Nearly 50 million people in the United States run or jog, and about 621 million people run worldwide, making running one of the most common sports anywhere.
And yet, many of you still struggle with a slow pace and want to improve without feeling tired, sore, or stuck after every run.
To get faster at running, you need more than effort. You need easy runs, speed workouts, drills, strength work, better form, andenough recovery.
I usually tell beginners that speed comes from training smarter, not turning every run into a race.
This blog covers the workouts, drills, tips, and mistakes to avoid. Read along for the weekly plan that will help you run faster.
How do You Get Faster at Running?
First, you find out what is slowing you down. Find the reason your pace is stuck.
Some runners need a stronger easy-running base. Others need more turnover, better form, stronger glutes and calves, or more recovery between hard sessions.
I often see runners blame effort first, but the real issue is usually poor balance in training.
If every run feels hard, your body never gets fresh enough to run fast. If you only run slow, your legs may not know how to change gears.
Use this table before changing your training.
| Pace problem | Likely cause | Fix | Starting frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| You get tired quickly | Weak aerobic base | Easy runs | 2–4 times weekly |
| You cannot speed up | Low turnover | Intervals and strides | 1 speed session weekly |
| Your legs feel heavy | Poor recovery | Rest and easier pacing | Every week |
| You keep getting sore | Weak support muscles | Strength training | 2 times weekly |
| Your stride feels awkward | Poor control | Form drills | Before faster workouts |
| You lose power on hills | Weak stride strength | Hill repeats | Every 1–2 weeks |
| Your pace is stuck | No clear progress check | Retesting | Every 4–6 weeks |
When I coach beginners, I do not jump straight into hard intervals. I look at what is breaking down first, then build the fix in a simple order. Usually this one:
1. Build an Easy Running Base First
Easy runs give your body the base it needs to handle faster work.
If every run feels hard, your legs stay tired, and your speed workouts suffer. Keep easy runs slow enough that you can breathe steadily and finish with control.
In my sessions, the runners who improve fastest are often the ones who finally stop racing their easy days.
2. Add Speed Work Once or Twice a Week
Speed work teaches your legs to move faster and hold pace with better control.
Start with one session per week, such as strides (short, relaxed bursts of faster running), short intervals, fartlek runs (alternating jogging with sprinting), or hill repeats (running uphill for 15–30 seconds, then walking back down).
Add a second session only after several weeks of steady training. The goal is not to sprint until you are exhausted. The goal is to run fast with clean form.
3. Improve Running form Without Overthinking It
You do not need perfect form to get faster, but you do need fewer wasted movements.
Run tall, keep your shoulders relaxed, swing your arms forward and back, and land close to your body.
I do not rebuild a runner’s stride all at once. One simple cue works better than thinking about ten things while running.
4. Use Running Drills Before Faster Workouts
Running drills prepare your body for faster movement before intervals, hills, or strides. They improve rhythm, coordination, posture, and foot contact.
Do them after an easy jog, not with cold legs. As discussed later in the blog, you can use drills like A-skips, high knees, butt kicks, straight-leg bounds, ankling, and fast feet before faster sessions.
In my 13 years as a strength and conditioning coach, I have used drills to sharpen movement before speed work, not to complicate warm-ups.
5. Follow A Weekly Plan to Get Faster at Running
I’ve customized a 6-week plan for runners who can already run for 20–30 minutes without stopping.
- The first two weeks focus on easy runs, short strides, light drills, and basic strength work so your body gets used to faster movement.
- Weeks three and four add short intervals and gentle hill work, but the pace should still feel controlled.
- Weeks five and six sharpen your speed with slightly longer reps and a simple retest.
Use a 1-mile run, a 5K, the same route, or a treadmill pace test, and compare it with your starting point.
Note: The plan is not meant for anyone dealing with sharp pain, someone with a recent injury, or someone still building their first run-walk base.
6. Rest Enough to Keep Your Speed Work Sharp
Hard runs stress your muscles, joints, and nervous system. Recovery gives your body time to repair, adapt, and feel fresh again.
For repeated sprint work, a systematic review examining active and passive recoveryfound that passive recovery between running sprints creates less physiological stress than active recovery.
That matters when all you want is quality speed, not just more fatigue.
7. Eat Enough Before Hard Runs
Before speed work, eat simple carbs like toast, oats, fruit, rice, or potatoes.
Carbs matter most when fatigue builds; in a review focused on endurance runners, 13 of 17 drink studies favored carbohydrates over water or placebo.
That supports starting harder or longer sessions fueled.
Which Strength Exercises Help You Run Faster?
Stronger legs and hips let you put more force into the ground with each step and hold your form when you tire late in a run.
| Exercise | What it builds | Starting dose |
|---|---|---|
| Squats (bodyweight > weighted) | Quads, glutes, overall drive | 2–3 × 8–12 |
| Walking lunges | Single-leg strength and balance | 2 × 10 per leg |
| Romanian deadlifts | Hamstrings and glutes (push-off power) | 2–3 × 8–10 |
| Calf raises | Lower-leg stiffness and push-off | 2–3 × 12–15 |
| Step-ups / Bulgarian split squats | Unilateral strength, hip stability | 2 × 8 per leg |
| Planks / core work | Holding posture late in a run | 2–3 × 30–45 sec |
Drills to Improve Running Pace Without Forcing Your Stride
A-skips, high knees, ankling, and fast feet are common speed-and-agility training drillsfor improving rhythm and foot speed.
