Different Types of Speedwork to Incorporate into Training

Based in Teaneck, New Jersey, Jennifer Heiner serves as a retail director at a New Jersey running company, and is an avid runner who has competed in six marathons (and counting!). Jennifer Heiner volunteers with the New York Road Runners, and has helped organized numerous group training runs with local running clubs, which are focused on preparing runners for the New York City Marathon. She has also helped numerous friends and family members get ready for smaller, shorter races, which is a great way to introduce someone to the sport and work their way up for training for a full length marathon.

Based in Teaneck, New Jersey, Jennifer Heiner serves as a retail director at a New Jersey running company, and is an avid runner who has competed in six marathons. Jennifer Heiner volunteers with the New York Road Runners, and has helped organized numerous group training runs focused on preparing runners for the New York City Marathon. More recently, several of Jennifer Heiner’s friends enlisted her help to get themselves in shape for springtime races, which includes a training program consisting of various types of runs and workouts, strength, and PT focused band work to round out the training.

What are the best types of speed work or speed sessions that a runner can incorporate into their training? No matter what level of competition one is at, or what pace a runner is comfortable training at, incorporating different types of runs during your training will improve aerobic ability as well as speed.

Graphic from “RunMum”

Some of Jennifer Heiner’s favorite workouts are:

1. Progression Run or “Cutdown Run” — this one starts with a mile warm up, and then increases in pace in sets of two miles, starting from a comfortable aerobic pace down to half marathon or 10K pace, concluding with a mile of easy cooldown. For example, 1 mile warm up, then miles 1–2 at 8:50–8:40; miles 3–4 at 8:30–8:20; miles 5–6 at 8:10–8:00, and miles 7–8 at 7:50–7:40; followed by a mile of easy cooldown. These workouts are hard because you need to CONCNTRATE to make sure you are hitting the assigned paces without going too fast or too slow, and without wanting to stop.
2. Tempo Runs — there are many variations of a tempo run, but again we start with a warm up easy mile, and then the middle miles are all at increased effort, and the pacing usually depends on what race you are training for. If you are training for a marathon, the tempo miles should be run FASTER than your goal marathon pace; if you are training for a half marathon, the tempo miles should be closer to 10K pace; all of this is followed by a cool down mile. One variation of a tempo run is to do 3x1 miles (3 one mile segments at tempo) with a prescribed “rest” period in between the tempo miles, whether its for 2 minutes, or a 1/4 mile, to gain some recovery between reps. This is especially helpful earlier in a training cycle when the speed and endurance may not be at max capacity yet.
3. Ladder workout on a track (or any straight, flat road or path you can find) — increasing distances up and down a ladder, paces will naturally get easier the further the distance, and then increase in pace again on the way down; 200, 400, 800, 1200, 1 mile; 1 mile, 1200, 800, 400, 200. Again, as with the tempo run above, some active or passive recovery in-between reps to allow the runner to recover for the next rep.