Watching the 100m sprint final has been the golden event at the Olympics for decades.

There’s something about speed which captivates our attention and drives an emotional response.

Speed is exciting.

There’s literally a running event called the Speed Project happening now from LA to Vegas. Fastest team wins.

So, how can you become a faster runner?

P.S. To help you become a faster runner I’ve put together a 6-week training plan you can download today.

Did you miss the last few newsletters? Read them here:

• Threshold #72 | Hybrid Training 🏃🏋️🚴

• Threshold #71 | The power of electrolytes ⚡

• Threshold #70 | How to run an ultramarathon 🏃

• Threshold #69 | Glucose is your rocket fuel 🚀

• Threshold #68 | What is HRV? ❤️

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The Main Feature

Leg one: Build your base

Becoming faster can be broken down into two parts, anaerobic & aerobic fitness. Anaerobic fitness refers to the body's ability to perform high-intensity physical activities in a short period, where the demand for oxygen exceeds the oxygen supply. Unlike aerobic exercises, which rely on oxygen for energy production over longer periods, anaerobic exercises depend on energy sources stored within the muscles, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate, as well as the anaerobic breakdown of glucose into lactate (lactic acid fermentation).

Anaerobic fitness is characterized by short, intense bursts of physical activity, typically lasting from a few seconds to around two minutes. Activities that develop anaerobic fitness include sprinting, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), weight lifting, and plyometrics. These activities lead to improvements in:

• Muscle Strength and Power: The ability to exert maximum force in a short period.

• Speed: The ability to move quickly over a short distance.

• Anaerobic Endurance: The ability to maintain high-intensity effort through managing the accumulation of lactate.

• Muscle Mass: Anaerobic training stimulates muscle growth by causing micro-tears in muscle fibers, which then repair and grow stronger.

Training for anaerobic fitness involves exercises that are high in intensity but short in duration, with rest periods allowing for partial recovery between sets. This type of training is crucial for athletes in sports requiring short bursts of speed or power, such as sprinting, football, basketball, and weightlifting.

Aerobic fitness, also known as cardiovascular or cardiorespiratory fitness, refers to the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to supply oxygen to the muscles during sustained physical activity. It encompasses the efficiency with which the respiratory and circulatory systems can take in oxygen, transport it through the bloodstream, and deliver it to working muscles to produce energy for movement over extended periods.

Aerobic exercises are activities performed at a moderate intensity over a relatively long duration, allowing the body to utilize oxygen for energy production. These activities include running, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, and rowing, among others. The key characteristics of aerobic fitness include:

• Endurance: The ability to sustain physical activity for extended periods without undue fatigue.

• Efficiency in Oxygen Use: Improved aerobic fitness leads to better oxygen uptake and utilization by the muscles.

• Heart and Lung Health: Regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improving its ability to pump blood more efficiently, and increases lung capacity.

• Metabolic Health: Enhancements in metabolic rate and the ability to burn fats and sugars more effectively.

Aerobic capacity is often measured by VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise. It's considered one of the best indicators of cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance.

Training for aerobic fitness involves consistent, rhythmic exercises that raise the heart rate into a target zone, determined as a percentage of the individual's maximum heart rate. This zone typically ranges from 60% to 85% of an individual's maximum heart rate, depending on the fitness level and training goals.

Over time, aerobic training leads to adaptations in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, allowing for improved oxygen delivery to muscles and more efficient energy production, thereby enhancing endurance and performance in prolonged physical activities.

T-1: Mental Preparation

Leg 2: Training Session To Build Your Speed

Improving both anaerobic and aerobic fitness through running involves incorporating a variety of workouts into your training. Each type of workout targets different aspects of fitness, stimulating adaptations in the body that enhance its ability to perform under conditions of both oxygen surplus and deficit. Here’s how you can structure your running workouts:

For Anaerobic Fitness:

1. Sprint Intervals:

   • Description: Short, intense efforts followed by rest or low-intensity recovery.

   • Workout Example: 8-10 repetitions of 200m sprints at maximum effort with 1-2 minutes of walking or jogging recovery between sprints.

   • Purpose: Improves speed, power, and the body’s ability to handle lactic acid.

2. Hill Repeats:

   • Description: Repeatedly running up a steep hill or at incline on a treadmill at 2-4% at a high effort, followed by a slow jog or walk back down for recovery.

   • Workout Example: 6-8 repetitions of 60-second hill sprints with recovery as you descend.

