How to Improve Running Speed
Practical strategies organized by your current level. Whether you started running last month or you have been racing for years, here is exactly what to do next to get faster.
Beginner: Your First Speed Gains
Running for less than 6 months. Currently running 2 to 3 times per week. 5K time over 28 minutes (men) or 32 minutes (women), or you have not raced a 5K yet.
Good news: beginners improve faster than any other group. Your body has enormous untapped potential. These strategies focus on building consistency and basic efficiency. No grueling speed sessions required. Check our guide on proper running form for detailed technique cues.
Run More Consistently
The single biggest speed booster for beginners is simply running more often. Going from 2 runs per week to 4 runs per week doubles your aerobic stimulus. Keep all runs at an easy, conversational pace. Speed will come as a natural byproduct of improved cardiovascular fitness.
The Workout
Add 1 run per week every 2 weeks until you reach 4 runs per week. Each run should be 25 to 35 minutes at a pace where you can speak full sentences. No speed work needed yet.
Expected Gain
15 to 30 seconds per mile faster within 6 weeks
Add Strides After Easy Runs
Strides are short accelerations that teach your legs to turn over quickly without the fatigue of a full speed session. They improve neuromuscular coordination and running economy. Think of them as a gentle introduction to running fast.
The Workout
After 2 easy runs per week, do 4 to 6 x 20-second accelerations. Start at your normal pace and smoothly build to about 90 percent effort over 20 seconds. Walk back to your starting point for full recovery. These should feel fun and smooth, not exhausting.
Expected Gain
5 to 15 seconds per mile faster within 4 weeks
Fix the Biggest Form Issue: Overstriding
Most beginners overstride, meaning their foot lands well ahead of their center of mass. This acts as a brake with every step, wasting energy and slowing you down. Shortening your stride and increasing your cadence eliminates this brake effect.
The Workout
During your easy runs, focus on landing with your foot directly under your hips, not out in front. A helpful cue: imagine you are running on hot coals and want to spend as little time on the ground as possible. Try to take shorter, quicker steps. Use our cadence calculator to find your target.
Expected Gain
5 to 10 seconds per mile faster within 3 weeks
Build Your Long Run
A weekly long run develops your aerobic engine more than any other single session. It increases mitochondrial density, improves fat oxidation, and strengthens your cardiovascular system. A bigger aerobic engine means faster paces at every distance.
The Workout
Designate one run per week as your long run. Start at 40 minutes and add 5 minutes each week until you reach 60 to 70 minutes. Run at an easy pace, slower than your other runs. Walk breaks are completely fine.
Expected Gain
10 to 20 seconds per mile faster over 8 weeks
Intermediate: Breaking Through Plateaus
Running consistently for 6 months to 2 years. Running 3 to 5 times per week. 5K time between 22 and 28 minutes (men) or 25 and 32 minutes (women).
You have built a solid base and initial speed gains have slowed. This is where structured training replaces general fitness. Use our training pace calculator to dial in your exact workout paces.
Structured Tempo Runs
Tempo runs at your lactate threshold pace are the most efficient speed workout for intermediate runners. They train your body to clear lactate faster, allowing you to sustain harder efforts for longer. This is where the biggest speed gains come from at your level.
The Workout
Once per week: 15 min easy warm-up, 20 to 30 min at tempo pace (10K to half marathon race pace, can speak in short phrases only), 10 min easy cool-down. Start at 20 minutes and add 2 minutes each week. Use our training pace calculator for your exact tempo pace.
Expected Gain
10 to 20 seconds per mile in threshold pace over 6 weeks
Interval Training at 5K Pace
Intervals push your VO2max higher, raising the ceiling on your aerobic capacity. Running at 5K pace for repeated efforts of 800m to 1200m forces your cardiovascular system to operate at near-maximum capacity, driving adaptation.
