How to increase your running speed

Once a runner achieves her primary target of completing a race of any given distance, the next goal, generally, is to become faster: not just for that same distance but better overall speed. Increase in speed calls for increase in force generation, reduction in contact time and sustained power,” says Susheel Chand, running coach at Life of Tri, a triathlon training centre in Bengaluru. In order to get your body to generate more force in as little time as possible with every foot strike, you will need to familiarise yourself with not only speed training but also longer runs and strength training, say experienced runners and running coaches. Interval training and tempo runs Tanvir Kazmi, a Tata Mumbai Marathon pacer says that in the running community, there are two widely accepted approaches to increasing speed. Modifying your training pace for certain days and doing faster runs specifically for shorter periods trains your body to get accustomed to running at a higher pace.