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Runner’s World June 2004
By Jeff Galloway

Q & A
Q. What’s the best way to get faster if I’ve never done speedwork before?
A. The first step to getting faster is to teach your body what it feels like to run faster. Here are three simple drills that prep our body for speed. Each takes only three to six minutes. You can do them on separate days, or combine them all in the same workout. Start the drills after 10 minutes of easy running.

Light Touches. Shortening the amount of time your feet stay on the ground allows you to run faster, Run for 10 steps, concentrating on picking up each foot as soon as it hits the ground. Jog for a minute, then try a set of 20 light steps, then 25, and finally 30. Jog a minute between each set.

Turnover. A quicker stride turnover is important for faster running. First, count every time your left (or right) foot hits the ground while running for 30 seconds. Jog for a minute and repeat, trying to increase the count by one. Repeat four or five times, trying each time to add another step (or at least maintain an increases count).

Acceleration Gliders. Staying relaxed as you speed up helps you run quicker with less effort. Try this four-part drill. Walk for 10 steps, jog for 10 steps, increase the a fast-but-smooth pace for 10 more steps, then finally “glide” for 10 strides by using the momentum form the faster portion to keep your speed up as you slightly decrease your effort (the same way you can relax a bit as you run downhill yet still maintain your speed with the momentum of the decline). Jog for a minute, the repeat the whole series four to six times. Eventually you can increase the glide portion for up to 30 strides.

THE EXCUSE (AND HOW TO BEAT IT)
I’m not fit enough to run for any length of time.
You can double endurance by suing my run/walk method. Walk breaks ease the fatigue that accumulates from continuos running, allowing you to run father. You essentially push back your ow personal “wall” each time you take a walk break.
For instance, if you can currently run only 1 mile at a 10-minute pace, you could run 2 miles by using a two-to-one run/walk ratio (run two minutes and walk one minute), which equates to 12-minute-per-mile pace. As you build your endurance, you can gradually increase the running portion of the ratio. For beginners building to five minutes of running with one minute of walking is a great goal.

Quick Fix: OVERSTRIDING
SIMPLE SOLUTIONS TO COMMON RUNNING MISTAKES
When running with the proper stride length, your feet stay underneath your body. But when you overstride, you extend your lower leg (below the knee) out in front of your body. One sign of overstriding is that your feet slap loudly as the hit the ground. Overstriding can cause sore shins, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Most beginners overstride at the beginning of a run (from too much energy), or at the end (when you’re close to your goal). Try this drill during any run to help shorten your stride. 1) For the first five minutes of our run, reduce your stride to a shuffle by keeping your feet close to the ground, almost dragging them along. 2) For the last five minutes of your run, do the shuffle again. You can extend this to the last 10 minutes of any run, especially if you’re tired.

(SAY WHAT?) RUNNING JARGON, TRANSLATED
junk miles Miles run at an easy pace, added to a training program only to reach a certain weekly or monthly mileage total rather than to achieve any specific training benefit. That said, not all easy miles are junk miles, as they can aid recovery.