How to Increase Running Speed: Exercises, Workouts and Training Strategies
To run faster, you need more than hard efforts. The most reliable approach combines aerobic fitness, controlled speed work, strength, running economy and enough recovery to adapt. This guide explains what each method actually develops and how to fit the pieces together without turning every run into a race.
How do you increase running speed?
To increase running speed, keep most running controlled and add a small amount of purposeful faster work. A strong programme usually combines easy aerobic running, one or two quality sessions, short relaxed strides, strength training and enough recovery between demanding days.
The exact mix depends on whether you are trying to improve sprint speed, a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon or simply your everyday running pace. The common mistake is treating all forms of speed training as interchangeable.
The useful principle: do not ask, “How can I make every run faster?” Ask, “Which adaptation am I trying to create today?” That distinction makes speed training more precise and easier to recover from.
Best exercises for speed: what should runners actually do?
There is no single exercise that makes every runner faster. Speed comes from a combination of aerobic capacity, force production, running economy, neuromuscular coordination and the ability to maintain pace as fatigue develops.
These are the most useful training tools to understand first.
| Exercise or workout | Main purpose | Typical use | Key mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strides | Leg turnover, coordination and relaxed speed | 4–6 × 15–25 sec after an easy run | Turning every stride into an all-out sprint |
| Short intervals | Speed, aerobic power and running economy | Controlled repetitions separated by recovery | Starting faster than you can repeat consistently |
| Tempo or threshold work | Sustaining a faster pace for longer | Continuous or broken controlled efforts | Running it like a race |
| Hill repetitions | Running-specific force and technique under resistance | Short or moderate uphill repetitions | Sprinting recklessly on steep or unsafe terrain |
| Heavy strength training | Force production and running economy | Squat, hinge, split-squat, calf and single-leg patterns | Adding so much gym fatigue that running quality collapses |
| Plyometrics | Reactive strength and rapid force production | Pogo jumps, hops, bounds and controlled jumps | High volume before building basic strength and landing control |
What actually determines how fast you can run?
Running speed is the visible result of several systems working together. A runner may be limited by aerobic fitness, sustainable pace, muscular force, economy, coordination or simply by a training programme that contains too much fatigue.
Aerobic capacity
Your cardiovascular system needs to deliver and use oxygen effectively. Easy running, longer aerobic work and appropriately designed high-intensity sessions all contribute, although through different mechanisms.
Sustainable speed
Being fast for 20 seconds is different from holding a demanding pace for 20 minutes. Threshold and race-specific training develop the ability to sustain a larger fraction of your available capacity.
Running economy
Running economy describes the energy cost of running at a given submaximal speed. Strength training, training history, mechanics and footwear can all influence it.
Neuromuscular speed
Your nervous system must coordinate force quickly. Strides, short fast repetitions, hills and explosive work can expose the body to faster movement without requiring large amounts of training volume.
Cadence and stride length: speed is not a single number
Running speed reflects the interaction between step frequency and the distance covered with each step. As pace rises, both can change. Trying to force one variable in isolation can make movement less natural rather than more efficient.
This is why “increase your cadence to 180” or “take a longer stride” are poor universal instructions. The appropriate pattern changes with pace, body dimensions, training history, terrain and the individual runner.
Strides, sprints, intervals and tempo runs are not the same workout
One reason speed programmes become unnecessarily hard is that very different sessions get grouped under the word “speed”. Each method has a different purpose.
Strides: fast but relaxed
Strides are short accelerations in which you build speed smoothly, run fast with good control and then decelerate. They are usually performed with generous recovery and should finish before technique deteriorates.
Short sprints: acceleration and maximum-speed qualities
True sprint work is short and requires substantial recovery because the objective is movement quality and very high speed, not cardiovascular exhaustion. It should be introduced cautiously, especially if you have no sprint background.
Intervals: repeated fast running with planned recovery
Interval training can target many qualities depending on repetition length, intensity and recovery. A 20-second repetition, a 400-metre repeat and a five-minute interval do not create the same stimulus.