   • Purpose: Builds muscle strength, power, and enhances anaerobic capacity.

3. Fartlek Training:

   • Description: A form of interval training that mixes continuous running with intervals of faster running.

   • Workout Example: After a warm-up, alternate between 1 minute of hard effort and 1 minute of easy jogging, for a total of 20-30 minutes.

   • Purpose: Enhances running speed and endurance by stressing both the aerobic and anaerobic systems.

For Aerobic Fitness:

1. Long Slow Distance (LSD) Runs:

   • Description: Steady, prolonged runs at a moderate pace.

   • Workout Example: A 60-90 minute run at a comfortable pace where conversation is possible but not effortless.

   • Purpose: Improves cardiovascular efficiency, increases fat metabolism, and builds endurance.

2. Tempo Runs:

   • Description: Sustained effort runs at a controlled, hard intensity.

   • Workout Example: A 20-minute run at a pace that feels “comfortably hard,” where you can speak in short phrases but not full sentences.

   • Purpose: Increases lactate threshold, allowing you to sustain a faster pace for longer.

3. Progressive Runs:

   • Description: Starts at a comfortable pace and gradually increases to a near race pace.

   • Workout Example: Begin with 10 minutes at a moderate pace, increase speed every 10 minutes, finishing the last 10 minutes at a hard effort.

   • Purpose: Builds aerobic capacity, endurance, and teaches pace control.

Combining Workouts for Optimal Results:

To maximize improvements in both anaerobic and aerobic fitness, it’s essential to incorporate a mix of these workouts into your weekly training schedule, allowing for adequate recovery between sessions. A balanced approach might include one or two anaerobic-focused sessions, one long run, and a tempo or progressive run each week, supplemented by easy recovery runs or cross-training to promote recovery and overall fitness.

Remember, the key to effective training is progression and adaptation. Start with your current fitness level and gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts to avoid overtraining and injury. Listening to your body and incorporating rest days or easier weeks into your training plan are crucial for long-term improvement and health.

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Leg 3: Running Fast Requires Good Nutrition

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in running performance, influencing everything from your ability to train effectively to your speed and recovery. A well-planned nutrition strategy can significantly enhance both anaerobic and aerobic capacities, directly impacting your speed and endurance. Here’s how nutrition supports these critical aspects of running fast:

Energy Provision

• Carbohydrates: Serve as the primary energy source for both high-intensity (anaerobic) and endurance (aerobic) running. Consuming adequate carbohydrates ensures that glycogen stores in the muscles and liver are replenished, which is crucial for sustained energy during both training and races.

• Fats: While carbohydrates are key for short and high-intensity efforts, fats become an important energy source during longer, lower-intensity aerobic runs. A diet with a balanced intake of healthy fats supports endurance by providing a dense, efficient energy source once carbohydrate stores are depleted.

• Proteins: Essential for muscle repair and growth, protein intake supports recovery after intense workouts, helping to rebuild muscle fibers damaged during running. This is crucial for both anaerobic and aerobic training adaptations.

• Hydration: Maintaining optimal hydration is crucial for performance. Even slight dehydration can lead to significant decreases in speed and endurance. Water is essential for temperature regulation, nutrient transport, and joint lubrication. Electrolytes, particularly sodium, potassium, and magnesium, help maintain fluid balance and muscle function, especially during long runs or in hot conditions.
  

Nutrition can enhance your running performance. Specific strategies for pre-workout nutrition, carb-loading, and in-race fuelling are vital to perform at the top of your game. These strategies are grounded in sports nutrition research and are designed to optimize energy utilization, improve performance, and facilitate recovery.

Pre-Workout Nutrition

Objective: To optimize glycogen stores and ensure adequate hydration status before engaging in running, particularly for workouts aimed at improving speed and endurance.

• Timing: Consume a meal rich in complex carbohydrates 3-4 hours before exercise. For those who prefer eating closer to their workout, a smaller, carbohydrate-rich snack 30-60 minutes before running can be beneficial.

• Composition: The pre-workout meal or snack should be high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat and fiber to facilitate gastric emptying and minimize gastrointestinal discomfort. Examples include oatmeal with banana and a small amount of almond butter, or a slice of toast with honey and a side of Greek yogurt.

Carb-Loading

Objective: To maximize muscle glycogen stores before endurance events longer than 90 minutes, enhancing aerobic endurance and delaying fatigue.

