How to get faster at running...Things you can do to increase speed.
Fix Your Running Techniques
Most runners do not know how their running technique style affects their speed. If you want to know how to improve running speed, look at your running style. Fixing your running style to be faster can take a few weeks to do this, and it will make a huge difference in speed and efficiency of your run. It can also lower your chance of injury.
Speed Bursts
Most people who are looking for information about how to improve running speed usually want to shave time off marathons. The quickest way of doing this is by acclimatizing your body to the demands and feeling of a faster pace. This should be done in short bursts until the body is able to handle longer time periods. This should be done once or twice a week, so it will not cause injury, and allow your body to be able to deal with a faster pace.
New Shoes
Your shoes really do make a difference in your running speed. There are only so many miles that you can get out of running shoes. You should get a new pair of shoes after 300 to 500 miles. After this point, shoes will lose their stability and cushioning, which can lead to injury. If you are looking for a good pair of running shoes, go to a sport store, and get a pair suited to the way you run.
Endurance Builders
If you do not run every day and are wondering how to improve running speed, the best way is to build your endurance. To do this aim to run further each time. This can sound wrong since you are looking to improve your speed, but the stress on the body from a longer run is the same as running faster for a shorter run.
If you want to know how to run faster, running is not the only thing that you need to think about. Squeezing extra out of your run is important when you want to increase your speed. Think about everything that you would do while running and make improvements. You do not need to run more to become faster; you need to run better to get faster.
Change the way you move
One final (and possibly most impactful) way to improve running speed is to change the way your body moves during your run. Correcting your biomechanics of your running gait can lead to noticeable gains in running speed. The running stride is very similar to a golf stroke in that the way to generate power and speed is by eliminating any hiccups along the way. The smoother the golf stroke, the faster the club head speed. The smoother the stride, the faster your feet move. If your knees swing through in a straight line, and your ankle strikes the ground centrally, and your hips allow full flexion and extension, the stride will be smoother, and efficient. Speed increase is a direct result of that improvement. So it is important for you to determine where inefficiencies have crept in to your run, and then use corrective exercises to correct those flaws, and regain a smooth, fast stride.
