Since it’s Friday, I’m linking up with Running on Happy & Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 linkup! Join in! Don’t forget to link back to your hostesses and visit some other bloggers.
Today’s topic is Misc. so I am choosing Five Drills to Get You Faster
I’m not a fan of workouts or any drills but when I participate in the Freihofer or Troy Turkey Trot Training Challenge, on Monday nights, coach Patrick has us do drills. Why? To run a faster 5k or 10k.
I always protest and he knows that, plus sometimes they come the day after my legs have been tired out from a long run or half marathon.
However, begrudgingly I do them.
The result: the first year (2014-5), I PRed at every distance.
So here’s some of the speed drills that we do:
1. One minute strides (5 of them)
These are my favorites. After a warm up, you run as fast as you can for one minute. Then recover. As Patrick says, “You can do anything for one minute.”
2. 400 m @ 5k pace followed by 200m recovery (4-6 of them)
It’s hard to not to run these fast but you realize that you can’t halfway through the first set and then you slow down to a 5k pace (which is still fast.)
3. Hill Repeats. Incline for at least 200m.
there is a long hill in this park…but I didn’t get a picture on it.
4. 800 m @ 5k pace followed by 400 m recovery. (4-6 of them)
These are my least favorite. 800 m running fast seems like forever.
5. Race a 5k.
This one is not recommended but it’s the one I enjoy the most. Even if it is a fun run, I always try to run well and for me, it’s the best speed drill.
Happy Running! Do you do speed work? What drills do you do?
My First 5K and More... 
I have raced many 5ks but that is probably the extent of my speed work since it is a race. I am more of a slow long runner. You are still building up your endurance on those.
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Unfortunately, the same for me.
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I love a fast 5K for speedwork- it is the best!
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I agree. Much more fun than a drill.
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I actually like speedwork — I’m ok with 800m, anything longer gets to me. Love strides. Loathe tempo runs but I do them & they do work.
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Never done a tempo and only do drills when forced 🙂
Keep up what you’re doing. It’s working.
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I just do what I’m told. 🙂
I’m rather doubtful of a PR in UT, and in fact, we’re not really targeting it as such. That pesky elevation thing.
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You never know. It’s downhill.
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But . . . elevation. And we both know downhill isn’t necessarily easy. It’ll be what it’ll be — but I’ll be prepared as best I can as always. 🙂
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I love speed work (like Judy above, anything 800 and below!) – I like being able to cover a good distance at a fast pace – somehow it feels better than trying to run at a consistently fast pace on a regular run. I’ve not done tempo runs because they overwhelm me!
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Good for you. I need someone to force me. That’s why races work for me. I am competitive so I run faster than I normally would.
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Not a fan of speedwork (or hill repeats) but occasionally I will run as as fast as I can down one street on my route – it’s about .12 miles, so obviously not a long distance, but it is something, right? 🙂
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same here. I only do them when someone makes me. On my own – nope.
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I like #1 the best. That’s pretty much what I’ve been trying to work into my plan.
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That’s a good one.
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