• Mechanism: Carb-loading involves increasing the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet to 70-80% of total calorie intake for 3-4 days leading up to an event. This dietary adjustment is coupled with a taper in training volume to reduce glycogen depletion and allow for maximal glycogen storage.

• Implementation: Athletes should aim for 8-10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight per day during the carb-loading phase. Foods should be low in fiber to prevent gastrointestinal issues. Suitable options include pasta, rice, bread, pancakes, and energy bars.

In-Race Fuelling

Objective: To maintain blood glucose levels, support continued glycogen utilization, and prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances during prolonged running events.

• Carbohydrate Intake: For events lasting longer than 60 minutes, ingesting 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour can help sustain performance. This can be increased to up to 90 grams per hour for ultra-endurance events exceeding 2.5 hours, utilizing multiple transportable carbohydrates (e.g., glucose and fructose) to maximize absorption and oxidation rates.

• Hydration: Fluid intake should be personalized based on sweat rates, with the aim to prevent excessive dehydration (more than 2% body weight loss) while avoiding overhydration. Electrolyte replacement, particularly sodium, is crucial to prevent hyponatremia and support fluid balance.

• Practical Application: Carbohydrate gels, sports drinks, and energy chews are effective for maintaining carbohydrate intake during a race. They offer a practical and digestible form of rapid-absorbing carbohydrates. Sports drinks also provide the added benefit of fluid and electrolyte replacement.

Conclusion

Scientifically grounded nutrition strategies for runners should address pre-workout preparation, carb-loading for endurance events, and in-race fuelling to optimize performance and recovery. By understanding and applying these principles, runners can effectively support their training demands, enhance running speed and endurance, and achieve their performance goals.

So that’s how to increase your speed.

Coaches Corner

Workout of the Week: 8x 400m Sprint Session with Speed and Recovery Focus

Mastering the balance between speed and recovery is essential for runners looking to improve their sprinting capabilities. This session, centered around 8x 400m sprints, is designed to enhance your anaerobic capacity, speed endurance, and recovery efficiency. By focusing on controlled high-intensity efforts followed by strategic recovery periods, you'll push your speed limits while learning to recover more effectively.

Understanding Recovery Phases:

• Active Recovery: Light jogging or walking that helps clear lactate from the muscles and facilitates quicker recovery.

• Passive Recovery: Complete rest or standing still, allowing for heart rate reduction and full recovery before the next sprint.

Workout Structure:

Minutes 0-15: Dynamic Warm-Up

• Activity: Begin with a light jog transitioning into dynamic stretches and drills (leg swings, high knees, butt kicks).

• Focus: Increase muscle temperature, enhance mobility, and activate the neuromuscular system for sprinting.

Set 1-4 of 400m Sprints:

• Activity: Sprint 400m at 85-95% of your maximum effort.

• Recovery: 2 minutes of active recovery (light jogging) followed by 2 minutes of passive recovery (complete rest).

• Focus: Develop speed endurance and anaerobic capacity while practicing efficient recovery techniques.

Set 5-8 of 400m Sprints:

• Activity: Sprint 400m at 90-100% of your maximum effort.

• Recovery: 3 minutes of active recovery (light jogging) followed by 3 minutes of passive recovery (complete rest).

• Focus: Push speed limits while enhancing recovery efficiency and preparing the body for repeated high-intensity efforts.

Minutes 75-90: Cool Down and Stretch

• Activity: Gradually reduce your effort from a light jog to a walk, followed by static stretching focusing on the legs, hips, and lower back.

• Focus: Aid muscle recovery, reduce soreness, and ensure a smooth transition out of the workout.

Additional Tips:

• Hydration: Maintain hydration before, during, and after the session to support performance and recovery.

• Nutrition: Consume a carbohydrate-rich snack or meal 1-2 hours before the workout to ensure energy availability. Post-workout, include protein and carbohydrates to aid recovery.

• Pacing: Use the first few sprints to find a sustainable high-intensity pace that allows you to complete all 8 repetitions with consistent effort.

• Monitoring: Consider using a stopwatch or running app to track your sprint times and recovery periods, aiming for consistency in your sprint efforts.

This 8x 400m sprint session is meticulously crafted to challenge your speed and improve your recovery capabilities. By alternating between high-intensity sprints and focused recovery periods, you'll enhance your anaerobic fitness, speed endurance, and ability to perform under fatigue, paving the way for faster running performances.