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Daily Stride #4 - Run Fast

Writer's picture: Dylan BellesDylan Belles

Run Fast.


I don’t think it can be any more simple than this.


You NEED to run fast. I don’t care if you’re training for a mile or training for an ultramarathon, you need to open up your stride and get it going.


And I’m not talking about mile intervals, I’m talking about 6 to 20 seconds reps at near maximal intensity with plenty of rest between (standing rest, over a minute, two minutes if you’re really serious). 


Why?


Because you NEED to gain access to the outer limits of your stride length/hip extension and power production. These factors alone will help you become a better runner (doesn’t matter what you’re training for) and from a longevity perspective, Maintaining this aspect of your training keeps you on your feet for one and two, it can help stave off some of the stride limitations that build over time (talking to the shufflers out there). 


So, how do you do it? 


Pick a day or two during the week where all you have planned is an easy run and this easy run does not follow a harder workout. 


Complete your easy run and take a few minutes to gather yourself. DO NOT GO STRAIGHT INTO IT.


Find a flat spot of road or better yet, a decent incline. I recommend the inclines to start as it makes these faster bits more controlled from a mechanical point of view. 


Run hard for 6 to 20 seconds. The closer you are to 6 seconds the faster it should be, the closer you are to 20 seconds the slower it should be. The 6-second reps might be max speed/effort while the 20-second reps should hang out around .5 to mile race speed. Both play a role, but you must know that the longer the rep the slower the speed will be. If you’re noticing a reduction in speed as you make it to 10-15-20 seconds, you did it wrong. 


You want to maintain an even or progressively faster speed for anything longer than 10 seconds. It’s important to remember you’re not training to run the 100m!


Oh, and don’t pay too close attention to your GPS watch - it’s likely your GPS won’t register perfectly due to the shortness of the rep. Plus, your pace isn't as important as the intensity here!


Now, the other important piece here is that you need to take a full rest. The shorter/faster the rep the longer you need to take to restore the system you just depleted. This can take over 2 minutes to do! 


For the longer reps you can take about a minute so long as you follow the correct intensity prescription. 


I’d advise you to include both within a week if you can. One day shorter, one day faster. 


Simple as that.

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