, comprising of some rapid iterations, before you initiate the workout.
Making strides is an excellent way to boost proper running form and sharpen your capacity to vary between slow-twitch muscle fibers for aerobic running and fast-twitch muscle fibers for anaerobic running.
9. Know Your Target Pace And Hit The Track
If you are unsure of your physical fitness, start off with a light workout and then run a mile at a level of difficulty that is between 8 and 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. This will show you where you stand currently.
Next, it’s time to hit the track.
Keep in mind that a typical running track is 400m, so 4 laps around it plus an additional 9m will give you a total of one mile.
You can determine your desired lap time by taking your goal mile time and dividing it by four.
If you aim to run a mile in 6 minutes, you would have to finish 4 circuits of a standard running track, with each circuit taking 90 seconds. This is a pace of 3.45 minutes/km.
Begin by performing 10-12 repetitions of a 200m sprint at a target speed of 90 seconds per 400m (45 seconds for the 200m sprint), and take a break of 60 seconds in between each repetition.
Once you become accustomed to this speed, increase the repetition distance to 300m and complete 6 to 8 repetitions with a break of 75 seconds in between. Perform six to eight repetitions of 400 meters with 90 seconds of rest in-between each repetition.
As your fitness level increases, you can try doing the following routine: 3 repetitions of 600 meters with a four-minute break in between. It will require some time to get back to normal, as going at your desired competition speed over this length will cause a high quantity of lactic acid to accumulate in your muscles.
10. Improve Your Aerobic Strength
If you hope to be able to run a fast mile, you need to be able to run well over distances longer than just a mile. This will give you the necessary aerobic endurance to stay robust throughout your one-mile effort.
This is where working out at certain speeds with breaks in between will help you out. You can use your GPS watch to measure the distance you’ve gone, or if available, you can use a 400m lap at a local running track as a guide.
For example, you might consider including both 3k and 5k runs with controlled speeds in your plan.
Your goal should be to run 3,000 meters in 3 minutes and 55 seconds per kilometer, 6 minutes and 16 seconds per mile, or 94 seconds for every 400 meters.
Doing 8-12 reps of 400 meters in 94 seconds with a 90-second break afterwards is an effective session. As your aerobic capacity gets better, you can include longer stretches at the same rate as when running 3k with a two minute break in between.
Do four 1000m runs with four minutes and five seconds per kilometer, six minutes, thirty-two seconds per mile, or ninety-eight seconds per 400m, then recover for two minutes. This is an excellent opportunity to assess how long you can stay focused on a task.
11. Beware The 3rd Lap!
A familiar saying to anyone who has participated in 1500m or mile competitions is this.
This is an important section of the race where you must exert yourself greatly so that your speed does not decrease too much. One must develop the capacity to focus even in times of unease.
One way to prepare for the tough middle part of a mile race is to practice running at the same speed as the race during longer training sessions, by running a specific distance in a specific amount of time. You can start with a distance of 1000m. Ensure that you have done an appropriate amount of stretching and be dedicated from the beginning to maintain the preferred speed for your race. As your strength improves, gradually add an extra 50 meters to your distance until you reach 1200m, and try to maintain your race speed for the whole run.
Final Thoughts
Many runners observe that doing a swift 800m speed unit combined with a tempo jog is effective, as that gives the body more opportunity to recover. Additionally, you could coordinate a practice session at a goal distance split pace with a workout at either 3k or 5k rate. Make sure that when you have a go at a time trial, you are not already feeling tired. It’s better to do a tempo or hill run earlier in the week instead of a quick 800m workout. One more recommendation is to reduce the number of miles you run each week prior to attempting to run a speedy mile, doing this will keep your legs feeling strong and energized to give it your all. I wish you success with your attempt to sprint a mile quicker. Don’t give up quickly when transitioning to a different training program; keep trying until you get it right! Remember: it’s important to persevere and not give in to frustration – “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”
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