What makes you faster

That might mean running at faster speeds , but you can also simulate the demands of speedwork through other means, such as explosive strength movements. Building some strong habits outside the gym will also help you pick up your pace. This training goes above and beyond tempo runs and longer runs—it incorporates cross-training, techniques to running faster, speed workouts, recovery, and more.

Training to run faster is intentional. Not many athletes will pick up the pace with a nonchalant workout schedule—at least, not speed they can maintain. How you get faster at running depends on your training, workouts, exercises, and technique.

This is a tricky one to include on this list. We know that runners come in all shapes and sizes. Maybe that means losing just a couple of pounds, or maybe you set your goal to losing five to ten pounds. Whatever amount you choose, it will have an effect on your running speed.

But, taking a look at your midsection just might result in cranking out a little more oomph in your speed training. Your core muscles are responsible for stabilizing your spine during activity. Not only do they keep you upright, but they also help prevent excessive rotation while running.

The contralateral movement—one arm forward and the opposite leg backward—would normally have you twisting side to side. The movement of your upper body and legs helps blunt that rotation, and your core fills in the gaps.

It keeps you stable and moving forward, instead of wasting energy in rotation. A strong core can also help relieve your hips and prevent fatigue.

The deep core muscles should work in tandem with your hip flexors, glutes , and hamstrings to bring your leg forward and out in each stride. Try training your core with these exercises to run faster. Ease that transition by practicing your breathing before you even get on the road or into the workout.

More air equals more oxygen getting to your muscles. Jump over to this article to get a full explanation of belly breathing and a few drills to try out! Just how spry do you feel after a less-than-healthy meal versus after a fresh, colorful plate? Probably not so great. Take an honest look at your eating habits. Are you staying hydrated throughout the day, or just chugging water right before you hit the road? Is your daily vegetable serving limited to pale iceberg lettuce or are you getting in dark, leafy greens frequently?

All of which will help you feel better, recover faster, and maybe lose a little weight as you increase your fiber intake. What you eat while on the run is certainly important. But remember that you spend a lot more time eating while not running, giving you many more opportunities to make important changes. Whole-grain carbs , plentiful fruit and vegetable intake, and limited junk food will all contribute to you feeling your best for your next workout or race day.

As exercise researchers at the University of New Mexico point out, a number of physiological factors determine the limits of your endurance capability, including the efficiency of your heart, lungs and circulatory system in bringing oxygen in and circulating it to your muscles.

Although training can improve all of these factors, your genetic makeup decides the ultimate physiological limits of your body's performance. If you run long distances, then endurance and speed are inextricably linked.

You can't have one without the other when your race is measured in terms of miles instead of meters or yards; you certainly can't sprint for the finish line if you don't make it that far in the first place.

However, there are physiological limiting factors for short-distance speed bursts too. As the American Council on Exercise explains, your genes determine your personal balance of slow-twitch muscle fibers which are heavily recruited for endurance activities and fast-twitch muscle fibers which are heavily recruited for explosive, strength- and power-based activities like running sprints.

Clinically defining your balance of fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibers requires an invasive medical procedure — but if your body shows a clear aptitude for either endurance- or power-based activities, that gives you a pretty clear idea of where you stand. In a small study published in a issue of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise , researchers studied 14 volunteers who were new to running.

They found that through the course of a week, beginner-oriented running program, the volunteers naturally self-optimized their gaits to greatly improve their overall running economy, or efficiency.

The researchers go on to speculate that in light of their results and information from other studies, these gait adaptations may occur between six and 10 weeks of training. As you build a regular running habit your body not only gets more fit, but also learns how to use those new fitness resources more efficiently — and the more efficient you are in your gait, the faster and farther you can go.

However, that doesn't mean everybody automatically attains perfect running form — and it certainly doesn't mean you'll reach maximal efficiency of motion in just 10 weeks of training. If you find that you've plateaued or are simply ready to step your running goals up another notch, getting some one-on-one or group-based coaching to improve your technique can help you to progress. This is particularly true if you're running at a high level, where the differences in speed or stamina can be measured in seconds, or even fractions of seconds, from one competitor to the next.

Just as even the best writers need an editor to reach their fullest potential, even the best runners will benefit from a good coaching relationship. Finally, if you went into your running habit with a muscular imbalance or gait abnormality, running — like any other physical activity — might exacerbate those existing imbalances.

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Finish strong. June 3, Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellFit. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.

These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Pick Up the Pace One of the first steps to running faster is to learn what it feels like to pick up the pace. Run More Often In many cases, increasing your weekly mileage will help to increase your overall speed. Work On Your Form Proper running form can make you a more efficient runner.

Count Your Strides Counting your strides can help increase your stride turnover , which is the number of steps you take every minute you run. Schedule Tempo Runs Tempo runs, or runs at a slightly slower pace than you'd normally use, can help develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for running faster. Do Speed Work Not surprisingly, speed work is one of the smartest ways to improve your pace. Practice Fartleks If you don't have access to a track or another measured space to run specific intervals, you can use fartlek training instead.

Incorporate Hill Training Running hills helps improve your running economy and efficiency, which will translate into faster running. Run on a Treadmill While training on the open road is preferred by most runners, you can also use a treadmill to improve your speed.

Let Your Body Recover Don't assume that running hard every day will make you faster. Follow a Training Plan If it feels overwhelming to think about scheduling all of the different speed- and endurance-boosting workouts at once, a simple training plan can help you stay organized and focused. Improve Your Eating Habits Research shows that improving your nutrition may also help increase your running speed.

Wear Lightweight Running Gear Some running gear adds excess bulk and weight, which could slow down your pace and hinder your performance. Stretch Regularly Inflexible joints can hinder a faster running pace. Strengthen Your Core Believe it or not, the strength of your core muscles can affect your running pace.

Get Enough Sleep Fast runners are often well-rested runners. Lift Weights Strength training builds stronger muscles to help improve your speed and overall performance. Strength Training for Runners. Experiment with Resistance Workout tools and gadgets such as an anti-gravity treadmill, a running parachute, or speed bands can be used for increased power and performance. Cross-Train While running exercises are designed specifically to improve your pace, sometimes the best way to learn how to run faster is to take a short break from the sport and cross-train with other activities.

Run With a Group Running with a group will not only motivate you to keep training, but many people find that they push themselves harder when they train with others. Finish Strong If you're interested in racing and want to learn how to improve your race time, you can occasionally train as though you were racing.

A Word From Verywell If you're ready to build more endurance and train your body to run faster, try incorporating any number of these tips into your running routine. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.

Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Related Articles. Etiquette and Safety Rules for Running on a Track.