1. A-Skips
Credits: Chari Hawkins
A-skips help with knee drive, posture, and timing.
Stand tall, lift one knee, skip lightly, and bring the foot back down under your body. Keep your arms moving naturally and avoid leaning back.
Use it before speed work to wake up your running rhythm.
2. High Knees
Credits: Stryd
High knees teach quicker turnover and better leg lift.
Move forward slowly while lifting your knees toward waist height. Keep your chest tall, shoulders relaxed, and feet landing lightly under you.
Do not stomp or lean backward.
3. Butt Kicks
Credits: Coach Noah
Butt kicks help your leg recover quickly after each step. Keep your body tall and bring your heel up toward your glutes with short, quick steps.
Avoid kicking wildly or leaning forward too much. This drill should feel light and controlled, not rushed. It works best as part of a warm-up before faster running.
4. Straight-Leg Bounds
Credits: Live Lean TV Daily Exercises
Straight-leg bounds help with foot strike, lower-leg stiffness, and quick ground contact. Keep your legs mostly straight but not locked, then move forward with short, springy steps.
Land under your body and keep the movement controlled. Do not force big jumps.
5. Ankling
Credits: Jason Curtis
Ankling teaches quick, light contact with the ground. Take small steps while rolling from the ball of the foot and keeping the movement low.
Your knees should stay soft, and your feet should feel active. This drill helps runners who feel heavy, flat-footed, or slow when they try to pick up the pace.
6. Fast Feet
Credits: Jason Curtis
Stay tall, keep your arms relaxed, and move your feet quickly over a short distance. The steps should be light and controlled.
This drill is useful for you if you need better turnover but are not yet ready for harder sprint work.
7. Strides
Credits: Pro:Direct Running
For strides, run 4–6 relaxed reps over 50–100 meters. Keep the effort around 8 or 9 out of 10, then walk back or rest fully before repeating. I use this range because it gives runners enough fast practice to sharpen turnover without turning strides into a full sprint workout.
Here’s a quick recap of the drills mentioned for your next speed session.
| Drill | Benefit | Starting frequency |
|---|---|---|
| A-Skips | Knee drive and timing | 2 x 15–20 meters |
| High Knees | Turnover and posture | 2 x 15–20 seconds |
| Butt Kicks | Leg recovery rhythm | 2 x 15–20 seconds |
| Straight-Leg Bounds | Foot strike and stiffness | 2 x 15 meters |
| Ankling | Light ground contact | 2 x 15 meters |
| Fast Feet | Cadence and quick steps | 2 x 10–15 seconds |
| Strides | Relaxed speed and turnover | 4–6 x 50–100 meters at 8–9 out of 10 effort |
How to Know if Your Speed Training is Working?
Speed training is working when the same pace feels easier, your intervals stay even, your form holds late in the run, and you recover faster after hard sessions.
A retest after 4–6 weeks should also show more meaningful progress than a single good workout.
Back off if your pace drops at the same effort, your legs stay heavy across multiple sessions, soreness lingers, or your mood and readiness to train fall.
If your normal hard-run mechanics start to change, such as limping, reaching, or losing posture, reduce the session early.
Running Mistakes that Stop You from Getting Faster
Most runners stay stuck because they repeat small training mistakes, not because they lack effort.
As a coach, in my training sessions, I have often observed this: runners either push every run too hard or avoid faster work completely. Both can hold your pace back.
Fix these mistakes:
- Running hard every day instead of keeping easy runs easy.
- Skipping speed work, so your legs never practice faster turnover.
- Sprinting every interval until your form breaks down.
- Ignoring strength work for your calves, glutes, hips, and core.
- Starting fast workouts without a proper warm-up.
- Retesting too often instead of giving training time to work.
- Running through pain once your stride starts to change.
Final Thoughts
Getting faster at running is not about forcing every run to feel hard. It comes from steady, easy runs, smart speed work, better form, useful drills, strength training, and enough recovery between harder sessions.
Start by finding what is slowing you down, then fix that piece before adding more workload. If your legs are always heavy, recover first.
If your pace never changes, add controlled speed work. If your stride feels messy, use drills and form cues before harder reps.
Try the first week of the 6-week plan, then track how your breathing, pace, and legs feel.
Which part of faster running feels hardest for you right now: speed work, form, strength, or recovery?
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long does it Take to Get Faster at Running?
Around 2–4 weeks, but clear pace improvement usually takes 4–8 weeks of consistent easy runs, speed work, and recovery.
Is a 25 Minute 5K Slow?
No. A 25-minute 5K is about an 8-minute mile pace, which is a solid recreational running pace for many everyday runners.
What is the 80% Rule for Running?
The 80% rule means most runs should feel easy, while a smaller part of training includes harder speed, tempo, or hill work.
Is Running 27 MPH Fast?
Yes. Running 27 mph is extremely fast and close to elite sprinting speed, not a normal pace for recreational or distance runners.
What is the 5-6-7 Method of Running?
The 5-6-7 method usually refers to effort levels: 5 for easy, 6 for steady, and 7 for harder, more controlled running.
