Running is one of the simplest and most accessible physical activities that exist. Everyone can do it, just step out the door and start running. However, toimprove your running performance and achieve the best performance possible, you need to vary your training.
In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how to improve your running performance. Firstly, we are not going to start talking about the importance of choosing the right shoes, the right clothes and how to start running, as this article is aimed at those who already practice the sport and are looking to improve their running performance . If you are starting to run now, we recommend first reading this other article. What we’re going to cover here are the different types of training that will help you improve your running. Let’s go!
Heating
It is very important to warm up at a light pace, regardless of your sporting level, to prepare your musculature for the overload that will occur during the training variations that we will mention below. In conclusion, cool down at a light pace too, after the end of the sessions. Remember that!
Interval Shots to improve your running performance
Interval sprint workouts will help you gain speed and endurance. However, you should pay attention especially in the beginning so as not to force the pace too much. Firstly because of injuries, then not to start too strong in the first shots and then drop a lot in performance in the last ones. These shots normally have short distances (200, 400, 500 meters and even 1km) and their rest interval is stopped. Example: 10 sprints of 200 meters with 1 minute of rest or 3 sprints of 1km with 2 minutes of rest. The key is to vary between the longer and shorter sprints on alternate days to get the benefits of each type of workout.
Interval shots on scales
This type of training follows the same idea as the training mentioned above, but with increasing or decreasing scales between their distances. Example: ascending scale. 400, 800 meters and 1km or descending scale 1km, 800, 400 meters
Fartlek training to improve your running performance
This type of training is similar to interval training, however rests between sprints are active, i.e. running too. In conclusion, you can run 7km doing intervals of 500m hard with 500m easy jog or 1km hard with 1km easy jog. However, it is important to point out that the rest between sets is active in light jogging, as they are also part of the training.
Training negative
This type of training is very difficult and therefore you have to know yourself very well and control your pace to be able to do it correctly. As an example let’s use the distance of 8km and you have to be able to do each km faster than the previous km. Therefore, you must be very careful and calculate the pace you will start to increase your speed and reduce the time between each km until the end of the workout.
Ramp or hill training
This training is often used to gain strength or for those who are going to participate in a competition where the route has many climbs. It consists of taking interval shots on climbs. You can also do some fartlek training on hills. For example, you can use some uphill stretch of a course you already know and do 10 sprints of 200 meters going up hard and going down the same 200 meters at rest with a light trot.
Long workout
This is the so famous and well known workout for runners, the “long run” as it is commonly called. In short, it’s that long-distance workout for your type of preparation and goal and is usually performed at a comfortable pace for the athlete to gain endurance. The distances and times of a long workout will vary a lot, depending on each person’s goal, but as an example here we will use 21k (half marathon) as a goal. Athletes who aim for this distance can carry out long training sessions, which at the beginning of preparation can be 12 to 15 km and up to 20 to 25 km when a few weeks are close to the competition.
Regenerative training to improve your running performance
Regenerative workouts, or also called active rest, are very short workouts at a very light pace, very light indeed. Usually these workouts are used between the most intense workouts for the body to recover, but stay active. But remember, rest is also training!
Conclusion
We demonstrate here some examples and types of training that will help you improve your running and also have more fun with training, as these variations will take you out of the monotony of always training the same. However, it is always worth remembering the importance of nutrition and hydration before, during and after training and, if possible, have a professional follow-up.
We hope you enjoyed reading and the tips to improve your running performance. Share and comment your experiences with us. We certainly continue with the objective of bringing relevant and useful information to you! So thanks for reading and until next time!