Fat Loss · Beginner · 4 min read
How to Run Faster
Most runners trying to get faster run hard every time and wonder why they stay slow. Speed is built the other way around: mostly easy miles that grow the engine, a little fast work that teaches the legs to turn over, and the strength and form that waste less of every step.
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Speed is built, not born
The mistake is making every run a test. Tests measure fitness; they do not build it. Easy miles do the building.
Run easy to run fast
- 80%of weekly distanceEasy, conversational pace
- 20%fast workStrides, sprints, tempo
- 4–5easy runs a week20 to 60 minutes each
The easy pace feels slow on purpose — it is where capillaries, mitochondria and running economy grow. See zone 2 cardio for the effort level, and couch to 5K if you are starting from zero.
Add strides and short sprints
- Jog 10 minutes easy.
- Run 8 to 12 strides — 20 seconds fast but smooth, full recovery between.
- Finish with 4 to 6 short hills or flat sprints of 15 to 30 seconds.
- Walk or jog until breathing settles between each.
- Cool down 10 minutes easy.
Twice a week is plenty. Strides teach fast turnover without fatigue; sprints raise the ceiling. More fast work than this usually just adds injury risk. See HIIT workouts for the science behind the short-and-hard format.
Form fixes that cost nothing
- Land under your hips, not ahead of them
- Short, quick steps — around 170 to 180 per minute
- Tall posture, slight forward lean from the ankles
- Arms driving forward and back, not across the chest
- Overstriding to "run bigger"
- Bouncing with every step
- Gripping the fists and shrugging the shoulders
Form changes do not make you fast on their own — they stop you wasting the fitness you already have. The biggest single fix is the cadence: shorter, quicker steps are both faster and easier on the joints.
Strength for runners
Running speed is produced by muscle. Two short sessions a week change what the same effort buys:
- Squats and lunges — the stride's engine. See squat form.
- Deadlifts or hip hinges — the push-off power.
- Calf raises — the final drive of every step.
- Rows and planks — the trunk that stops the energy leaking.
For the full lower-body plan, see how to build bigger legs — stronger legs run faster at the same effort.
A week that works
- MonEasy run30 to 40 minutes, conversational
- TueStrides + squats8 × 20 s strides, then 3 × 6 squats
- WedEasy run30 minutes
- ThuHills or sprints6 × 20 s, full recovery
- FriRest or easy20 minutes if legs feel good
- SatLong easy run45 to 60 minutes
- SunRestThe speed is built here too
Keep the easy days easy. The week above is where most of the speed comes from — not the sprint day. Judge progress by the pace of your easy runs dropping over months, not by one time trial.
- Eighty percent easy, twenty percent fast — the split that actually builds speed.
- Easy miles grow the engine; strides and short sprints teach it to turn over.
- Shorter, quicker steps are the free fix that saves energy and joints.
- Squats, deadlifts and calf raises make the same effort buy more speed.
- Judge the easy-run pace over months — it is the honest speedometer.
Frequently asked questions
How can I run faster in a week?
The quickest honest wins are form: shorten your steps to about 170 to 180 per minute and land under your hips. Real speed is built in months, not days — but better form pays immediately.
Should I run hard every session to get faster?
No. Hard every day builds fatigue, not speed. The 80/20 split — mostly easy, a little fast — is what the evidence supports and what every serious program uses.
Does lifting weights slow runners down?
No — it makes them faster. Stronger legs produce more force per stride, and the strength work also cuts injury risk. Two short sessions a week is the sweet spot.
How much do I need to run to get faster?
Three to five easy runs plus one speed session a week is enough for big improvements. Consistency over months beats heroic weeks — the base compounds.
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This guide is general educational information, not medical advice. Train within your ability and consult a qualified professional before starting a new program if you have an injury or health condition.