Six (Hard) Ways to Run Faster

I was flipping through my blog feeds the other day and I noticed an entry over on the Training Peaks blog called Six Ways to Run Faster by Ben Greenfield. I clicked on the link because I'm always looking for ways to run faster (who isn't), but much to my disappointment it was the usual HARD tips about running that I see everywhere. Not to say it isn't a quality article, but I guess I'm holding out hope that one day I'll find an EASY tip on how to run faster. :)

The six hard tips that Ben lays out are:

1) Lose weight - Well... this one's pretty hard to do in and of itself. I think the thing to focus on here should be proper nutrition, which is something that can be controlled and will lead to weight loss when combined with exercise.

2) Increase cadence - I used to be a "long strider" runner with a low cadence a couple years ago. I tried increasing my cadence in training but it felt so unnatural that I eventually gave up on it. It wasn't until I took a couple months off of training that I was able to re-train my running muscles to a higher cadence. Nowadays I'm right at a cadence close to 90 which is what the article recommends. It feels natural now but it took me a while to get there.

3) Use a treadmill - This one might be the easiest of the tips listed. I run indoors a lot in the winter (cause I'm a cold weather wimp) but I do find that I can control my workouts more precisely and I never have to worry about walking home if I go out too hard. Yes it's boring sometimes but it has all the same benefits as using your trainer for biking indoors.

4) Hills - And this one might be the hardest tip. I haven't really incorporated hill workouts into my run training but I think that's going to change this year. One of my early season races is at Galena, which has a pretty hilly run and bike course. I always struggle on the run at Galena and this year I'd like to be better prepared to tackle the hills. Unfortunately Chicago doesn't really offer much for hills so I have to make do with a small hill (Cricket Hill) near our lakefront path.

5) Plyometrics - I've been doing a lot of functional training this off-season and I expect it to fully pay off this summer. Already my legs feel stronger and more durable than they did last year. These types of exercises not only help out on the run but also on the bike and swim. Definitely a must do in the off-season!

6) Consistency - This tip should come as no surprise to anyone. Consistency is the key to all three disciplines in our sport. You have to put in the time and effort in order to get better. Although I joke around that I'm looking for an easy tip on getting faster, I know there are no real shortcuts in training. I'm a firm believer that you get out what you put in, and consistency in your training will ensure you see steady progress over the course of the year.