The Workout
Once per week: 15 min easy warm-up, 5 x 800m at your current 5K race pace with 90-second jog recovery, 10 min easy cool-down. Each repeat should feel hard but sustainable. Progress to 6 x 800m after 3 weeks, then switch to 5 x 1000m.
Expected Gain
15 to 30 seconds off your 5K time over 8 weeks
Weekly Hill Workout
Hill training builds running-specific strength, improves your power-to-weight ratio, and delivers cardiovascular benefits similar to track intervals with less impact stress. Hills force good running form because you cannot overstride going uphill.
The Workout
Once per week (replacing one easy run): 15 min easy warm-up, 6 to 8 x 45-second hill repeats at hard effort (steep enough to slow you significantly), jog down for recovery, 10 min easy cool-down. Progress by adding 1 repeat per week up to 10.
Expected Gain
8 to 15 seconds per mile on flat terrain over 6 weeks
Increase Weekly Volume by 15 Percent
Many intermediate runners are under-training their aerobic system. Adding easy miles creates a larger base for speed work to build upon. More aerobic volume means better recovery between hard sessions and a higher overall fitness level.
The Workout
Add 1 extra easy run per week or extend existing easy runs by 10 to 15 minutes each. All additional volume should be at easy, conversational pace. Follow the 10 percent rule: do not increase total weekly mileage by more than 10 percent per week. Take a recovery week (reduce volume 20 percent) every 4th week.
Expected Gain
5 to 15 seconds per mile over 8 to 12 weeks
Start Strength Training
If you are not doing any strength work, adding 2 sessions per week can improve your running economy by 3 to 5 percent. This translates directly to faster times at every distance. Focus on compound lower-body movements with moderately heavy weight.
The Workout
Twice per week on non-running days or after easy runs. Squats 3 x 8, lunges 3 x 10 per leg, single-leg deadlifts 3 x 8 per leg, calf raises 3 x 15, planks 3 x 45 seconds. Use challenging weight (RPE 7 to 8 out of 10). No need to go to failure.
Expected Gain
3 to 8 percent improvement in running economy over 8 weeks
Advanced: Marginal Gains and Periodization
Running consistently for 2+ years. Running 5 to 7 times per week. 5K time under 22 minutes (men) or 25 minutes (women).
At your level, improvement requires precision. Random hard training will not work. You need periodization, race-specific preparation, and attention to recovery details that beginners can ignore.
Periodized Training Blocks
Advanced runners improve by organizing their training into focused 3 to 4 week blocks rather than doing everything every week. Each block emphasizes one physiological system while maintaining others. This creates a deeper training stimulus than mixed-focus weeks.
The Plan
Block 1 (4 weeks): High aerobic volume, 2 tempo sessions per week, minimal intervals. Block 2 (3 weeks): Reduce volume 10 percent, 2 VO2max interval sessions per week, 1 tempo. Block 3 (3 weeks): Race-specific work, 1 interval, 1 race-pace session, 1 tempo. Block 4 (2 weeks): Taper, reduce volume 30 to 50 percent, maintain 1 speed session.
Expected Gain
5 to 15 seconds off 5K time per training cycle
Race-Specific Simulation Workouts
Advanced runners need to practice running at their goal race pace under conditions that simulate race fatigue. These combination workouts stack different efforts to create the specific demands of your target race.
The Plan
For 5K: 2 x 1600m at 10K pace + 4 x 400m at 5K pace with short recovery (simulates running fast on tired legs). For 10K: 20 min tempo + 4 x 800m at 5K pace. For half marathon: 10 miles with last 4 at goal half marathon pace. Do one race-specific workout per week in the final 6 weeks before your goal race.
Expected Gain
Better race execution and 5 to 10 seconds per mile faster in the back half of races
Marginal Gains: Sleep Optimization
For advanced runners, the biggest untapped performance gain is often sleep quality, not more training. Sleep is when growth hormone peaks and muscle repair occurs. Research shows that extending sleep from 7 to 9 hours improves reaction time, sprint speed, and endurance performance.
