How to Run Faster

Whether you prefer road or trail, there are loads of reasons for wanting to push your running to the next level:

• You want to run longer distances and perhaps prepare for an ultra-trail or a marathon.
• You want to discover a new discipline, something you don’t typically do, like trail running, road running, or lapping your local running track.
• You want to run faster either to improve your personal times or do better in races. Looking for speed? This article is for you.

In this article we’ll suggest three things to work on that will help you run faster whatever distance you prefer:

• training
• technique
• equipment

Physical training: how to reach the next level

It’s no secret that if you want to run faster you’ll have to improve your physical conditioning and therefore train more. Gradually increasing your training load week by week and planning quality workouts is the key to getting faster.

The main principles of training

Training load is usually evaluated according to two criteria.

• volume: the number of hours that you train
• intensity: can be summarized as the pace of your session (expressed as a percentage of your maximum heart rate)

The principle behind sports training is to fatigue, or stress, your body so that it adapts and then gets stronger (this is called the Overload Principle). Good training is a delicate balance between pushing your body enough to stimulate this adaptation without overdoing it and risking overtraining, or excessive fatigue, which would be counterproductive (e.g. risk of injury, general decline in performance, decreased motivation, etc.) Increasing your training load doesn’t have to come at the expense of quality. Keep the following principles in mind for every workout:

• Progression: gradually increase your training load to give your body time to adapt
• Frequency: it’s better to train a little every day than to do a single big workout on the weekend.
• Recovery: recovery time is an integral part of training – don’t neglect it. If you feel unusually tired, feel free to rest or slow down for a few sessions.
• Diversity: vary your training sessions to keep your motivation up and don’t hesitate to mix in other endurance sports to keep from continually straining your body in the same way.
• Balance: to keep your training fun, make sure it integrates harmoniously into your daily life.

Structure your training week

Even if your primary focus is to improve your running pace, keep at least one low-intensity endurance session per week. It’s this foundation of endurance that then allows you to handle higher training loads.

Then increase the high-intensity work with, for example, interval training (rapidly alternating between sprint and rest) or relatively short sessions at a steady pace.

Specific weight training sessions are also great for improving your strength and muscle tone. Core exercises help stabilize your upper body, limit energy-consuming movements, and make your stride more efficient.

Strengthening your muscles and joints will also help prevent injury as your body gets fatigued.

Specificity: work that’s specific to your sport

Adapt your training to your discipline: the muscular qualities needed for trail running are not the same as those needed for road running and are also different for a 10km race compared to a marathon or ultra-trail.

Therefore, train regularly in the conditions and types of terrain you encounter while running so that your muscles become accustomed to this type of effort.

Track your training load

Find a way to track your training by using either a personal trainer or one of the many training tools and platforms available. This allows you to validate the effectiveness of your training and will help prevent overtraining.

Also pay attention to how you feel to determine what type of training suits you best, prevents injuries and keeps track of your progress!

How to train for a 10km race How to prepare for an ultra-trail

Nutrition for improving speed

Proper nutrition can improve your performance and should play an important part in your training program:

• Lose weight or body fat: this is mainly a matter of having an optimal body composition for your discipline and your speed objectives. Find a balance with a muscle mass that doesn’t weigh you down too much and allows you to move at the speed you want (especially for trail runs and events that have a lot of vertical gain). Optimize your body fat as much as possible so that unnecessary weight doesn’t slow you down. This balance should be worked on during training and also at every meal.
• Good hydration both when resting and during exercise is essential to maintain an optimal level of performance while limiting the risk of injury. Need advice on how to hydrate while running? Read our article “How to drink while trail running?”
• Your nutritional needs may increase as your training load increases. Pay attention and adapt your menus accordingly.
• In long distance events, the ability to manage your energy reserves is an important skill that will keep you from experiencing a sudden drop in performance. Preventing digestive issues will help you avoid a lot of problems during a race.

Find our nutrition advice for trail running (equally useful for road runners) in our article “Why adopt a trail running diet?”

Work on your running technique

Footwork: keep your natural stride

At Salomon, we consider your natural stride to be the best stride for you. Unless you are suffering repeated injuries do not try, for example, to change from a “heel” strike to a total “forefoot” strike. Each runner’s natural stride is also the most energy efficient.

As your physical condition improves and your running hours increase, your stride will almost certainly evolve naturally and become more efficient. Don’t force your stride!

Good technique: a huge asset in trail running

Improving your technical skills can be a great way to run faster, especially in trail running where the diversity of the terrain encountered requires versatility from runners.

Don’t hesitate to do specific uphill or downhill sessions so that you can work on the skills explained in these articles: How to run uphill How to run downhill

Running with hiking poles will save you time uphill. Check out our advice in our article: “How to run with poles.”

Also, when running on different types of terrain work on adapting your stride, your muscles, and your ability to read the terrain.

Finally, think about using a pendulum movement with your arms to help you run more efficiently and perhaps save a few minutes on your target time.

High-performance equipment adapted to your abilities

Something else that can help you run faster is high-performance gear.

A shoe that’s 100 grams lighter is equal to 1% improvement in running efficiency. The weight of your shoes is therefore a criteria that should not be neglected when you’re trying to get faster although it’s certainly not the only thing to consider when choosing your running shoes.

Certain shoe technologies (rebound, shape of the sole, carbon plates) can deliver a more efficient stride… provided they are suitable to your level of performance!

For long distances, comfort can also be a decisive factor in terms of performance, limiting tension and delaying muscle fatigue.

Finally, in trail races, knowing your equipment well and using it effectively won’t make you run faster, but it can prevent you from losing precious minutes in a race.

If your focus in running is to improve your speed, there are many things you can do, starting with physical training. Whatever the stakes, remember to not put too much pressure on yourself and have as much fun as possible because that’s a driving force that will always push you forward!