Go for goal
No matter what your aim or how fast you are, chasing a personal best is a great challenge. We show you how to run a speedy 5K…
Run a faster 5K with our plan
Events are hopefully coming back. Following the government’s roadmap to easing lockdown, parkrun has announced a plan to return to its 5K timed runs in the UK* and England Athletics has released guidelines for the restart of organised sport. So, you might be wondering how to take your lockdown running to the next step.
Back in April, we showed you how to run a 5K non-stop – now it’s time to go faster. Not sure whether speed work (shorter efforts at a faster-than- normal pace) is for you? Well, it doesn’t matter how fast you go– what constitutes ‘fast’ is relative to your baseline speed. Indeed, every runner who has been training for a couple of months can benefit from speed work.
Not only does it tax the anaerobic system by recruiting more fast-twitch muscle fibres, but it also contributes to a more economical running style by boosting cadence (the speed at which your feet turnover) and arm swing, which means it will take less effort for you to run at slower speeds. Hurrah!
Running faster can boost stamina, too. A 2017 study printed in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that six sprint interval sessions improved endurance and anaerobic running performance in trained runners. What’s more, it creates an afterburn effect, so you’ll be burning calories even at rest. Want to find out for yourself? Try UK running coach, Wendy Rumble’s plan on the opposite page to speed up, fast!
‘Recover at a slow pace that suits you’