These 4 Simple Workouts Will Help You Gain Running Speed
Given the current health climate, the fitness community is scrambling to come up with ways to maintain their physical fitness status without access to gyms and trails. What kind of workouts can we do at home? Are we allowed to go for a run? Is it even possible to see progress when you’re restricted to home workouts?
Just because we are stuck at home, it does not mean that we cannot have productive workouts. In fact, because we are limited to the resources we have available to us, now is the perfect time to opt outside and just run. Running is one of the best forms of cardiovascular training. It strengthens your bones and muscles while burning fat and improving your heart and lung health. Plus, with the hours upon hours spent indoors because of the pandemic, your body is longing for the fresh air and the sunshine.
As Spartans, we all know why we need to run. But given the current state, we are all exploring new ways of how to run. Particularly, we are all looking for ways to maximize our running training, to build cardio endurance as well as speed, while spending limited time away from the safety of our own home. The secret to this is Fartlek training.
What Exactly Is Fartlek Training?
The word Fartlek is Swedish for "speed play." This style of running training boosts your metabolic conditioning, similar to that of interval training and metcon (metabolic conditioning) fitness. As opposed to your traditional HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes, though, Fartlek training mixes jogging and lower-effort running with bouts of sprinting or faster running. This style has been proven to increase running speed and endurance, while also helping to build mental strength to allow your body to push into a higher heart rate zone. Fartlek runs typically are relatively shorter workouts compared to a traditional long, slow run. Spartans, in particular, find Fartlek training most appealing because it is the closest style of training to race-day simulation. Today’s workouts are geared towards doing just that.
Related: The Ultimate HIIT Sprint Workout to Increase Your Cardio Threshold
Below, we have laid out four short, but effective Fartlek workouts. These workouts are great for your neighborhood roads, trails, or track. Let’s build some speed.
Track/Sprint Workout
Head to your local track, or find a solid stretch of street to run. This workout can be done anywhere.
| Activity | Time |
| Warm-Up Jog | 5 Minutes |
| Sprint | 60 Seconds |
| Jog | 45 Seconds |
| Sprint | 75 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Sprint | 90 Seconds |
| Jog | 75 Seconds |
| Sprint | 105 Seconds |
| Jog | 90 Seconds |
| Sprint | 120 Seconds |
| Jog | 120 Seconds |
| Repeat | x2 |
| Recover | 3 Minutes |
| Sprint | 30 Seconds |
| Recover | 30 Seconds |
| Repeat | x6 |
| Cool-Down Jog | 5 Minutes |
Hill Repeats
Find your local hill and get comfortable in the uncomfortableness of hill running.
| Activity | Time |
| Warm-Up Jog | 5 Minutes |
| Run Uphill | 60 Seconds |
| Jog Downhill | To Bottom or 45 seconds |
| Run Uphill | 70 Seconds |
| Jog Downhill | To Bottom or 50 seconds |
| Run Uphill | 80 Seconds |
| Jog Downhill | To Bottom or 60 seconds |
| Run Uphill | 90 Seconds |
| Jog Downhill | To Bottom or 70 seconds |
| Run Uphill | 80 Seconds |
| Jog Downhill | To Bottom or 60 seconds |
| Run Uphill | 70 Seconds |
| Jog Downhill | To Bottom or 50 seconds |
| Run Uphill | 60 Seconds |
| Cool-Down Jog | 5 Minutes |
Related: 4 Timed Running Intervals to Better Performance Overall
Heavy-Carry Transitions
Grab your Spartan Training bucket, your Spartan Pancake, or your unopened bag of dog food for this fun, heavy-carry transitioning practice. Challenge yourself to run with your heavy object.
| Activity | Time |
| Warm-Up Jog | 5 Minutes |
| Carry | 30 Seconds |
| Run | 90 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Carry | 40 Seconds |
| Run | 80 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Carry | 50 Seconds |
| Run | 70 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Carry | 60 Seconds |
| Run | 60 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Carry | 70 Seconds |
| Run | 50 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Carry | 80 Seconds |
| Run | 40 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Carry | 90 Seconds |
| Run | 30 Seconds |
| Cool-Down Jog | 5 Minutes |
Resisted Running
For this resisted run, find a tire to pull or grab your Spartan Strength Band for a stationary resisted run. Notice how much quicker your feet can turn over as you transition from resistance into a full sprint.
| Activity | Time |
| Warm-Up Jog | 5 Minutes |
| Resisted Run | 45 Seconds |
| Sprint | 45 Seconds |
| Jog | 90 Seconds |
| Resisted Run | 45 Seconds |
| Sprint | 60 Seconds |
| Jog | 75 Seconds |
| Resisted Run | 45 Seconds |
| Sprint | 75 Seconds |
| Jog | 60 Seconds |
| Resisted Run | 45 Seconds |
| Sprint | 90 Seconds |
| Jog | 120 Seconds |
| Repeat | x3 |
| Cool-Down Jog | 5 Minutes |
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