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Whether you want to get faster or improve your overall fitness level, track workouts are one of the most effective ways to accomplish your goals. These 4 best track workouts will improve your running speed and efficiency and make you a stronger athlete. Whether you want to PR in your next race or just become a faster runner in general, these track workouts will help you. An added bonus is speed workouts burn more calories per minute of exertion than regular slow runs, and you will notice an improvement in your overall fitness level.

Track Intervals

Intervals are a classic speed workout that can be adapted for any level of runner. Whether you’re training for a marathon and running 800-meter intervals or are just beginning running and doing 100-meter sprints, speed workouts can be adapted to any runner’s needs. You can even do interval workouts on the road or trail if you don’t have access to a track. Interval workouts involve measured bursts of speed mixed in with slow jogging or even walking or resting for recovery time.

When I coach runners, I usually have them start with 400-meter intervals workouts to begin speed training. Here is a sample 400-meter interval running workout that can help any runner get faster and stronger:

400-METER INTERVALS

This workout is easiest to do on a track — 400 meters is one lap on a standard outdoor track. You can, however, use your smartphone running app or running watch to measure out .25 of a mile for each 400-meter interval if you are running on the road or trails. Be sure to record your times for your interval workout and you will see your speed improve as you repeat the workout each week.

Warm-up - Run 800-meters or 1/2 of a mile at a relaxed pace, jogging.

Speed Interval: Run 400-meters (one lap on the track or .25 of a mile on the road) at 80-85% effort level. This pace should make you feel winded by the end and like you are going considerably faster than your regular running pace. You will not be able to talk at this speed as you run.

Recovery: Jog or run slowly for 400-meters for active recovery. This will allow you to catch your breath and reset before the next speed interval.

Repeat the speed interval-recovery cycle, alternating one recovery lap between each fast lap. If you are a beginning runner, do 4 fast 400-meter intervals and 4 recovery laps for your first speed workout. For intermediate runners, start with 6 speed intervals. You can run this interval workout once a week, adding one more speed interval every 2 weeks to build up your endurance. You can also increase the interval distance to 800-meters or even 1-mile intervals if you are training for a long-distance race like a marathon.

Cooldown - Run 800-meters or 1/2 of a mile at a relaxed pace, jogging. Stretch.

Tempo Runs

Tempo runs are a staple speed training workout for long-distance runners. Tempo runs help improve your body’s ability to run faster for long stretches of time and adapt to lower oxygen supplies as you run. These runs are great preparation for racing.

What is a tempo run, you may be wondering? A tempo run — or lactate threshold run — is a running workout at a pace at which your body produces and clears lactate (a metabolic by-product of exercise) at a close-to-equal rate. In layman’s terms, a tempo run is a pace your body can run and keep breathing and working without cramping up or getting too winded to keep going. A tempo run is not an anaerobic workout like sprinting but instead trains your body to be able to keep pushing and performing at higher levels for longer distances. Whether you are a 1-mile track runner or a marathoner, tempo runs are excellent training tools to make you a better, more efficient runner.

HOW TO DO A TEMPO RUN

Tempo runs are the middle ground of running, falling between easy, slow runs and intense speed intervals. To determine your tempo pace, add 24 to 30 seconds per mile to your 5K PR or goal pace. If your best 5K time is at an 8-minute-mile pace, for instance, your tempo run pace will be 8:30 per mile.

For your first tempo run, warm up for 5 minutes running at a relaxed, easy pace. Then do 20 minutes of running at your tempo run pace. Cool down for 5 minutes of easy running and then stretch. For the best results, do one tempo run a week, and you can gradually build up your temp running time to meet your race training distance goals, building up to a maximum of an hour of tempo running if you are training for a long-distance race such as a half marathon or marathon.

Fartleks

Fartleks - Swedish for speed play - offer a flexible, fun speed workout that can be adapted to any running level. Fartleks are a great running workout for beginners as they can be very short and informal and are not intimidating.

If you are wondering what the heck fartleks are, let me help — fartleks are short bursts of speed during a regular, easy-paced run. The speed bursts can vary, often using something such as a pole or street light ahead to run fast toward, and then slow down once you pass the landmark.

