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Want To Run Faster? Follow This Simple 4-Week Plan Designed By Run Coaches

If you're one of the many people lacing up your sneakers and taking up running right now, welcome to the (run) club. My goal the first time I do anything—from a new barre class to a marathon—is simply to feel strong. So, when I crossed my first half marathon finish line in April feeling like I could tack on another two miles, I realized it was time for a new objective. As a proud slow runner, there's quite a bit of wiggle room when it comes to my pace. And while there's nothing wrong with running slow, you, like me, might be curious about what happens when you push your pace. Enter Amber Rees and Lindsey Clayton, a RRCA and VDOT-certified run coach duo and owners of the Brave Body Project. They created the Four Weeks To Faster plan to help you shave off some seconds in just 28 days. Below, everything you need to know about running faster—and the plan, of course! Meet the coaches: Amber Rees and Lindsey Clayton are RRCA and VDOT-certified run coaches and co-owners of the Brave Body Project, where they provide personalized running plans and coaching for half marathons and marathons. What It Takes To Pick Up The Pace These are the most important factors when it comes to running faster, according to the coaches. Base Mileage Before you can run faster, you need to work up a base mileage at your easy pace, says Rees. The simplest way to know that you're in an easy zone is if you can hold a conversation—or even sing a song. And, if you're wearing your trusty Apple Watch or Garmin, your heart rate will be in zone two. You might want to run faster right out of the gate, but having that base built up of easy runs is a key starting point. 'It's hard to run far and fast at the same time,' says Clayton. Variety Once you've built up some mileage at your comfortable pace, the next critical step is to incorporate variety into your running plan. 'If you do every run at your easy pace, then trying to lock into a goal pace on race day is going to be really challenging,' says Rees. That's why any good plan incorporates easy runs to build and maintain that cardio capacity, speed days to work on fast-twitch muscles, and tempo runs to get used to your goal pace. Another big reason you want variety in your plan? To avoid injury and burnout, say the coaches. 'We want to build mileage safely and progress it in a way that you're not fatigued,' says Clayton. Strength Training A plan should include run-focused strength training. Think: a lot of single leg, unilateral work and squats, lunges, and deadlifts. 'Strength training is the power—the bread and butter—of performance,' says Clayton. Consistency Finally, the other important factor for running faster is consistency. 'Consistency is so not exciting, but it literally is the way,' Clayton says. 'If you're running once or twice a week, and then you're also trying to go fast, you don't have the base to support yourself aerobically. So consistency in your training week over week and progressively building your mileage and adding in speed is so key.' And, since you're reading this article all about speed right now, it's probably safe to assume that you'd like to get faster as soon as possible. You can see a difference after just four weeks, but really, it's hard to put a number on how long it takes to get faster exactly. Outside factors like nutrition and sleep matter and everyone is unique. 'Focus on the moment, focus on the day-to-day, focus on the consistency, and the results will come,' says Rees. Get The Exclusive Plan Without further adieu, here it is: your four-week plan to help you shave off seconds from your mile time. With this plan, developed by Rees and Clayton, you'll get: A downloadable chart that maps out four varied runs, two days of strength training, and one rest day per week Definitions: Strides: These are 20-second pushes that are almost a max effort, tacked onto the end of some of your runs. They're a way to incorporate speed work without leading to too much fatigue, says Clayton. 5K pace: There are many ways you can determine your pace, from using previous races to calculators like to the good ol' rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale. Since 5K is a shorter distance, you can sustain a faster pace, so think of this as a higher effort. It would be a seven or eight out of ten. 10K pace: Your 10K pace would be a six or seven on the RPE scale. Half-marathon pace: Half-marathon pace would be a four or five on the RPE scale. Four Weeks To Faster FAQs How should you warm-up? You might be tempted to skip, but a warm-up is super important, especially on your long run days, Clayton says. Keep your warm up dynamic, not static. 'This is where you move your body through continuous full range movements such as world's greatest stretch, leg swings, or lunges,' Clayton says. How should you cool-down? When it comes to the cool-down, focus on static exercises that involve holding a position for at least 30 seconds (that's when your brain finally gives your muscle the signal to relax), like a hamstring stretch, figure four, or quad stretch. You Might Also Like Jennifer Garner Swears By This Retinol Eye Cream These New Kicks Will Help You Smash Your Cross-Training Goals