The Plan
Set a consistent bedtime 8.5 hours before your alarm. Keep your bedroom cool (65 to 68 degrees). Avoid screens 60 minutes before bed. No caffeine after 2 PM. Nap for 20 to 30 minutes on hard training days if possible. Track your sleep quality and correlate it with workout performance.
Expected Gain
1 to 3 percent performance improvement from sleep alone
Race Tactic Optimization
Advanced runners can gain 15 to 30 seconds in a 5K purely through better race tactics. Most amateur runners go out too fast, fade in the middle, then try to kick at the end. Even-pacing or slight negative splits (faster second half) produce better overall times.
The Plan
Practice pacing in training: run the first kilometer of every speed session 3 to 5 seconds slower than your target pace, then settle into pace. In tempo runs, aim for the last mile to be the fastest. Before your next race, write out your pace plan for every kilometer. Practice checking your watch at each km and adjusting accordingly.
Expected Gain
10 to 30 seconds improvement in race time without any fitness change
Quick Wins vs. Long-Term Gains
Some strategies produce immediate results while others compound over months. The smartest approach is to stack quick wins on top of long-term investments. Implement the quick wins first for motivation, then commit to the long-term strategies for lasting improvement.
Fix overstriding
Immediate efficiency boost from eliminating braking forces
Add strides after runs
Fast neuromuscular improvements, easy to implement
Better race pacing
No fitness change needed, pure tactical improvement
Consistent tempo runs
Most reliable speed builder for distance runners
Increased weekly mileage
Builds the aerobic foundation for all other improvements
Strength training
Compounds over years, reduces injury risk simultaneously
VO2max interval training
Raises aerobic ceiling, most impactful for 5K and shorter
Sleep optimization
Underrated, improves recovery quality immediately
30-Day Speed Challenge
Want a structured starting point? This 30-day challenge gradually introduces speed elements into your training. It works for beginners and intermediate runners. Run a 1-mile time trial before Day 1 and compare it to your Day 27 time trial to measure your improvement.
Use our race pace calculator to see what your mile time translates to for 5K, 10K, and other distances.
Week 1: Foundation
Day 1: Easy run 30 min + 4 strides
Day 2: Rest or cross-train
Day 3: Easy run 25 min, focus on cadence
Day 4: Rest
Day 5: Easy run 30 min + 4 strides
Day 6: Long run 40 min easy
Day 7: Rest
Focus
Build consistency. All running at conversational pace. Count your current cadence on Day 3.
Week 2: Introduce Speed
Day 8: Easy run 30 min + 6 strides
Day 9: Rest or cross-train
Day 10: Fartlek: 10 min easy, 6 x (1 min hard / 2 min easy), 5 min easy
Day 11: Rest
Day 12: Easy run 25 min + 6 strides
Day 13: Long run 45 min easy
Day 14: Rest
Focus
Your first speed session. The fartlek should feel challenging but not exhausting. Run hard segments by feel.
Week 3: Build Intensity
Day 15: Easy run 30 min + 6 strides
Day 16: Strength training (squats, lunges, calf raises)
Day 17: Tempo: 10 min easy, 15 min at comfortably hard pace, 10 min easy
Day 18: Rest
Day 19: Easy run 25 min
Day 20: Long run 50 min easy
Day 21: Rest
Focus
Your first tempo run. Comfortably hard means you can speak in short phrases but not sentences. Do not go harder than that.
Week 4: Test and Celebrate
Day 22: Easy run 25 min + 4 strides
Day 23: Rest
Day 24: Fartlek: 10 min easy, 8 x (1 min hard / 90 sec easy), 5 min easy
Day 25: Rest
Day 26: Easy run 20 min (pre-test shakeout)
Day 27: 1-Mile Time Trial (10 min warm-up, all-out mile, 10 min cool-down)
Day 28-30: Easy running or rest, celebrate your progress
Focus
The time trial shows you how much you have improved. Compare to your baseline from before the challenge.