HOW TO DO FARLEKS

To do a fartleks workout, go for a 3-4 mile, relaxed pace run. After your first 5 minutes of running, pick a spot in the distance and run fast toward it. If you are on the track, you may run the long straight away fast for your fartlek. You will be running at about 90-percent effort level, faster than your 5K race pace. Usually, this fartlek interval should be for about 1-2 minutes in duration. Then return to your regular, relaxed base run pace. After a few minutes, pick a landmark — or stretch of the track — to run fast toward again. Do 5 to 10 fartleks during your workout. Your fast running time should total 10 to 12 minutes by the end of your run.

Fartleks are a great workout to prepare for more measured interval workouts. If you are a beginner, do one fartlek workout a week to start.

Strides

Strides are a great, short, speed workout you can tack on to the end of an easy run day. Strides help train your body to run at higher speeds even when your body is already fatigued from running. They also help improve your running form and efficiency.

Strides are a running drill that you run for short bursts of speed with an exaggerated running form. You can run strides after an easy run to work on your form and speed. Strides are short, 20-30 second accelerations that you can plug into your weekly training program.

Here is how to run strides:

Find a flat place to run 100 meters. This can be the straightaway part of a track, or on a flat road.

Begin running your stride by taking short steps (or strides), and pumping your arms up and down, in an exaggerated motion. As you speed up, your leg turnover will get quicker.

Begin running at an easy, relaxed pace, and build up your speed as you run.

You should be running at about 95 percent effort level by the end of your stride. Your stride should only take 20-30 seconds so you may get winded at the end but will recover quickly.

Do 4 strides for your first stride workout and build up to doing 6 or 8 strides.

Do your stride workout after an easy run or regular base run.

Speed Workout Tips

When you do speed workouts, it’s important to give your body time to rest and recover so your muscles can rebuild and repair. You will want to follow the easy-hard principle of training and schedule track workouts between easy run or recovery days. Track workouts, long runs and races are all considered hard trianing days, so you will need time to recover from them. If you do a speed workout, take a rest day or do an easy run the following day for recovery. Do not do speed workouts two days in a row.

Make sure you stay hydrated before, during, and after your track workouts. This will help prevent muscle cramps and speed up your recovery time.

When you are doing interval workouts, aim for consistency in your pace so all your fast runs of a particular distance are the same pace. It is tempting to begin with a sprint or go too fast when you begin track workouts, but it’s important to hold back some in the first intervals so you can maintain your speed through the very last interval.

If you love track workouts and want to do some track races, check out the USA Track and Field calendar of events for sanctioned track races around the U.S.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen brought his remarkable 2026 season to a fitting close on home soil, winning the men’s street 1500m at the inaugural Runfest Norway in Sandnes on Friday.

Competing in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd, the Olympic and world champion took control of the race from the early stages and maintained his authority through the finish, stopping the clock at 3:40.7.

Andreas Fjeld Halvorsen followed in second in 3:43.3, while Sigurd Tveit completed the podium in 3:47.8.

The unusual street race added another dimension to the occasion, with 273 runners taking part on the same road and sharing the course with one of Norway’s most accomplished distance runners. For the recreational participants, it offered a rare opportunity to compete alongside Ingebrigtsen in an event that brought elite athletics and mass participation together.

The victory also provided a fitting final chapter to a season that began with significant uncertainty for Ingebrigtsen. After undergoing major Achilles surgery in February, the Norwegian was forced to miss a substantial portion of the summer campaign as he worked his way back to full fitness.

His return, however, quickly developed into another championship-winning chapter. In Birmingham, Ingebrigtsen captured European 5,000m gold before adding another major title at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, where he won the 5,000m.

Those performances transformed what could have been a disrupted season into another year defined by championship success and a determined return to the highest level.

Now, with the Sandnes victory added to his 2026 record, Ingebrigtsen closes the year exactly where it began in spirit — overcoming adversity, rebuilding his form and once again competing at the front.

From Achilles surgery in February to major championship victories and finally a 1500m win before his hometown crowd, the Norwegian has given his 2026 season a memorable final scene.

Olympic 100m hurdles champion Masai Russell has announced her engagement to longtime partner Robert “Robbie” Springfield, adding a major personal milestone to the remarkable journey of one of America’s leading track and field stars.

Russell shared the news with her followers, revealing that Springfield had proposed and that she had accepted. Reflecting on their relationship, the Olympic champion described him as her best friend and expressed her excitement about spending the rest of her life with him.

