Speed Play

If you want to run faster, You have to run faster.
Speed Play: Everybody wants speed. The most often asked question is “How can I get faster?” The best way to improve you speed is to begin a program of faster workouts.

Why speed? Speedwork helps you run faster and stronger in three ways: (1) It improves your running form. This will greatly benefit you at the end of your marathon. As you tire in the marathon, you will need to concentrate on maintaining your running form. As you do speedwork, you must work on maintaining your form through the entire distance of each repeat. It teaches you to maintain form; (2) It eases you adaptation to oxygen debt. In short, it builds you ability to breathe and process oxygen through your body; (3) It helps you push through the mental barriers of discomfort and doubt. We never said that all running would be easy. By doing these harder workouts you start to stretch yourself mentally and prepare yourself to grow as a runner.

O.K. How do I do speedwork safely? The first thing to remember is that as you start to increase the intensity of your workouts, you are increasing the potential for injury. You need to always be aware of your body and if you feel anything out of the ordinary, be prepared to stop the workout immediately. Follow these helpful hints:

1. Start slowly. If you haven’t been running hard, do not expect to jump right in and do the same workout as the person who has been doing speedwork for weeks or months;
2. Warm up well. Before starting speedwork, run for 10 – 20 minutes to get the legs warm. As you warm up, do several 100 yard pickups at a slowly accelerating speed to get used to going faster;
3. After warming up, be sure to stretch completely. Concentrate on the hamstrings, quads and calves;
4. Ease into the workouts. You should finish each workout exhilarated and tired, but not totally exhausted;
5. Run with someone. Look for people who run at about your same speed. If you are running with people of vastly different speeds, it is no different than running alone. If you are running with people of about the same speed, you will each help the other get a good workout. But remember, each repeat is not a race. Push yourself, don’t Hurt yourself;
6. How fast? We will have a chart at the track that will help you see how fast you should be doing each repeat;
7. Maintain good running form. Yes, you will tire at the end of a distance. Be sure that you are trying to keep good form through the whole distance. Don’t sacrifice form for speed;
8. Run a consistent pace for all repeats. Don’t blow it out on the first one, die on the last one. Also, don’t dog it on the first one and the kill the last one. Use the first several weeks to learn your pace;
9. Don’t overstride. You get faster by having quicker turnover, not a longer stride.
10. Fully recover between repeats. Fully!!!
11. Stay hydrated. There is a fountain at the track.
12. Time yourself on each repeat and record it in your log.
13. Cool down by running easy for 10-15 minutes.
14. Stretch after cooling down.

Track Etiquette and Details.

1. The track is 400 meters (measured one foot from the inside curb);
2. 400 meters is about three paces less than 1/4 mile (or one second running);
3. For all intent and purposes, 4 laps is a mile;
4. Faster runners have priority on the inside lanes:
5. So, you should run on the inside lanes but you should slide outside to let people pass you on the inside;
6. Faster runners be courteous of the slower runners; give them time to move. Be courteous and say something like “Inside” to let them know you are there;
7. To cool down move to the outside lanes and walk, slow run in the reverse direction;

Speed Play Schedule (I am having technical difficulties...this is last year's schedule... just subtract one day)