Running News Daily

Include some intervals into your trail runs to improve your speed

Becoming a faster trail runner is not easy, but have you tried taking your interval workouts to the trails? Mixing in some different terrain can not only help you become a better trail runner, but it can translate to faster times on the roads.

On the trails, you have the option to make the workout as hard (or easy) as you want. Take your interval workout to a more technical trail or singletrack path to help you improve your strength and cadence.

The workout

10 to 15 reps of one-minute fast and one-minute jog

The idea behind this short interval workout is simple: run at your perceived 5K goal pace for one minute, followed by one minute of easy slow jogging, and repeat.

The up and down terrain will make this short speed workout feel tougher than it is. Try to keep a cadence of 175 strides per minute or higher, altering your pace and cadence to the gradient. The short active rest combined with faster intervals will challenge your endurance and strength.

Since the intervals are short, it is easy to get carried away on the first three or four reps, but the key to doing this workout is managing your speed in the early intervals, so you’re able to pick up the pace later on. Ideally, you should do at least 10 reps, but if you’re training for anything over 10K, you should do 12 to 15 reps.