How to Run Faster and Longer

Learn How To Run Faster and Longer

Lots of people wish they could run faster and longer. No matter how speedy you are, there’s always room for improvement. Seeing others quicker than you might leave you thinking, “How can I run faster?” Athletes often strive to increase their speed to gain advantages over the opponent. Many people try to get faster but fail. Here are the top 5 reasons that are preventing you from running faster and longer.

Work Harder

Getting faster isn’t easy. Don’t expect to increase your speed if you’re training once or twice a week and hardly breaking a sweat. You have to do more than that to improve. If you’re serious about gaining that top edge, eating healthy is necessary.

When you’re doing your sprint workouts for the week, make sure that you give everything you’ve got rather than 90 or 95%. Failing to reach that extra 5-10% makes a massive difference in the long run. Sometimes motivation is hard to come by. Every person is unique and driven by different things. Figure out what motives you the most and cling to it.

Not Enough Weight Training

To get faster, you need to get in the weight room 3 to 4 times a week. Once you’re in the weight room, make sure you do heavy weight training. A runner should focus on squats, deadlifts, power cleans, and weighted lunges. Controlled and explosive reps often reap the best results for those striving to improve. Structure your workout routine in a way that targets specific muscle groups each day. You may focus on lower body workouts on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and upper body workouts on Tuesday and Thursday. Although you should train hard, never overwork yourself. Training too much is entirely possible and can lead to damaged muscles.

Get Leaner

An athlete with excess body fat can’t access their full running potential. For example, if two athletes are equally strong, but the first athlete is 20 pounds heavier, the second athlete will win the race. Instead of eating cereal in the mornings, you might consider a protein-rich meal like eggs or meat. Some people don’t realize that going to the gym isn’t enough to lose weight. Doing this requires gym time plus a healthy diet. If you want to get faster, then disciplining yourself to eat healthier can be an excellent first step.

Stride Length

One of the biggest myths about running faster is that you have to take very long strides. While long-stride training can benefit your technique, it’s not going to help you on the field, court, or track. When you take excessively long strides, your feet strike in front of your center of gravity. Running experts say that over-striding reduces speed because staying balanced requires your foot to push your body in the opposite direction. Your foot’s ideal impact position is directly under your center of gravity.

Doing a high knee exercise is an excellent reference on how far you should be striding. There’s something you can do to give you a better understanding of the importance of stride length. While standing up straight, lean forward until you catch yourself one leg. Repeat the exercise except for this time, lift your knee as high as you can while falling forward. Upon catching yourself, you’ll immediately notice how much farther ahead you lunged.

Downhill & Uphill Running

If you don’t have access to bungee cords or heavy-duty resistance bands, the benefits of trail running on hills can be a great alternative. Locate a hill that is anywhere from 10 to 50 meters long. Rather than running entirely up or down the hill, it may be best to do short distances while focusing on proper technique. Running up a big hill may cause you to lose form, rendering the workout pointless.

If you’re an avid runner, you may have heard of something called the drive phase. Otherwise known as the acceleration phase, the drive phase occurs in the first 10-15 meters of taking off. Naturally, your body slants slightly forward during this time. By engaging in uphill sprints, you simulate the drive phrase and work to become quicker off the start.

Downhill running serves a different purpose. This type of running is useful because the downward slope forces you to take larger and faster strides. As a result, your body begins to acclimate to running faster. Even though the idea is alluring, downhill sprints should take up a small amount of your routine. If you happen to fall at these high speeds, you may injure yourself.

Sports Training

During practices, always keep thoughts of technique in the back of your mind. Having access to your field or court and playing sports can also be beneficial. For example, a baseball player may improve speed by sprinting from the home plate to the first base. A basketball player might do infamous “suicides,” where one quickly runs up and down the court, touching each line. Doing sport-related speed workouts can help you acquire the specific type of speed you need.

Conclusion

There are many reasons why you haven’t experienced significant improvements in your running speed. Whether you’re an athlete or running enthusiast, the idea of getting faster can be a satisfying and appealing thought. If you stay dedicated and follow some of these methods, you might surprise yourself with your speed.