3 Swaps To Make You Run Better

Then: THE SLOW SUNDAY RUN Now: PROGRESSIVE MILEAGE
Long Slow Distance (LSD) runs are vital for increasing aerobic endurance. The 5K and 10K runners among you might run up to twice the race distance on slow run day, while those who run longer distances may log 75-100 percent of race mileage. As your fitness improves, try making your long run tougher. Progressive distance runs are a popular form of training among Kenyan athletes, and all you do is start a long run at jogging-pace and speed up to finish the session at race speed. Simple but tough.

Then: THE MID-WEEK AMBLE Now: INTERVAL TRAINING
To run faster, you need to get used to running faster – and the easiest way to achieve that is to split a high-paced run into smaller chunks. Enter the interval session. Interval running improves your cadence (the number of strides you take per minute), boosts your cardiovascular system and recruits more muscle fibres than slow running. To do it, you simply run a set distance at a fast pace and then take a rest before repeating the effort. As you get stronger, you’ll be able to reduce the rest in between intervals and run closer to your race target time.

Then: THE RELAXING REST DAY Now: RECOVERY RUN
While resting up after a hard run may seem natural, a recovery run could be more beneficial. Research shows that active recovery, such as jogging slowly for a short amount of time, can speed up recovery by bolstering blood flow around the body and boosting the removal of muscle lactate. Yes, you still need to log rest days into your calendar but, if you run regularly, the odd recovery run could improve your running and help you squeeze more miles into your training week. Win-win.