For detailed interval examples, read Running: Short Intervals to Improve Your Fitness .
Tempo and threshold work: hold speed instead of chasing maximum speed
Threshold-oriented running develops your ability to sustain a demanding but controlled effort. It is particularly useful when the problem is not producing speed briefly, but maintaining a stronger pace for a longer distance.
For the differences between progression runs, tempo running and interval sessions, see Progression Run vs Tempo Run vs Intervals .
Do not select workouts by how painful they sound. Select them by the adaptation you need. More exhaustion does not automatically mean more useful speed training.
Strength training for runners who want to get faster
Strength training is not merely an injury-prevention accessory. For middle- and long-distance runners, research has found that appropriately programmed strength work can improve running economy and aspects of performance even when maximal aerobic capacity changes little.
The objective is not to copy a bodybuilding workout. The objective is to become better at producing and controlling force without generating unnecessary fatigue that compromises your running.
Squat and split-squat patterns
Develop hip and knee extension strength. Split squats and step-ups add useful single-leg demand that resembles the unilateral nature of running.
Hip-hinge patterns
Deadlift and Romanian-deadlift variations strengthen the posterior chain and train force production through the hips.
Calf and ankle strength
Calf raises and related exercises train the lower leg, which repeatedly stores, controls and releases force while running.
Trunk and single-leg control
Carries, anti-rotation work, side planks and controlled single-leg exercises can help you maintain stable positions while force travels through the body.
A simple runner-focused strength session
Running technique: improve what matters, not what looks fashionable
Running form changes naturally with speed. Faster running generally produces different joint angles, contact times and step patterns than easy jogging. For that reason, technique should be evaluated at the pace and in the conditions that matter to you.
Posture
- Run tall rather than collapsing at the waist.
- Allow a slight whole-body lean when speed increases rather than forcing the shoulders forward.
- Keep the shoulders and hands relaxed.
- Let the arms swing naturally in coordination with the legs.
Cadence
Cadence is simply step frequency. There is no universal cadence that every runner should copy. It changes with pace, height, leg length, training background and individual mechanics.
In selected runners, a modest cadence increase may reduce stride length and alter loading. That does not mean everyone should deliberately chase the same steps-per-minute target.
Foot strike
Heel, midfoot and forefoot striking are descriptions of where the foot initially contacts the ground. None is automatically the “correct” pattern for every healthy runner.
Systematic-review evidence does not support changing an uninjured runner's habitual foot-strike pattern simply on the assumption that another strike is inherently more economical or universally safer. Changing contact pattern also redistributes load rather than making load disappear.
For a deeper explanation of the myths around cadence, foot strike and form, read Running Cadence & Foot Strike: 5 Form Flaws Not to Fix .
Useful drills
Drills should reinforce coordination rather than serve as a performance ritual with no purpose. Keep them short, technically clean and connected to the workout that follows.
Marches and skips
Useful for posture, rhythm and coordinated arm-leg action.
Fast relaxed feet
Short bouts can expose you to quicker turnover without large fatigue.
Strides
Bridge the gap between drills and actual faster running.
Hill running and plyometrics: two ways to develop force quickly
Hill repetitions
Running uphill increases the force requirement while naturally limiting absolute speed. Hills can therefore be useful for acceleration, running-specific strength and aerobic conditioning depending on repetition length and intensity.
Plyometrics
Plyometric training uses rapid stretch-shortening actions to develop reactive strength. Examples include pogo jumps, hops, bounds and selected box-jump variations.
More is not better. Small amounts of high-quality jumping can be enough, particularly when you are also running and strength training.
- Start with low-complexity movements and controlled landings.
- Use a stable, non-slip surface.
- Stop when contact quality becomes noisy, slow or poorly controlled.
- Progress total contacts gradually.
- Avoid introducing a large plyometric volume during an already demanding running week.
Example weekly plan to improve running speed
For most recreational runners, a good starting point is to maintain a clear contrast between hard and easy days.
The example below suits a runner who already runs consistently and can tolerate structured training. It is not a prescription for every athlete.
