Any good speed work apps?

[orzabellle]

I'm finally back to some actual miles of running each week. At my fastest, I did a half marathon in just two hours. Four years later, I was a minute faster per mile. I'm waaaay slower now. I mean, embarrassingly flower. I'm also about twenty pounds heavier, and working at that, despite the fact that it is so much harder for
Me
To lose than it used to be.


Anyway, how do I get just a bit faster? I don't have time for a class or anything. I do have time to fit some smart, unagonizing speedwork into my current  hour-isj runs.

[Mom of Scooby]

Just do
Some fartleks to start 30 seconds on 30 seconds of once or twice a week and then increase the segments.. I always find that's a good way to ease into the harder stuff and not that complicated


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[orzabellle]

Thanks MOS. So how much, at minimum, is effective?

[Mom of Scooby]

Thanks MOS. So how much, at minimum, is effective?

Once a week and it should only be a small percentage of your mileage... especially if you're not really training for something... I
Another one is like. 15 min warm up 1 min on. 1 min off, 2 min on, 2 min off repeat 5-7 times and than cool down


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[Plugging Along]

Keep it short.
I did some faster runs before I was ready
and ended up with a sore hamstring for 3 months.

Maybe once a week, during a longer run, increase the pace for 2 or 3 minutes.
ie: during a 5k run increase to mile pace for 600 meters, then back it down.
After a while, once you are going longer and are lighter, increase it to 4 or 5 minutes.
As you progress your mile best should come down.
But at some point the aging process makes truly hard speed work too risky.

Another possibility is to do the run at the start of the session.
If your best mile is 8:00

jog 400 meters warm up (say 2:25 = 9:40 per mile pace)
2 minute rest
600-800 meters at mile pace (say 2:00 per 400)
4 minute rest, ie: walk a lap
jog a mile or 2 back at 2:25 per 400 (9:40 per mile pace)

You can jog every day, but you can't "run" everyday.
Make sure every hard workout is followed by a rest/easy day.

Pay attention to your body, if something feels tweeky - shut it down.
Take an extra rest day, or do something non-impact (swimming, biking)
Better safe than sorry.

[Richard21142]

What do you mean by faster?  Pure sprint speed, mile speed or a faster pace over a long distance.  Each of these elements require something different.

Pure speed:  the fastest way to increase pure speed is to run downhill with sprint form at about 30-40% effort.  The hill shouldn't be steep and you should have complete body control while doing them.  The warning is that when you first do them, you do them at a more comfortable pace and allow you muscles to adapt before you do them at the 30-40% effort.

Mile speed: this usually require running repeat 400s at some speed that you can handle with the number of repeats something that you develop over time.  Starting with just one based on your daily run would be acceptable.

Speed over long distance is best developed with runs at the anaerobic threshold. These runs are done "by feel" and the starting point is based on the pace of your daily runs (i.e. a bit faster).  The distances can range from something very short to something very long.  You chose the distance based on "feel".

[Hobie1]

"Hills are speedwork in disguise."

-Frank Shorter

[gebuh]

How long have you been back to consistent running?
It's not a bad idea to work on your mileage and leave speed for later.

[radial]

Good points in both of the  preceding posts. Incorporate some decent hills in your regular routes and you'll get faster without with less risk of injury than formal speed work.

[Magic Microbe]

Honestly the way I have gotten faster in the past is by running more miles.

[witchypoo]

"Hills are speedwork in disguise."

-Frank Shorter

1.

[orzabellle]

I already run hills. I have to where I live, but I will work harder to embrace them rather than trying to find less steep routes. So more of that and 30 seconds of 'fast' followed by 30 seconds of jogging...Do that on and off for ten minutes, maybe once a week. Will that help? I wish I had a customized app that could tell me when to speed up and when to chill, in the same way my 10k trainer tells me to take a minute between parts of the workout.

[Richard21142]

30 seconds of 'fast' followed by 30 seconds of jogging...

