sprint training for distance runners

Turnover.

Pretty simple. Just allocate one day every week or two to top-end speed - 3-6x 40 60 or 80m sprints. You don't even have to sacrifice mileage. Just do 2-3 miles warm-up, sprint, then do as many miles as you want afterwards. Hills in the same manner work just as well (or better). But you have to actually SPRINT which is not as easy as distance runners think.

Jogging for 2-3 miles is NOT how to warm up for sprints, and its really warming up and taking adequate rest between sprints that distance runners really don't know about. You want to do progressively faster strides until you are running at ~90% of the speed you sprint at. If you don't gradually increase your speed before sprinting, you are running high risk of hamstring, quad, or groin strains.

We do about 3X50 in spikes twice a week after speed workouts, which minimizes the warmup issues for distance people. This is adequate speed training for distance running, but if you want to do well in 200s, you probably need a session like 3X150 at top speed with 10-15 minutes rest.

Do yer sprint drills and plyometrics, followed by a few repeats, regularly.

I got the hang of sprinting when I heard how some successful coaches have a phrase called "ride the bicycle." I heard someone else phrase this as "step over, drive down." Recovering foot should pass just over the planted knee. Instead of a million things to focus on, just that one simple thing can give you a good basic sprint form.

Of course you still must have good arm action, the right upper body angle, drive from the hips, keep your head still, dorsiflex your foot on the recovery stroke, etc etc, very complicated. Just keep working at it until it becomes second nature.

pick one. a boxer is either speedy or powerful. this is bcz the body likes to keep getting better a one thing at a time. I am no expert but i dont see any skinny sprinters nor do i see many huge marathoners. Pick a sport. use the other to improve overall. Ryan hall (who IS an expert) often suggests high speed running as part of a run. before i ever read anything i ran to be a better warrior, i incorporated sprints into each run. Stamina skyrockets when U do this. i also tried sprint days but these led to minor injuries. warming/stretching up b4 sprinting is mandatory, but any decent body can go for a run cold. It is natural please remember. sprinting is not in human nature. Good food/medicine is a sprinter must but runners can be less strict. However dont listen to this advice if you are Olympic bound. No matter what though, be natural and listen to your body, run how you feel not what you wrote down for that day. When the 3k are passed increase speed bit by bit until you feel a moment when the body says "go for it, max out baby" then punch it top speed as long as you can. when ur gassed out and drop to slow dont allow it take over...run a bit faster than slow and so on. in a year you will be able to basically sprint a mile or more. This iv'e done and i am not young :P

Post of the decade.

I am indeed a skinny sprinter, while it isn't the norm, it is possible. While I do agree that getting slightly bigger would help my cause, I am posting fine times atm with my current weight.

With my high school athletes i end everyday almost with stuff to work on their kick and speed. Two days a week after there easy run i have them do 8x80m sprints, the third easy day we do a combo of plyos into sprints after. Most workouts end with 100s or 150s or 200s fast or hill sprints.