How to Add Speed Workouts to Your Training Plan

One of the most common questions from runners is how to increase running speed. What initially seems simple – just run faster and you’ll get faster – actually is quite difficult when it comes to practical application. A training plan to run faster typically includes easy runs and deliberate speed workouts. The frequency of speed workouts and even how hard they are depends on the ability of the runner. If you are new to running workouts, you don’t want to jump into an advanced plan – the risk of injury is too high. This article will guide you through how to implement a training plan to run faster. 

Importantly, you want to have a solid aerobic and muscular foundation before starting speed workouts. Speed training has a higher bioenergetic and biomechanical demand. If you start these workouts too soon into your running journey, they may feel like a struggle – and your injury risk will be very high. You want to have at least 3-6 months of easy running completed (without injury) before you start doing speed workouts. 

Step 1: Assess your current fitness level

Your current fitness level will help you incorporate speed workouts effectively. Your training age (how long you have been running), current training paces, and current training load will also help you understand how to increase running speed with the appropriate workouts. 

If you are a relatively new runner and have never done speed workouts before, you only need a small amount of speed training to see improvements. The more years you have been training hard, the more work you need to do to move the needle. However, more experienced runners can also handle more intense speed workouts than beginners. 

Next, it is valuable to assess your current training load. If you have only been running for a couple of years or less, you want to start with one speed workout per week. Likewise, if you only run three or four times per week, you likely should not do more than one speed workout per week. More experienced runners may be able to do two speed workouts per week, especially if they are well adapted to one hard day already. 

Once you establish the frequency and intensity of your speed workouts, you will want to perform a fitness assessment. If you have recently raced a 5K to half marathon, you can use that race to set your training paces using a running pace calculator (such as the VDOT calculator). (For many runners, their marathons will accurately reflect their endurance and not their speed.)

If you have not raced recently, you can perform certain fitness tests to assess your current level. Ideally, you want to go into these tests fresh, without any hard workouts, long runs, or strength training in the days leading up. These tests should always include a warm-up of 10-15 minutes of easy running. If possible, fitness tests should be done on a track or another flat, uninterrupted area. 

Running assessment tests include: 

• Mile time trial: run one mile (1.6 km) as fast as you can, without stopping. This test is the safest for newer runners. Then enter your results into a pace calculator. 
• 5K time trial: run 3.1 miles (5km) as fast as you can, without stopping. Then enter your results into a pace calculator. 
• Threshold test: a 30 minute self-paced time trial, which estimates your lactate threshold pace. This test is more demanding and best for experienced runners. You can use the results to determine training paces based on this as your one-hour race pace. (Read this article for full guidance on how to do the test and set training zones.)

These tests will provide you with paces for your workouts. Most speed workout paces will be a bit slower than your mile pace but at or slightly faster than your 5K pace or threshold pace. Even if you are using rate of perceived exertion (RPE) for speed workouts, it can still be helpful to have paces for retrospective analysis. If a workout feels too hard, and then you see you ran at faster than mile pace, you will understand how to adjust your pacing next time.

Step 2: Understand the different types of speed workouts 

There are dozens of different types of running workouts. Each plays a role in how to increase running speed. However, each also has a different place in training, especially based on your experience level. Before doing any of these workouts, it is helpful to understand the purpose of each and how to do them properly. 

Hill repeats

Uphill repeats are one of the most effective workouts to build speed for running, especially for a runner who is new to doing hard workouts. Hill running workouts require higher muscular work, while also promoting good form and avoiding excessive neuromuscular strain. (It is very difficult to overstride on hill repeats!) For this reason, they can help new runners introduce faster running without skyrocketing their injury risk.

Whether you are following a bottom-up or top-down approach, you can use hill repeats to introduce speed work. You can manipulate the intensity and duration of the hill repeats. 

To run hill repeats: first, warm up with 10-15 minutes of easy running. After that, find a moderately steep hill – it should be noticeable yet runnable. Depending on your ability level, run up the hill at a moderate to moderately hard intensity for 30-60 seconds, then jog or walk back down to where you started. If you are brand-new to faster running, aim for a total of 6-8 repeats. Once you finish, cool down with 10-15 minutes of easy running. 

Progression runs

A progression run is another safe run for introducing speed. However, when doing these workouts, you should introduce them within a distance that already feels comfortable and sustainable. If you are trying to increase your run distance and do a progression run, your running form could be comprised due to fatigue. 