The couple’s relationship dates back to their college years at the University of Kentucky, where both were student-athletes and competed in track and field. Russell established herself as a standout hurdler, while Springfield competed in the long jump, giving them a shared understanding of the demands, sacrifices and pressures that come with pursuing success in athletics.

Springfield has since transitioned from competition into coaching. A former collegiate long jumper, he is now part of the coaching staff at Morehead State University, where he works with the programme’s sprinters and jumpers.

Their relationship has developed alongside Russell’s rise to the top of the sport. The defining moment of her career came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she captured gold in the women’s 100m hurdles, securing her place among the sport’s Olympic champions.

Away from competition, Springfield has remained a familiar part of Russell’s journey, sharing in the demanding periods of training and competition that accompanied her pursuit of Olympic success. Their connection has consequently grown from a college athletics relationship into a long-term partnership.

The engagement now marks another significant chapter for Russell, this time away from the track. After reaching the pinnacle of her sporting career in Paris, the 100m hurdles champion is beginning a new phase of her personal life alongside a partner who has been part of her journey since their university days.

From competing on the same collegiate stage to building a future together, Russell and Springfield’s story has evolved alongside two careers shaped by track and field. The Olympic champion will now balance this new personal chapter with her continuing ambitions in athletics

The women’s race at the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon is shaping up to be one of the most competitive editions in recent years, with a deep international field set to take on the fast Dutch course on Sunday, October 18.

At the centre of the contest will be four Ethiopian athletes who have already broken the 2:20 barrier, creating the prospect of a fascinating battle for victory and a possible assault on the course record of 2:16:52.

Defending champion Aynalem Desta will return to Amsterdam looking to retain her title after producing the biggest performance of her career at last year’s 50th edition. Desta won in a personal best of 2:17:37, establishing herself among the leading marathoners in the field and setting the benchmark for this year’s contenders.

Standing in her way will be fellow Ethiopian Meseret Belete Tola, a former Amsterdam champion who knows exactly what it takes to succeed on the course. Belete Tola captured the 2023 edition in 2:18:21, and her return adds another layer of experience and proven quality to an already formidable lineup.

The field also includes Mestawut Fikir Truneh, who arrives with an impressive marathon pedigree. Truneh finished runner-up at the 2024 Berlin Marathon in 2:18:48, demonstrating her ability to compete at the highest level on one of the world's major marathon stages.

Completing the quartet of sub-2:20 Ethiopians is Buze Diriba, whose personal best of 2:19:34 places her firmly among the leading contenders. With four athletes possessing credentials below 2:20, the race is likely to develop into a tightly contested battle from the opening kilometres.

The depth extends well beyond the leading quartet. Desi Jisa Mokonin, representing Bahrain, Yeshi Kalayu Chekole of Ethiopia and Nazret Weldu Gebrehiwet of Eritrea have all established themselves as serious marathon competitors with performances approaching the 2:20 mark.

Another major name to watch is Abeba Aregawi, the former 1500m world champion representing Sweden. Aregawi has successfully transferred her talents to the marathon and made headlines earlier this year by setting a Swedish national record of 2:23:12 on her debut. Her presence adds another intriguing dimension to an already high-quality field.

Amsterdam’s marathon course has consistently provided an opportunity for elite athletes to produce fast times, and this year’s women’s lineup has the depth to turn the race into a genuine test of both championship racing and outright speed.

With four athletes already inside 2:20, two former Amsterdam champions returning to the start line and several other accomplished marathoners ready to challenge them, the battle is expected to remain open deep into the race.

The ultimate target will be the Amsterdam women’s course record of 2:16:52. Whether the leading contenders can threaten that mark remains to be seen, but the quality assembled for October 18 ensures that the record will be firmly in the spotlight when the race reaches its spectacular finish inside the Olympic Stadium.

The 2026 Valencia Half Marathon is shaping up to be a thrilling contest of speed, endurance and tactical brilliance, with some of the world’s finest road runners set to converge in Spain on October 25.

Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Alex Matata will be among the leading contenders, facing a formidable Ethiopian challenge spearheaded by Jemal Yimer and Tadese Worku. The field also features Rodrigue Kwizera, who boasts the fastest personal best among the leading entrants at 58:16.

