Whether you are running on a well-reviewed treadmill or outside, there are right ways to increase your running distance and speed, yet it is easy to fall into wrong habits which can lead to injuries. To ensure you stay safe as you push yourself forward in your running, try and implement our speed and distance increasing tips.
Safe Ways To Boost Your Speed
When working on improving your speed, there are some specific things you can do to safely become faster as you run.
- Add interval training weekly – While distance runners aren’t the biggest fans of interval training, it is a key way to train your body to become faster. If you haven’t run intervals before, start by running 400m six times at 90% of your max running effort, taking only a 30-second break in between each interval. By adding an interval workout to your weekly training, you can build up your stamina and push your body to go faster.
- Slow your pace for longer distances – Your weekly runs should be a mix of interval training, tempo runs, and at least one long run. During your long run, slow your speed to be at 60-70% of your max effort. While it sounds counterintuitive, by going slower over these long runs, you will be able to push yourself faster on your shorter runs.
- Go on shorter recovery runs – After you’ve finished a training cycle, it can be tempting to either hold to your completed training schedule or just take long, meandering runs. Instead, take time to go on shorter and faster recovery runs so when you start your next training cycle, you can see a speed increase.
How To Increase Your Running Distance
One of the main guidelines governing running mileage increase is that you should never add more than 10% to your current mileage per week. By following a gradual distance increase method, you should be able to avoid many of the injuries associated with adding more miles to your runs.
Beyond the 10% increase guideline, there are a few other things you can do to help your body prepare to push farther than you’ve run before.
- Allow yourself to walk – Some runners, both veterans and beginners, can fall into the trap of believing that runners are never allowed to walk. But, by giving yourself permission to walk during your runs, you can give your body a break and push yourself to cover longer distances.
- Add incline to your runs – Many runners go out of their way to plan runs which avoid uphill as much as possible. But if you want to improve your endurance and push your body over longer distances, you need to embrace the uphill struggle. Rather than trying to find some hills, you can simply add some incline on your treadmill. Start with just 2-3% incline to allow your body to adjust and work up from there.
- Listen to your body – The longer distances you cover, the more mindful of your body you will need to be as you run. Along with walking when necessary, longer distance runs which take over an hour may require you to carry water to stay hydrated and portable snacks to keep your energy up.
If you are looking for a treadmill which won’t break the bank but will hold up to serious workouts while protecting your joints, be sure to check out the best treadmills under $1,500. These treadmills are well worth consideration and will be able to keep up with you as you push your running to greater speeds and distances.