Improve Running Speed

One of the best ways to improve your running speed and economy (the amount of energy you use at given pace) is to run at what's known as your "threshold" pace. Beyond your threshold, lactic acid begins to accumulate in the muscles because oxygen demand exceeds supply, preventing you from continuing to work aerobically. Running at an intensity that has you hovering around this point nudges the threshold upwards, for two main reasons. Firstly, it reaches muscle cells to "grab" more of the oxygen flooding into them, and secondly, your body becomes more efficient at both tolerating and clearing the lactic acid. Research in the recently published Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry show that no matter what your initial training status, improvements in lactate threshold translate into faster running time.

How to do it Plan a relatively flat route on an even surface. Warm up for a few minutes, then run at the fastest pace that you can sustain for 10 minutes. You won't be able to hold a conversation but it's not a sprint either. When the time is up, walk or stretch for three minutes per bout, and reducing the recovery period. Your eventual goal is to sustain threshold pace for around 30 minutes.