10 Running Hacks to Run Faster

When it comes to improving your running, there are no shortcuts, however, there are smarter ways to go about training to improve performance quickly. Over the space of 9 years, I’ve gone from a 3h 17m marathon, to a 2h 20m and a 25:14 5k to a 14:34. If you do the same training, every day, then you will see results, but at a very slow rate. Here are my top 10 running hacks to get faster, some of which you probably wouldn’t expect to hear.

This is a routine, specific to you, consisting of a combination of core, strength, stretching and foam rolling. It can be done before or after your run at any time of day that suits you best. Once you’ve worked this into your routine, then you’re much more likely to be consistent with it. It’s a small thing that goes such a long way at the end of the day. All these little bits add up. Ideally, you’re looking to do this around 5 times a week. If you can’t, then even twice is better than none. Running takes a lot out of you mentally, so it should be as much a mental rejuvenation session as a physical benefit. Here’s a look at some of the variations of routines I do:

Introduce harder days to your training. Such as:

These snap you out of your comfort zone and push your paces. If you already have these in your weekly training, then aim to progress the intensity slightly as you move along to ensure you’re moving forward. Ideally, you’re looking for 2 to 2 and a half harder days in your training week. Aim to incorporate 4-6, 50-metre strides towards the end of your easy runs. We must keep our easy days easy and hard days hard. One day you work hard, and then the next day you keep things easy, allowing your body to recover and soak up the training. Training to a smart productive structure will increase your rate of improvement. If you’re unsure of how your weekly training should look, I do have low-cost training guides and there are free testers available too.

It’s so much easier to zone in on your session and focus on running at the correct pace and intensity when your watch is telling you how to do the session and beeping accordingly. That way you’re not constantly looking at your watch or fitness tracking device, checking the interval time or distance to see exactly where you are. Pre-build the session and let your watch be your coach, informing you when to run and when to rest.

This is important for all runners, but even more so in your earlier years of running. It takes a while for the body to adjust and adapt to the running load you put it under in training and racing. You want your body and muscles to be conditioned in order to be able to handle the load you put it under. The stronger your muscles, the more load they can handle, which in essence will help you remain injury free and get quicker. At least one weighted session in a week is ideal where you’re progressively loading, week on week - things like weighted squats, lunges, deadlifts and calf raises. My advice is not to go too heavy (you put your body under intense load In training already), but rather focus on form. Aim to get 3-4 bodyweight exercises in a week. Having a strong core is essential to holding form in that last 3rd of a race when the body starts to fatigue. Hill work is also strength work in disguise.

When you leave your house to go for a run, often you’re faced with an option: the flatter route or the hillier route. Normally, the flatter route wins. Challenge yourself and start choosing that hillier route more often than in the past. Hills are a crucial part to training, even when training for flatter races. Train on the hills, fly on the flats. They help us improve form, build muscle, increase power and get our heart rates high without being too stiff the next day. It’s always good to alternate between hill sprints and hill repeats. Hills sprints: shorter, sharper reps, on a steeper hill. Hill repeats: longer reps, not as explosive, on a more gradual hill.

It’s good to get the body and legs turning over at faster than goal race pace. A great way to do this is to break it down into smaller intervals. For example: 8 x 90 second hard efforts (with 75 seconds recovery). Achieve the ideal goal pace, then recover by allowing the heart rate to drop before going again. Here is where you really push that VO2 max up and enter your running zone 5. Consistently doing this week-in and week-out makes race pace feel a whole lot more achievable come race day.

The innovation of super shoes has changed the game of running. Carbon fibre shoes have led to faster running times. They’re not cheap, but if you’re able to afford a pair, then it’s worth considering. They’re ideally suited for runners running faster than 5:30 per km / 8:50 per mile. While they do make faster paces feel easier, you shouldn’t be doing all your runs in these shoes. Save them for those faster sessions and race day.

You need to take recovery as seriously as you take running. The most important form of recovery, by far, is sleep. That’s when your body is truly recovering. Ideally, you’re looking for at least 8 hours sleep and sometimes slightly more when you’re in intensive training. Put that phone away in the evening, scroll a bit less and get those magical 8 hours that your body truly needs.

I’m sure you may have heard the saying, ‘You are what you eat’. Nutrition and training go hand in hand. You need to fuel correctly if you’re training hard. Remember, once you increase your training, your fuelling needs to increase too, to avoid a negative calorie deficit. Try keep your diet ‘clean’ by avoiding too much junk food but at the same time, allow yourself a cheat meal every now and then. Prior to harder days, try get more carbs in for that faster burning fuel. Post harder days, aim to get that extra protein in to give your muscles the fuel it needs and allow the body to recover (aim for anywhere between 20-40g of protein post a harder session).

When it comes to running a fast time, you want to pick a race that’ll give you the best chance. What you’re looking for are good weather conditions, a flattish route with as small amount of elevation as possible, a large number of participants so you can work with others and have healthy competition and large crowd support, bringing those race day vibes which push you to your limits. Remember that when you’re pushing yourself in a race and are hurting, the runners around you are hurting just as much. It’s temporary and if you work hard during those tough moments, you’ll thank yourself afterwards.

Last bonus tip: When you get that magical PB, don’t forget to treat yourself to a post-race pizza.

I hope you’ve found these helpful.

Go improve that performance, the smart way.

Onwards and upwards,

Boom Shakalaka!