Similar to hill repeats, the variables of duration and intensity can be manipulated in a progression run. If you are new to running workouts, start with short progression – such as gradually increasing the pace over the final 5-10 minutes (or 0.5 to 1 mile) of a run. The goal is to let pace build up over the progression, rather than sharply increase pace all at once. 

Fartlek runs 

Fartlek is a broad term in running lingo – individual coaches and athletes may define it differently. Generally speaking, fartlek (originated from the Swedish word for “speed play”) is a run that incorporates unstructured bouts of faster running. The duration may or may not be defined, but the pace is never structured. Instead, fartleks are run based on perceived effort. 

Fartleks can be structured for moderate or hard intensity running. You can adjust the length of the easy running or recovery intervals based on both the intensity and your level of experience. 

Some sample fartlek workouts (all starting with 10-15 min easy running first):

• 1 min moderate effort/3-5 min easy, for the whole duration of a run
• 8-10 x 1 minute hard/1-2 min jog or walk
• 5-6 x 2 min hard/2-3 min jog

More advanced workouts to increase running speed

Once you feel comfortable with these workouts, you can progress to more structured speed workouts. These workouts include (with links to articles on why and how to do them):

• Interval runs (VO2max workouts and critical velocity)
• Threshold workouts
• Tempo runs
• Race pace runs

Step 3: Incorporate speed workouts into your training plan

Whether you have been running for a few months or a few years, you want to introduce speed workouts gradually. Ideally, you will want to start with one day of fast running per week. It is best to start with smaller speed workouts – they should feel manageable for your fitness. If you strain and struggle to complete the workouts, you may want to scale them back.

When incorporating workouts to increase running speed, you can take one of two approaches: bottom-up or top-down. Imagine running paces on a pyramid, with easy running at the bottom and maximal effort running at the top. A bottom-up approach begins with moderate intensity running in manageable doses, either on flat or uphill. Over time, you work from these moderate paces up to faster workouts. A top-down approach begins with short, fast intervals and works down to longer, moderate workouts. 

A few factors influence which approach you choose. If you have a history of posterior chain injuries (Achilles, hamstring, calf, etc.), a bottom-down approach may be safer. This approach also works well when you reintroduce speed workouts after an injury. You do need to understand how to control the intensity on these runs. If you are inexperienced in pacing, you could risk pushing these workouts too fast. 

Otherwise, most runners will generally respond well to a top-down approach. A top-down approach starts with short, faster workouts, such as strides, hill repeats, and short time-based interval runs. These workouts will help improve running economy, VO2max, and neuromuscular fitness, making them especially effective for novice runners or any runner with a robust aerobic base. 

A sample bottom-up approach: 

• For the first few weeks, start with moderate fartlek runs and progression runs. The fartlek runs could include 1-2 minute pick-ups to a moderate pace, with 3-5 minutes of easy pace running in between. Progression runs will involve gradually picking up to a moderate pace at the end. 
• After that, introduce threshold intervals/broken tempo runs.
• Once you adapt to that, progress to faster intervals. 

A sample top-down approach: 

• For the first few weeks, perform strides or hill strides two to three times per week. 
• Then, keep one to two days of strides, and progress one day into short, fast fartlek- style intervals (1-3 minutes at a hard effort) on flat ground or uphill. 
• After a few weeks, lengthen intervals or start introducing threshold work. 

Over time, both approaches should be progressed so that you can do a wide variety of workouts. When it comes to workouts to run faster, being able to do all types of workouts – hills, intervals, threshold, tempo, etc. – will yield the best results. 

(Note: top-down and bottom-up can also be used to describe approaches for improving specific endurance. In those models, bottom-up involves lengthening pace work, while top-down involves increasing the pace within a set duration.)

Step 4: Monitor your progress

Training adaptations take time when working to increase running speed. Neural adaptations can be relatively rapid; you may notice that you feel smoother and more efficient within a couple of weeks. Cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness take longer to build, usually six to twelve weeks. 

Races offer opportunities to assess your progress. You can also repeat the fitness assessments from step one to monitor training response. Ideally, you want to repeat the same initial test you performed, on the same route. Allow six to eight weeks between fitness assessments. 

What to do next to increase your running speed

Once you have completed these introductory speed workouts for a few weeks or months, you can progress to more challenging workouts. Even as you progress, you should do no more than one to two hard workouts per week. 

For more guidance on running workouts to get faster: 

• Are you running your speed workouts too fast?
• How to do speed work effectively (including road vs track, how to warm-up, and more)
• How to adjust speedwork for summer heat and humidity

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