Nail good form.
The key to running (at any speed) is to practice proper running technique. That means keeping your upper body tall yet relaxed, striking the ground with your mid-foot landing under your hip, and swinging your arms forward and back (not side to side!) at low 90-degree angles.
Count your steps.
Get familiar with stride turnover—the rate of steps you take while running, regardless of pace. The fastest, most efficient runners have a cadence of around 180 steps per minute and keep their feet close to the ground with light, short, and speedy steps. To find your magic number, run for one minute, count the number of times the right foot hits the ground, and multiply by two.
Try interval training.
Short on gym time? Try interval training. Alternate periods of high and low intensity while exercising to build speed and endurance—and burn major calories in less time too!
- Don’t forget to sprint.
There’s a reason you see all those “real runners” doing short sprints before the big road race. Strides are a series of comfortable sprints (usually eight to 12, between 50 and 200 meters each) to improve acceleration technique.