Easy run + 4–6 relaxed strides.
Strength training. Keep the total volume manageable.
Quality session: intervals, hills or threshold depending on the current goal.
Easy recovery running or rest.
Easy run. Optional short second strength session for adapted runners.
Rest or controlled easy running.
Long aerobic run at a sustainable effort.
Where is the second hard running session? Not everyone needs one. Experienced runners may add a second quality workout when their training history, recovery and event demands justify it. Beginners often progress perfectly well with one structured speed session plus strides.
How the week changes by race goal
| Goal | Priority workout | Supporting work | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| General faster running | Strides + one varied quality session | Easy aerobic running and strength | Testing pace every run |
| 5K | Intervals and race-specific work | Threshold, strides and strength | Too many maximal sprints |
| 10K | Threshold + controlled intervals | Aerobic volume, strides and strength | Turning threshold sessions into races |
| Half marathon | Threshold and race-specific endurance | Long run, economy and strength | Overemphasising very short sprint work |
| Marathon | Aerobic volume and marathon-specific endurance | Threshold, strides and long-run pace work | Adding speed sessions that compromise the long run |
If you are still building consistency, start with Base Building for Runners before increasing the density of hard workouts.
How to progress speed training without adding everything at once
Progression is often misunderstood as making each workout faster. In practice, you can progress a session by changing one variable while holding the others stable.
Add repetitions
Move from six repetitions to seven or eight while keeping pace and recovery similar.
Extend work duration
Progress from 60-second repetitions to 75 or 90 seconds without simultaneously making the effort much faster.
Reduce recovery carefully
Appropriate for some aerobic interval sessions, but not for sprint sessions whose goal depends on near-complete recovery.
Increase resistance
Add load gradually in the gym once technique and recovery are stable.
Improve consistency
Running the final repetition with the same control as the first can be more meaningful than producing one spectacular early repetition.
Make training more specific
As a target race approaches, shift some work toward the pace and duration demands of that event rather than simply adding intensity.
How to measure whether you are actually getting faster
- Compare similar routes under reasonably similar conditions.
- Track pace at a comparable perceived effort, not pace alone.
- Look for more consistent interval repetitions rather than one fastest repetition.
- Use races or occasional benchmark sessions rather than frequent all-out tests.
- Consider whether you can run the same pace with better control and less perceived effort.
Weather, elevation, wind, surface, sleep and accumulated fatigue can all change pace. A slower session does not automatically mean fitness has declined.
Recovery, nutrition and hydration: speed gains happen between hard sessions too
Speed workouts, heavy strength training and plyometrics all create fatigue. Their value depends on your ability to recover enough to perform the next important session well.
Protect easy days
Easy running should not quietly become another tempo session. If every run sits in a moderately hard middle zone, you may accumulate fatigue without receiving the full benefit of either truly easy or genuinely high-quality training.
Sleep
Consistent sleep supports physical recovery, learning, immune function and readiness. If a demanding training block coincides with poor sleep or high life stress, reducing training load may be more productive than forcing the planned intensity.
Carbohydrate and protein
Carbohydrate supports demanding running, while adequate protein contributes to repair and adaptation. Requirements vary with training volume, body size, food preferences, event duration and individual circumstances; no single gram-per-kilogram target suits everyone.
For a detailed post-session strategy, see What to Eat After a Hard Run: 2-Hour Recovery Guide .
Hydration
Fluid needs change with temperature, humidity, session duration, body size, sweat rate and acclimatisation. Longer or hotter sessions may require a more deliberate fluid and electrolyte strategy, while short runs in mild conditions may not require drinking during the workout at all.
Why runners often fail to get faster
1. Every run becomes moderately hard
There is no real recovery and no freshness for the sessions that are supposed to be high quality.
2. Speed work starts too fast
The first repetition looks impressive, but pace collapses and mechanics deteriorate before the session is complete.
3. Too many hard methods are stacked together
Intervals, hills, sprinting, plyometrics and heavy lifting all create stress. They should not automatically be added simultaneously.
