How do you increase speed?

    In the natural progression of things joggers often turn into racers. Racers want to get faster! How do we get faster? People will say speed work, and that is right, yet this also leads people into injury and failure.
   I remember in 1993, when I was 38, I decided I was going to break 20 minutes in the 5K. So I did tons of speed work! It paid off because I did a 19:57! I reached my potential!
How will you develop your maximum potential?
   1) Get to your racing weight first before you do speed work. In other words you will have plenty of base miles and will be running regularly.
   2) Do not over stride but practice increasing stride rate. Count how many steps you take per minute as you run average pace, then increase this by 5 paces for a minute....gradually increase time and rate....it is stride rate not length that increases speed...
  3) run downhill! Find a gradual decline and again, do not increase stride length but rate! Turn em over fast!
  4) Be mentally prepared! Have your mind-set, and be able to adjust during the workout....less or more...
  5) Celebrate and envision! When your done see the time you are aiming for in your minds eye...celebrate the fact you worked hard and completed a hard workout.


    I still remember that race very well, even these 21 years later! I broke 20!!! I'm still proud of that! Even at an older age we are still capable of gaining speed and reaching our potential.....now it's trying to break 25! Oh the challenges of running!