How to run faster with these 6 tips from a marathon specialist
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Running is good, but being the fastest is even better. the question “how to run faster?” hovers in the minds of almost every runner.
And it’s legitimate: we all want to improve in activities that give us pleasure. But often, running enthusiasts skip steps, burn out physically or get injured, which slows down their progress.
However, there are effective, progressive and adapted techniques to improve your running speed while preserving your muscles and your health. GQ spoke with Guillaume Adam, former middle-distance athlete who today achieves great performances in marathons and trails, and author of the book My Running Bible , to find out how to run faster. Once and for all !
How to improve your speed (VMA)
How to determine your VMA? Via a stress test carried out in the laboratory (for professionals) or more simply on an athletics track. The exercise is simple: after around twenty minutes of warm-up, a few mobility exercises or stretches and a series of three progressive accelerations, the runner must cover the greatest distance possible in a set amount of time. 3 minutes for a beginner, 5 to 6 minutes for a regular runner, 8 minutes for a champion. This maximum pace is impossible to maintain indefinitely.
You must then apply a small CE2 level mathematical formula: VMA = distance traveled in km x 60 divided by the time of the exercise. Example: if a runner covers 1.2 km in 5 minutes, his VMA will be 14.4 km/h (1.2x60/5). Very good but what is it for? you will tell us. To set a precise, tenable goal within your stride range over 10 km (specialists recommend running between 85 and 90% of your VMA), over a half-marathon (80-85%) or over a marathon (70 to 80 %, depending on the level and endurance capabilities), to establish an adequate training plan and to run at various paces during training.
Run slow to run fast
Progressing in running does not happen overnight because you have to prepare your muscles to provide increasingly intense effort. “You need to alternate endurance sessions at a constant pace with interval sessions,” advises Guillaume Adam. Interval sessions require a particular effort where the runner alternates between fast running phases then recovery phases.
Before these sessions, “it is important to run slowly for around twenty minutes.” Training ranges like heel-to-butt and knee raises can accompany the warm-up. This prepares the body for the exercise of interval running and will allow you to last longer in terms of muscle fatigue and shortness of breath.
Develop a structured training plan
As a beginner in running, we often tend to run a little faster than our legs can handle. It's a little frustrating, but to run fast you first have to learn to run slowly. Slow running sessions build endurance. At the same time, you must also train in interval training to “develop your cardio-respiratory capacities,”explains the athlete. “I created the RunMotion Coach application to help everyone structure their practice whatever their level, experience and objectives,” he adds.
This may surprise some, but after a running session, the athlete recommends not forcing the stretching because the muscles have already been very used during your session. Because your body needs to relax and rest, Guillaume Adam gives us his secret: yoga.
How to run faster without getting tired
Good running technique helps to limit the risk of injury , to be more efficient and to be more economical. To run while adopting the right posture Guillaume Adam advises this: “The stride must be relaxed and the runner will try to propel himself forward as much as possible because each vertical oscillation is energy which blocks this momentum”. Also, to avoid respiratory fatigue, you must start by running fairly slowly and “even walking for one or two minutes”, recommends the runner. During this walking phase, you can then understand the rhythm of your breathing because to run fast, you must first listen to your body.
Have a balanced diet
Fast runners generally have a very good power-to-weight ratio. And it is true that the importance of muscles plays a crucial role in running performance. The body fat of high-level runners is necessarily low. “The best marathon runners have body fat around 5-7% and the best female runners between 12-15%. You must have a balanced diet, and not neglect good fats, such as omega 3,” specifies the athlete and author of My Running Bible .
Know your body
When running, the muscles that work the most are the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes and core muscles. The abdominals also contract in time with the pace of your run. In fact, these muscle groups work together to propel the body forward. To develop this set of muscles, there are no secrets, everything is played out during the famous physical preparation sessions that athletes talk about so much. It's up to you to target the points that you need to develop in particular.
[via GQ France]