As a running coach, I’ve heard every reason in the book for why my clients can’t run fast, but the most common one is “I’m just not built like a runner.” My response is always that if you can run (regardless of how fast or slow your pace is) then you’re a runner, and speed is a relative term. Regardless of your current pace, there are some easy methods to increase your speed even if you aren’t built like Flo-Jo. It’s all about maximizing form and efficiency, and here’s how.
- Step 1Increase your turnover. Turnover in running refers to the number of times your right (or left) foot strikes the ground in 1 minute. Think of it as RPMs. The faster your turnover, the more distance you’re covering in a given period of time. Elite runners usually clock around 90+ strides per minute. For mere mortals, a turnover of 80 is pretty decent. Count your current turnover rate using a stopwatch, and then aim to increase your turnover by 5 steps per minute until you eventually reach that magical 80.
- Step 2Push off with your big toe. Think of the big toe as the body’s spring board. You can tap into a lot of forward motion by simply pushing off aggressively with your big toe. This will also help to take some of the pounding out of your heels and push your body forward more effectively.
- Step 3Swing your arms forward, not across your body. Moving your arms back and forth across your body will only pull your entire body side to side, and this completely defeats the purpose of running. We want to run forward, not side to side! Aim your hands in the direction you want to go–directly in front of you. A good drill is to lightly graze the side seams of your shirts with your thumbs with every arm swing.
- Step 4Keep your chin tucked. If your head is pulled up and the back of your neck is slightly crunched, this will also pull your torso up, put weight in your heels, and throw your body into a “stop” position. I once had an Olympic running coach tell me that if you ask a great runner what he saw during the race, he’ll tell you “the spot 5 feet in front of me.”
- Step 5Incorporate speed workouts into your program. Speed workouts are a great way to increase your pace slowly and steadily over time. Try doing these workouts once a week, and eventually work up to 2 times a week.
