What’s the secret to running fast??
(Hint: there is none)
I have been a physical therapist and running coach for over a decade, and a runner for most of my life. I can say with a high level of certainty that there is no secret to running fast. What works for one person may not work for another; what worked for you 3 years ago, may have the opposite effect now.
So let’s rephrase this:what’s the key to running fast? Keep showing up.
That’s all I’m going to say on this topic for now, and I do think it’s the most important one. But because I know you want more tangible strategies and pointers …
Check back here in January for my top tips on staying healthy & happy & moving forward in your running!
My top tips, revealed:
- Have fun. Seriously! This sounds trivial, but it is meaningful. If you lose the fun in your sport, it becomes a chore. Races feel “blah”, and then training feels “blah” and it’s just … not enjoyable.
- Find a running group or a few friends you can meet up with. Maybe this is someone who is faster than you and can help pace your workouts. Maybe it’s someone slower than you who will force you to run that easy pace. Maybe it’s a group that gets you out the door at 6am rather than procrastinating until 6pm.
- Go to a new place or explore a new route. Find a trail/park you’ve never run in. Go to a random place (maybe scout the area or ask a friend first, for safety reasons) and run a road loop. Take a mini vacation to a cool running-friendly city and check out their running scene.
- Set non-time-based goals.
- Don’t get me wrong, time-based goals are incredibly helpful. I set them myself! But there is a lot of value in non-time goals as well. Think: run 5 times every week this summer; run 10 miles a day (I did this one in summer 2024 and loved it); register for and complete a trail race, or an unusual distance.
- Strength training.
- This really is non-negotiable, as compared to ~10 years ago when it was a “nice to have” kind of thing for runners. No matter what level you’re running at, you need strength training in your routine. This will help you build durability to support the miles you run, which then keeps your training more consistent, which contributes to improved performance.
- Strength training looks different for a lot of people. It does not mean you have to spend hours in the gym lifting hundreds of pounds. Youcould go to the gym (I aim for 2x/week of 30-45 minutes when in training mode) … but it can be as little as 15 minutes a few days a week with some kettlebells, at home. You can accomplish a lot with a little time and little to no equipment – as long as you’re incorporating the right types of exercises (I can help here!)
- Fuel for your training.
- Runners often underestimate nutritional needs. We have to account for our basal metabolic rate (you know, the things that keep us alive like – functioning organs!); our non-exercise activity (walking to the bus stop, taking care of the dog, lifting kids, etc.);and our structured exercise/activities. It’s a lot.
- Fuel before: fasted training is so 2024 and really should have never been a thing at all. And since I’m also anti-Nike, I’ll say:just don’t do it.
- Fuel during: For training sessions under 60 minutes, you probably don’t need any additional fuelingduring this time. For sessions over 90 minutes, you definitely do. Between 60-90 is a gray area, where the intensity matters, your history matters, and how you’re feeling matters – and this is where individual needs really benefit from consulting a registered dietitian (not a nutrition coach, please).
- Fuel after: within 30-45 minutes of your training session ending, havesomething. Ideally, this is a blend of carbs & protein, but something – anything – is better than nothing at all. This signals your body to turn down the cortisol and stop pulling nutrients from storage, because food is entering the system. This is when your recovery mode starts, so don’t skimp here! Within 2 hours, aim for a full meal. (Again, exactly what goes into this full meal is dependent on a lot of factors, and you should talk to an RD to determine what that looks like for you).
- Run at different paces.
- Hire a coach to do the brain-work here. How fast is “fast”, and when should I do it, for how long? I’ve got you covered!
- The 80/20 rule is very popular and somewhat short-sighted. It falls apart when you only run 3 days a week, or if you’re tapering, or if you’re managing an injury. Some injuries respond better to higher intensities, and the lower intensities are reserved for cross training; so in that case, your running volume is going to be skewed more like 20/80!
- Count time not just miles.
- Miles are really easy to track and plan routes for. But your body doesn’t know miles – it knows time. I give my athletes a combination. Let’s say I want someone to do a 20 minutes tempo/threshold run – I ballpark it for planning purposes and say “20-22 minutes, around 3 miles”. Same for long runs: “run for 2 hours, or about 12 miles”
- Consistency matters – this is probably the biggest one, which is why I saved it for last!
- Whatever you can do week after week after week after week is what will get you results. If you can sustain 70 miles a week for an entire training cycle (with your scheduled deload weeks, of course) – great. But if you can run 2 weeks around 70, and then need 4 weeks in the 40s to recover, then 70 is not your magic number. Maybe you’d be better at holding 50s across the cycle, with a planned deload every 4-6 weeks into the 30s.
- Life plays into this so much. Busy schedule in June? Plan this for your down time. Family vacations in the summer? Go for shorter runs that still allow you plenty of time with the fam.
- Same with strength training: if you can commit to 15 minutes 3x a week through most of the year, that’s far better than one week of 2 hours in the gym followed by 3 weeks of nothing because it’s too busy.
- And with that: I’m here to help you structure your training around your life, around your goals, and around your history. Whether it’s running and chasing PRs, or training to chase your grandkids, I’ve got you.
~Dr. Coach Meg