4. Technique becomes a list of rigid rules
Chasing a prescribed cadence, forced foot strike or artificial stride can make running less natural without addressing the real limiter.
5. Strength work creates excessive soreness
Gym training should support running performance. If every strength session ruins the following two runs, its dose may be inappropriate.
6. Progress is judged every day
Fitness develops across weeks and months. Pace fluctuates from one session to another because conditions and fatigue also fluctuate.
Consistency beats novelty. A sensible programme repeated long enough to create adaptation is usually more useful than constantly replacing workouts with the latest drill, metric or “speed hack”.
Vision and eye protection during faster outdoor running
As running speed increases, visual information arrives faster too. You have less time to identify uneven surfaces, branches, insects, traffic, changes in pavement or transitions between bright and shaded areas.
Running eyewear should therefore be judged primarily by stability, field of view, appropriate light transmission, coverage and comfort. Glasses that slide, bounce or fog constantly become a distraction regardless of how technical they appear.
DEMON has worked in sports eyewear since 1975. In practical terms, the correct lens or frame is not determined by running pace alone: light conditions, environment, weather, face fit and the type of running all matter.
Road running
Consider glare, wind, traffic awareness and repeated transitions between open sun and urban shade.
Trail running
Wider protection can help with wind, dust, insects, vegetation and rapidly changing light under tree cover.
Prescription needs
Clear vision must be solved optically first; sports stability and protection are then added around the prescription requirement.
Scientific context and further reading
Running performance research evolves, and individual response varies. The following systematic reviews provide useful context for several of the training principles discussed in this guide.
- The Effect of Strength Training on Endurance Performance Determinants in Middle- and Long-Distance Endurance Athletes — umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
- Effect of Strength Training Programs in Middle- and Long-Distance Runners' Economy at Different Running Speeds — systematic review and meta-analysis.
- The Influence of Running Cadence on Biomechanics and Injury Prevention — systematic review.
- Benefits and Risks Associated with Changing Foot Strike Pattern During Running — systematic review and meta-analysis.
These sources do not create one universal training prescription. They help explain why strength, cadence and running mechanics should be interpreted according to the runner, training goal and context.
FAQ: how to increase running speed
What are the best exercises to increase running speed?
Useful options include strides, intervals, hill repetitions, strength exercises such as squats and split squats, calf work and appropriately progressed plyometrics. The best combination depends on whether your limiter is acceleration, sustainable pace, aerobic fitness, strength or running economy.
How many speed workouts should I do per week?
Runners new to speed work can start with one structured quality session per week plus short relaxed strides. More experienced runners may tolerate two quality sessions, but total running volume, strength training, age, event demands and recovery all matter.
Do I need to run at 180 steps per minute to get faster?
No. Cadence varies between runners and changes with running speed. A small cadence adjustment may be useful in specific circumstances, but 180 steps per minute should not be treated as a universal performance target.
Should I change from heel striking to forefoot running?
Not automatically. Current evidence does not justify prescribing a foot-strike change to every healthy runner. A change can redistribute mechanical load and should have a specific reason rather than being made because one strike pattern is considered universally superior.
Is strength training useful if my goal is faster distance running?
Yes. Systematic reviews support the use of appropriately programmed strength training to improve running economy and aspects of endurance performance. It should complement rather than overwhelm your running programme.
Are hill sprints better than flat intervals?
They serve different purposes. Short hills can be useful for force production and acceleration, while flat intervals allow more precise control of pace and can target a wide range of aerobic and race-specific adaptations.
Why am I training hard but not getting faster?
Possible reasons include too much moderate or hard running, insufficient aerobic volume, poor recovery, workouts that do not match your goal, inconsistent training or excessive fatigue from combining running and strength work. Pain or persistent unexplained decline in performance should be assessed appropriately.
How long does it take to become a faster runner?
There is no reliable universal timeline. Training history, current fitness, age, consistency, recovery and the size of the improvement you are seeking all influence progress. Judge trends across training blocks rather than expecting a fixed improvement after a specific number of weeks.
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