how to improve your base sprinting speed as a distance runner?

maybe throw in a few striders at the end of your longer runs or at the end of a long run, like the last half mile-mile, really pick it up. That's how I developed a kick and maybe that could contribute to speed. Or track intervals.

It's tough to develop big changes while doing distance running, frankly. I would say in the early stages of base building in between seasons, when your mileage is lower, do some weight lifting, low reps with high weight, and eat like a beast.

NOT STRIDERS DAMN YOU. STRIDES

short fast repeats with long rest.

One workout of 100s and 200s plus strides during the week post run. It is OK to sacrifice a few miles to get in a quality workout. Don't chase a mpw number for the sake of the number.

Easy. Stop slogging and do some sprint training. Google my other thread regarding "Crossfit style sprint repeats". Lots of valuable information on 10+ pages.

30 meter 95% hill sprints with complete recovery. Start with one or two and build up to 8-10. Walk back down the hill until you feel recovered. These are not meant to be aerobic, so it feels weird for a distance runner.

Do those twice per week and you will start to get faster. You might want to read up on correct sprint form beforehand. I was doing these once and a kind sprint coach gave me some pointers and it became a whole lot more fun. As in keeping my chin down, using my etc.

I should say that I had to stop these because they aggravated a chronic groin injury. But they certainly helped with speed.

Read anything by Scott Christianson. He is a great high school middle distance coach who adds great speed workouts into his routine. As the above poster mentioned short hill sprints are a great way to lead into flat alactic work on the track.

Strides after runs are criminally ignored. I do them after EVERY run.

After speedwork I might just do 4x80 at an easy pace. I've found that this also helps with recovery after a hard session by keeping the legs "awake". Might not be for everyone but it works for me.

After easy runs I'll do some higher intensity stuff. Focussing on getting up near top speed and staying relaxed. Distance could be anywhere form 60m to 150m.

I'm not a coach or anything but if I was this would be one of the main things I'd have my athletes do.

FWIW my PRs are 1:51 3:48 & 14:30

Here is what worked for me:

1) strides, 2-3 times a week. Not a few half-hearted 80m sprints, either—somewhat slower than all-out, and more of them, further. I would do 6x120m or 2*4x100m with the first set being "constant speed" strides and the second being accelerations. Never really getting to 100% though. For a distance runner without natural speed, BUILDING speed is about going faster while being relaxed

2) high-intensity strength circuits 2-3 times a week. General strength is important for being able to run fast and to kick at the end of a race.

3) Doing some "relaxed speedwork" workouts like 16x200m at 3k-1mi race pace with 200m very slow jog recovery once every two weeks or so

I had done 1-2 of the above in the past, but the season I did all three, and did them consistently for several months, I was able to close much faster in races. I wasn't able to do a plyometric routine, but that would likely also help a lot.

Go look at Hadd thread. I forget the specifics. It is 200 200. Alternating between 5k and 10k speed for 25 laps. Done in base building designed to not build up lactic as you get faster. Yes you can get pretty fast just jogging. By week 8 running under LT you probably flying already.

PhoenixRunner wrote:

Go look at Hadd thread. I forget the specifics. It is 200 200. Alternating between 5k and 10k speed for 25 laps. Done in base building designed to not build up lactic as you get faster. Yes you can get pretty fast just jogging. By week 8 running under LT you probably flying already.

To summarize:

do 25 laps (a 10k)half at 5k speed and half at 10k speed (alternating speeds every 200m or Half a lap).

If I don't run a PR with this, I never will.

Good luck with that speed workout.

Short hill sprints of 60-100m in length at maximum effort with long (2-3 min) recovery.

Short track sprints at maximum effort 40-80m with long recovery

Half Squats, dead lifts, front lunges, step ups, leg press