Throughout my career as a runner and a coach, people have asked me, “how do I run faster?”
Here are the keys to running faster:
- Be patient
- Slow down!
- Set goals
- Have a plan
- Enjoy the journey
You have to learn to be patient in your development as a runner. Whether you are starting out as a beginner who is walking or you are trying to improve from good to great, you have to know that this will not happen overnight. Many people have good intentions when they first start out but quickly become frustrated with what they perceive is slow progress. Be that is what is necessary. You will get injured if you try to do too much too soon.
Too many runners try to run fast all the time. After all, isn’t that the goal? To run faster. In most workout plans, most days are spent running slow. These days are built around one or two hard days. One of the keys to running faster is to challenge your body and mind to push beyond where they have been and where they are comfortable. (Look at the beginning 5k plan under Run on the website www.coachrunwin.com
To progress patiently and safely, set goals and then have a plan to accomplish those goals. No one who expects to get somewhere starts out randomly driving around. You need a map or GPS or written directions. Similarly, you need to be clear about what you are trying to accomplish. Is it to complete a certain distance or achieve a certain time? Then find a plan (see above) that will help you patiently and safely progress toward that goal. Adopt a winning mindset that allows you to be positive. See this link https://coachrunwin.com/2021/04/20/a-winning-mindset/
Finally, learn to embrace the joys of the journey. Seeing your progress, becoming excited about achieving your goals, enjoying being outside moving through space are all part of enjoying the journey.
However, it is also important to understand that some of this journey, must be hard and challenging for it to be successful. Former American star distance runner and Olympian Lynn Jennings once explained that she never did well in a race that she didn’t want to quit halfway through.