Ebenyo arrives with a personal best of 59:04, placing him firmly among the athletes capable of sustaining a demanding pace over the 21.1-kilometre distance. Matata, who owns a 59:11 best, adds further Kenyan strength, while Andrea Kiptoo brings another sub-60-minute credential to the race.

Yimer has already established himself as one of the fastest athletes in the field with a 58:33 personal best, while Worku has clocked 58:35. Kenya’s Owen Korir, with a best of 58:58, further underlines the remarkable depth of the men's lineup.

Valencia Half Marathon 2026 Entries

1. Rodrigue Kwizera (Spain) — 58:16

2. Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) — 58:33

3. Tadese Worku (Ethiopia) — 58:35

4. Owen Korir (Kenya) — 58:58

5. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) — 59:04

6. Alex Matata (Kenya) — 59:11

7. Andrea Kiptoo (Kenya) — 59:11

8. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spain) — 59:42

9. Said Mechaal (Spain) — 1:00:24

10. Adel Mechaal (Spain) — 1:02:30

Kwizera, who finished second in Valencia last year, leads the field on paper and will be seeking another standout performance on the famously fast Valencia course. With several athletes carrying sub-60-minute credentials, the race has the ingredients for an aggressive battle from the opening kilometres.

Beyond the headline names, the men’s field is deep and highly competitive, bringing together a strong collection of experienced international athletes with proven ability over the half-marathon distance. With so much quality packed into the lineup, the race promises an intriguing battle in which tactics, endurance, positioning and finishing speed could all play a crucial role in determining the eventual champion.

Yet personal bests will count for little once the gun goes off. The title could ultimately be decided by patience, positioning and the ability to respond when the pace begins to rise in the closing stages. Every surge, every tactical move and every second saved could prove decisive on the road to the finish.

With Kenya, Ethiopia and Spain represented by athletes of exceptional quality, Valencia promises a high-octane men's showdown in which the leaders are likely to be separated by only a handful of seconds. The final kilometres could provide the defining moments of a race packed with speed, ambition and anticipation.

On October 25, the question will be simple: who has the strength to command the streets of Valencia and claim the coveted half-marathon crown?

 

April 19, 1982. The Boston Marathon unfolded under unusually warm, sunny conditions, and by the closing stages, the race had become a private battle between two very different American runners: Alberto Salazar, already one of the biggest names in distance running, and Dick Beardsley, the Minnesota runner who had emerged as a serious marathon contender.

For roughly nine miles, from the Newton Hills toward the finish, Beardsley did much of the leading, with Salazar tucked close behind. Neither man could shake the other. They ran deep into Boston locked together, trading surges and refusing to surrender an inch as the crowds along the course grew louder.

Salazar finally made his decisive move with less than a mile remaining. He opened a small gap, but Beardsley refused to disappear. The Minnesota runner chased him through the final streets, closing again as they approached the finish.

Then came the final sprint.

Salazar held his form and reached the finish first in 2:08:52, with Beardsley only two seconds behind in 2:08:54. It was an extraordinary result: both men broke 2:09 in the same Boston Marathon, and both shattered the previous course record.

The race became known as the “Duel in the Sun,” and it remains one of the most celebrated head-to-head battles in Boston Marathon history. Beardsley had not won, but his performance established him as one of America's elite marathoners.

For Salazar, however, victory came at an enormous physical cost. Immediately after crossing the finish line, he collapsed and required emergency treatment, including several litres of intravenous saline. The combination of heat, dehydration and an all-out effort had pushed his body to the limit.

Salazar's marathon career would never again produce quite the same kind of performance. His celebrated 1981 New York City Marathon victory had produced what was initially considered a world record, although the course was later found to be short. His Boston triumph therefore became one of the defining victories of his career.

Beardsley's story would take an even more difficult turn. Injuries disrupted his career, and after returning to the highest level, he suffered a devastating farm accident in 1989. Further accidents, surgeries and severe physical pain followed, eventually leading to a long battle with painkiller addiction.

He eventually overcame that struggle and transformed the darkest chapters of his life into a story of recovery, resilience and redemption.

That is what makes the 1982 Boston Marathon more than a two-second victory.

For one extraordinary afternoon, Salazar and Beardsley produced a marathon duel in which neither man was willing to give way. One crossed the finish line first. The other finished only two seconds behind him.

Two seconds separated them at Boston. Decades later, their legendary duel remains one of the greatest chapters in marathon history.