Turn Every Run Into a Strategy Game
Improving speed requires showing up for hard workouts week after week. Motera makes every run count beyond the watch. Capture territory on a real map, compete with runners in your area, and watch your empire grow as your pace drops. When motivation dips, having territory to defend makes the difference.
XP for every run, leaderboards by distance, and Fog of War exploration. Free GPS tracking included.
MoteraFrequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can a beginner improve their running speed?
Beginners typically see the fastest speed improvements of any group. In the first 4 to 8 weeks of consistent running (3 to 4 times per week), most beginners drop 30 to 60 seconds off their mile pace simply from aerobic adaptation. By 12 weeks, a 1 to 2 minute per mile improvement is common. The key is consistency over intensity. Running regularly at an easy pace builds the aerobic base that makes all future speed gains possible.
What is the best workout to improve running speed?
The best workout depends on your level. For beginners, the best speed workout is simply adding 4 to 6 strides (20-second accelerations) after easy runs. For intermediate runners, a weekly tempo run at lactate threshold pace (comfortably hard, about 10K race pace) produces the biggest speed gains per session. For advanced runners, VO2max intervals (5 x 1000m at 5K pace) push the aerobic ceiling higher. The common thread is that the workout should match your current fitness and target your specific limiter.
Can I improve my running speed by running more miles?
Yes, up to a point. Increasing your weekly mileage improves aerobic capacity, running economy, and fat oxidation, all of which contribute to faster race times. Many runners improve significantly by going from 15 to 30 miles per week without any dedicated speed work. However, once you have been running consistently at a given mileage for several months, simply adding more miles has diminishing returns. At that point, structured speed sessions become necessary to continue improving.
How many times per week should I do speed work?
For most runners, 1 to 2 quality speed sessions per week is optimal. Beginners should start with 1 session (strides or a gentle fartlek). Intermediate runners benefit from 2 sessions (one tempo, one interval or hill workout). Advanced runners can handle 2 to 3 quality sessions but must be very careful about recovery. The remaining runs should be at easy, conversational pace. More speed work is not better if it compromises your recovery and easy-day quality.
Should I focus on short sprints or long intervals to improve speed?
It depends on your goal distance. For 5K and shorter, a mix of short repeats (200m to 400m at mile pace) and longer intervals (800m to 1000m at 5K pace) is most effective. For 10K to half marathon, longer intervals (1000m to 1600m at 10K pace) and tempo runs are more specific. For marathon, tempo runs and marathon-pace long runs matter most. The principle is specificity: train at or near the pace and effort of your goal race.
How do I break through a speed plateau?
Speed plateaus usually happen because you have been doing the same training for too long. Try these strategies: increase your weekly mileage by 10 to 15 percent (more aerobic volume), change your speed workout type (switch from tempo runs to intervals or vice versa), add strength training if you are not doing any, take a full recovery week then resume with higher quality sessions, or focus on a shorter race distance to develop raw speed that transfers to longer events.
Does running form affect speed?
Yes, significantly. Poor form wastes energy on unnecessary vertical bounce, overstriding, or lateral movement. Key form improvements that increase speed include: landing with your foot under your center of mass (not ahead of it), maintaining a slight forward lean from the ankles, keeping your arms swinging forward and back (not across your body), and relaxing your shoulders and hands. Form improvements alone can yield a 3 to 8 percent speed increase for runners with obvious inefficiencies.
Related Guides and Tools
How to Run Faster
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Race Pace Calculator
Calculate what your current fitness predicts for 5K, 10K, half marathon, and marathon.
Proper Running Form
Head-to-toe technique guide for efficient, injury-free running form.
How to Run a Faster 5K
5K-specific training plan, workouts, and race day tactics.
Strength Training for Runners
Complete gym guide with exercises and periodization for runners.
