Rev Up Your Speedy Engine 🏎️
The Benefits of Including Speed Work in Your Training Plan
When was the last time you did a true speed work? Not just faster running, but true, gut-churning, legs throbbing all-out speed work?
First off, it helps to know what speed work even is. Loosely, it's just faster running than a basic run or a long run. Technically, threshold running is speedier than long run pace, but for something to be truly speed work as I'm defining it, it should be mile race pace or faster.
These short, fast intervals help make all your other paces feel easy. Think about it: if you run 8 x 100 at mile race pace, of course, 5k, threshold or your long run pace will feel easy.
A sample workout designed to improve your speed might be something like 6 x 200 at your mile race pace w/ 200 jog recoveries.
First off, it helps to know what speed work even is. Loosely, it's just faster running than a basic run or a long run. Technically, threshold running is speedier than long run pace, but for something to be truly speed work as I'm defining it, it should be mile race pace or faster.
These short, fast intervals help make all your other paces feel easy. Think about it: if you run 8 x 100 at mile race pace, of course, 5k, threshold or your long run pace will feel easy.
A sample workout designed to improve your speed might be something like 6 x 200 at your mile race pace w/ 200 jog recoveries.
Overall, though, a speed workout isn't necessarily going to look fast on an app like Strava or Garmin.
Why is that? Because if you do speed work correctly, the recoveries are so slow (like barely lifting your feet) that your overall pace becomes quite slow.
First off, it helps to know what speed work even is. Loosely, it's just faster running than a basic run or a long run. Technically, threshold running is speedier than long run pace, but for something to be truly speed work as I'm defining it, it should be mile race pace or faster.
These short, fast intervals help make all your other paces feel easy. Think about it: if you run 8 x 100 at mile race pace, of course, 5k, threshold or your long run pace will feel easy.
A sample workout designed to improve your speed might be something like 6 x 200 at your mile race pace w/ 200 jog recoveries.
Overall, though, a speed workout isn't necessarily going to look fast on an app like Strava or Garmin.
Why is that? Because if you do speed work correctly, the recoveries are so slow (like barely lifting your feet) that your overall pace becomes quite slow.
Because mile pace is so fast (relative to regular running), it requires a serious amount of recovery to make sure the next rep is done fast as well. That's why the recoveries need to be super slow - like crawling effort - just so you can recover.
Some pieces of info to keep in mind:
You gotta warm up more than you are used to. A normal warmup for me would be 2 miles, but on speed work days, it might be closer to 2.5 or more.
Speed work requires lots of time to recover (sometimes multiple days). Those next few days should be spent running slow (not cutting distance if possible), doing lots of self-care, and hydrating.
In terms of recovery during the workout, a typical recovery would be the same distance as the rep (100 hard, 100 meter recovery; 200 meter repeat, 200 meter slow recovery).
Typically, speed work days are not high-volume days, so a longer warmup and cool down are necessary.
Your mile pace is not my mile pace, so the pace you run will be different than my pace.
Vary your speed work intervals - some times run 100s, or go crazy and do 150s.
Speed work is also done well up and over hills, just saying…
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Friday’s Action Plan
Absolutely add speed work into your training plan, but also plan on recovering like a champ.
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Quote of the Week:
Train smart. Run fast. Sleep well.
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