There is a pace at which you run; the "fast" could be something that is a little faster.  You can do these during your regular runs or they can be followed by a recovery jog.  But, you do not have to do the "fast" runs very hard.  A couple of years ago, I was helping someone with their running.  I had her doing her fast stuff at about 40% effort; while making sure her form was really good.  The improvement in her speed enabled her to win two class state championships and finished fourth in the New England High School Championship meet in the 1600. She was also 6th in the 3200. 

[Mom of Scooby]

I already run hills. I have to where I live, but I will work harder to embrace them rather than trying to find less steep routes. So more of that and 30 seconds of 'fast' followed by 30 seconds of jogging...Do that on and off for ten minutes, maybe once a week. Will that help? I wish I had a customized app that could tell me when to speed up and when to chill, in the same way my 10k trainer tells me to take a minute between parts of the workout.

Do you have a garmin? I have the 235 and can set interval workouts on it by time or distance... well.. at least when I could run I did.. you can also get a fairly cheap thing that times you for intervals.. gym buddy I think it's called maybe?


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[redkitty]

Do you have a garmin? I have the 235 and can set interval workouts on it by time or distance... well.. at least when I could run I did.. you can also get a fairly cheap thing that times you for intervals.. gym buddy I think it's called maybe?


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I have just started interval training with fast bursts wtih jobs in between and this is how I do it. I set it up on my garmin. Currently 30 seconds of a hard run (by rate of perceived exertion) and 2 minutes of jogging. I am not quite sure I cuold do the 1:1 ratio yet...though I might try later this week. I am only running 20 minutes wheN i do this work out (well, 22 minutes...because then I get 2 full miles in.) I am not doing it to get faster per se, but rather trying to get to HIIT (I am not sure i am quite high intensity enough to consider it HIGH...but medium-high.)

[nneJ]

Another thing to consider is a long run longer than 2 hours.  I forget where I read it but basically a long run in this zone drives physiological changes that allow better, faster running.

[radial]

I already run hills. I have to where I live, but I will work harder to embrace them rather than trying to find less steep routes. So more of that and 30 seconds of 'fast' followed by 30 seconds of jogging...Do that on and off for ten minutes, maybe once a week. Will that help? I wish I had a customized app that could tell me when to speed up and when to chill, in the same way my 10k trainer tells me to take a minute between parts of the workout.

If you are looking for a easily configurable interval timer, the one called Seconds from runloop.com is my favorite.  I use it all the time for interval training on machines at the gym.  Nice, clear visual interface.  Also, I like that you can set it to give you audible prompts that you can hear while still listening to music.  Versions for IOS or Android.

[Chasing Amy]

CML to the rescue!

Edited to add correct link: http://chrunners.net/forum/index.php?topic=79127.0

[Coyote Mas Loco]

CML to the rescue!

http://chrunners.net/forum/index.php?topic=79293.0

Hey I was just going to post this! Thanks for the shout out.

[Chasing Amy]

Hey I was just going to post this! Thanks for the shout out.

It's excellent! But I just edited to include the correct link.

[orzabellle]

Thanks, al!!

[diablita]

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/how-muscle-fiber-recruitment-affects-running-performance

CrossFit has helped me go from running a 32 minute 5K to a 23 minute 5K without a lot of run training.  HIIT works if you want to go a less running-heavy route.

[Richard21142]

CrossFit has helped me go from running a 32 minute 5K to a 23 minute 5K without a lot of run training.  HIIT works if you want to go a less running-heavy route.

There are a lot of ways to run decent times without doing a lot of running.  It doesn't surprise me that you 5K time improved dramatically with the type of training you were doing.  The important key is for someone to do the type of training they enjoy.  I've always lifted weights in addition to running and did my best running when I added rowing on a Concept2 erg twice a week. 

When my grandson started running as a freshman, it was obvious he had to mature and get a lot stronger.  My daughter and her husband spent a lot of time with him developing his core strength (read "grandfather brag" for the results of this type of training) with some pretty good results.

[diablita]

The important key is for someone to do the type of training they enjoy.

Great advice