There are a variety of myths that surround speed workouts in running. The most common is that you have to be a serious runner to benefit from speed workouts. Another is that you increase you risk of injury by speed training. Of course many people think that you have to have expensive equipment, such as top of the line watches, heart rate monitors, and fancy racing flats to run in for the speed workout to be worthwhile. None of this could be further from the truth. Running is a sport where you can easily measure your improvement and monitoring your progress can be very rewarding. Even if you never race, the strong feeling that you get when you cruise in at the end of your run is entirely different than the feeling when you have to stop and walk up a hill because you are not quite fit enough to make it to the top. By adding one speed workout a week to your running schedule, you should see increases in your speed within four weeks. If you are running five or six days a week you could even add another speed workout day, but you want the majority of your running to be done at a lower intensity. This is where the injury myth comes in. If you dramatically increase the intensity of your workouts without allowing your body sufficient time to recover, you greatly increase your body’s chance of injury. By smart planning, and not expecting results overnight, you are more likely to have an enjoyable training experience.When adding speed training to your workout, there are two ways to go about it. The first is to continue your road running and add speed elements to your normal run, the other is to go to the local track and work out there. One is just as effective as the other, it simply comes down to a matter of personal preference. Some people love running on the cushioned track surface and knowing exactly, down to the meter, how far they have ran, while other people are bored stiff at the track and need to hit the roads or trails. You may also mix these workouts up. You do not have to do the same speed workout each time, one week do hills, the next a tempo run. This will help alleviate boredom and give you an idea about what sorts of workout you enjoy.

• Tempo Run: This is one of the more common speed workouts, and can be pretty informal. Basically you warm up on your regular route. After running easily for about 10 minutes, speed up to a tough yet sustainable pace. Eventually you want to build up to running at this accelerated pace for 20 minutes, but in the beginning you may need to slow back down after 5. The key with this exercise is to let your body get used to the feeling of pushing outside of it’s comfort zone. After you have completed your “tempo” be sure to cool down for at least 10 minutes before you quit running.

• Fartlek Drills: Fartlek drills are informal “speed play” that are a terrific introduction to speed work. Go out on your normal run. After you have warmed up, speed up to a faster than comfortable pace. Run at this pace to an informal landmark, a parked car, a telephone pole, whatever you see on the horizon. Once you get there, slow back down to your comfortable pace. Repeat these “bursts” 4 to 6 times on your run, slowing to a comfortable pace between each one.

• Hills: If you live in a hilly area, adding a hill workout is an obvious workout. Running hills is basically weight training for your legs. The fight against gravity as you power up a steep incline translates in both speed and confidence on your regular runs. There are two different types of hill runs. The first would be to find a hilly route, the normal distance of your regular running route. Take off and run at your normal speed, concentrating on maintaining proper form and pace all the way through.

Another form of hill workout is to run hill repeats. Find a nice long hill, this will be your repeat hill. Take the time to jog easily for 10 minutes so that you are adequately warmed up. Once you have jogged to the base of the hill, build your speed and run at a hard but sustainable pace to the top of the hill, turn and jog or walk back down. Repeat this 3-5 times, then cool down with a 10 minute jog. As you advance you can switch to a longer or steeper hill, or add repetitions.

• Track Intervals: Track intervals can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make them. The first few times you go to the track, do not even take a watch. Run a few laps to warm up and then run half a lap at a hard pace, slow down and jog for a half a lap. Repeat this, bearing in mind that 4 laps is equal to roughly a mile (the exact distance depends on whether you are running on a track measured in meters or yards). It is important to keep this in mind because many people find that once they are out on the track they just cannot run the 16 or so laps that it would take to complete their normal workout. Push yourself when you can, but realize that many people have a huge mental block about running on a track. The repetition and counting laps in their head is too much to allow for an enjoyable workout. If this is the case with you, that’s okay. Get in as many laps as you can and then finish up on the road.

• Bleachers: Another great track workout is the bleacher run. Once again, be sure to take your time and warm up thoroughly before After that just take off, jog to the top of the bleachers, and then walk or jog slowly down. Depending on the configuration of the bleachers you can jog to the top sprint to the next section and then jog to the bottom, sprint to the next section, jog up and so on. The key is, like in most speed work, to break up the monotony. If you can make it interesting, you are much more likely to stick with it.

• Add Volume: The last workout to throw into the mix is the high volume day. This is not a traditional speed workout, but it will definitely make you faster. Take one day and run long. If you normally run 3 miles, go for 4, of you are up to 5, go for 7. The key here is to build your endurance, which will increase you aerobic fitness and therefor, make you faster.