15 Running Workouts to Improve Speed and Stamina

Few of you are coming to me with a focus on your one mile pace, so we’re looking at running workouts that are going to test your speed and improve your endurance.

There are tons of ways to incorporate speed training and I hope these ideas will help to bring a little fun to your training, along with improvements.

If you’re wondering why you should incorporate different types of running workouts, or which ones are the most common out there, don’t worry I’ve got you covered!

I’ll be discussing that in this article, as well as giving you 14 different running workouts which include 7 common ones, and 7 that I’ve specially created to spruce things up if you’re used to the common ones.

Want to learn everything there is about running workouts? Then keep on reading!

Why Incorporate a Variety of Running Workouts?

Many runners tend to run at the same speed day after day. Running at the exact same effort is a problem because you may not be running easy enough to get the aerobic benefits we want for endurance and yet not hard enough to get the anerobic benefits of a speed session.

We call that grey zone running.

These types of runs are usually done at a speed that’s 75% of our max efforts, which isn’t fast enough to make our bodies work hard and adapt, but it’s also simultaneously too fast to build considerable endurance or count as a ‘recovery’ run.

It keeps you from become stronger and can also increase the risk of injury. In short, our bodies need variety to realize our full potential.

We need really slow runs just as much as we need the really fast runs. This type of variety in running workouts helps work our cardiovascular systems as well as our muscles in different ways. It makes room for not only recovery but also builds strength.

Keys to A Good Speed Workout

As always, it’s extremely important to remember a few things about running workouts:

• For endurance training this should only be about 20% of your week, the rest should be easy running
• NEVER skip the dynamic warm up, it will lead to injuries with speed workouts
• Learn to run by effort and you’ll always be successful. Because what feels hard some days feels easier on others.
• Even distance runners NEED short speed sessions (checkout how a 5k could improve your marathon time)
• Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition – you have to refuel and you have to recover from speed work to get the benefits.
• Learn the etiquette of running track. What lane, common terms, etc.

All right with the ground rules applied, let’s have some fun!

7 Common Running Workouts for All Types of Runners

Ideas for speed training can go from unstructured fartleks to very structured track workouts. Pretty much all of them can be done using your GPS watch outside or on the treadmill.

Let’s look at 7 of the most important and common running workouts. For each of these workouts, you’ll also find specific ways of doing it based on your current level as a runner.

Make sure to include a warm up with dynamic stretches, running drills and some easy walking then running before any running workout!

1. Easy Run with Strides

Let’s start with the easiest type of running workout: an easy run that finishes with strides. Running at a slow speed increases endurance, encourages proper running form, builds a routine, establishes base mileage, and also aids recovery.

This kind of run should be your most common one, accounting for approximately 65-80% of your total mileage.

Your easy runs should be runs where you stay within heart-rate zones 1 and 2. This is when you can comfortably keep a conversion going and speak in full sentences without running out of breath. That’s why we often call it conversational pace.

When you’re capable of doing that, you’re in your aerobic zone or your ‘easy’ zone. This is where your body and muscles have all the energy and oxygen they need for a run.

For most runners, this is where a majority of your long run miles should be done. Easy runs are also known as recovery runs.

How to Add Strides

If you’re new to running, start with this type of easy run. Run for 45 minutes at an easy pace. Hitting a certain mileage isn’t important when you’re first starting off, as you’re running for time instead of distance.

At the end of the run throw in 3-5 strides.

Find a flat spot, and pick up your pace for roughly 20 seconds to what you might think of as a sprint, but while keeping your body relaxed. No tensing the face! These are fast pick ups, but while staying relaxed. Walk around for a bit till your breathing is normal and then go again.

DO NOT turn these in to an interval workout. The relaxed nature gives you a chance to run fast, without the recovery needed from intervals.

2. Tempo Run

Tempo runs are an important type of running workout which can help improve your speed and endurance. The pace of the tempo run is sometimes described as “comfortably challenging.”

They are difficult enough to need pushing, yet comfortable enough to allow you to keep going.

This is often approximately 85-90 percent of your maximum heart rate, or slightly slower than your 10K race pace. It’s where brief sentences are doable, but a full-fledged conversation definitely isn’t.

We do tempo sessions to raise our lactate threshold, which is the point at which your body transitions from its aerobic to anaerobic systems and quickly starts to fatigue.

The higher your threshold at a given pace, the longer you can maintain that pace and improve your strength, speed, and endurance.

Sample workouts:

Newer runners should start with shorter time at tempo. The final listed workout is for advanced runners.

• Easy warm-up miles, 5 minutes at tempo pace, 10 minutes easy, 5 minutes at tempo pace, easy cool down miles
• Easy warm-up miles, 20 minutes at tempo pace, easy cool down miles
• Easy warm-up miles, 20 minutes at tempo pace, 10 minutes easy, 20 minutes at tempo pace, easy cool down miles

Interested in learning more? Checkout What is a tempo run?

3. Hill Workout

Hill workouts are great running workouts that give you many of the same advantages as typical speed exercises without the requirement of running at peak speed.

Running uphill is all about building explosive power, which helps you run faster by promoting speed and use less energy by improving running economy.

On the other hand, running downhill works on your quadriceps while building strength in your tendons and joints.

A well-balanced runner has to be able to handle both uphill and downhill running, which is why you should include both types of workouts while preparing for any type of hilly race (cough Boston).

Sample workout:

10 minutes easy running
2 x 20 seconds hard effort uphill
— walk down
2x 30 seconds hard effort uphill
— walk down
2 x 60 seconds moderate effort uphill
— walk down
10 minutes easy running
10 minutes at half marathon effort
10 minutes easy running — optional if you feel toast from the hills

Get ideas for more hill workouts and benefits >>

4. Interval Workout

Working on a 5k to 10K race? Then this is your speed training workout!

Interval training consists of brief bursts of fast running followed by periods of low-intensity recovery runs. It involves running or sprinting at the same speed for a set distance and for a set number of times.

It’s all about running high intensities in short bursts. In terms of distance, it can range from 100 meters to a mile, depending on the runner’s fitness level and training goals.

A recovery session should follow this all-out effort, which can be done by running or walking at a lower intensity.

Your aerobic capacity will increase as a result of interval training since it forces you to rapidly adjust to running at a variety of speeds which makes you a more efficient runner.

Running faster than goal pace often shows us we’re able to do more than we think, but also forces us to practice good running cadence.

Sample workout:

10 minutes easy running
4 x 2 minutes at 10K effort
— 1 minute recovery between reps
4 x 1 minute at 5K effort
— 1 minute recovery between reps
4 x 30 seconds at mile effort
— 1 minute recovery between reps
10 minutes easy to finish

5. Ladder Run

If you’re tired of doing classic intervals, the ladder workout variation is a great way to challenge yourself and change things up.

A Ladder Run is a popular interval workout that involves climbing up, down, or both up and down a distance with a brief, typically 60 to 120 second rest break in between each interval.

It’s a great way to push yourself and change things up by running at different speeds and distances at high intensity, all in one workout.

Sample workout:

• Run for 50 meters, then walk for 50 meters
• Run for 100 meters, then walk for 100 meters
• Run for 150 meters, then walk for 150 meters
• Run for 200 meters, then walk for 200 meters
• Run for 250 meters, then walk for 250 meters

These are not the same as ladder drills, which involve using an actual rope ladder on the ground for foot speed.

6. Fartlek Workout

The word “fartlek” in Swedish means “speed play,” which is exactly what the workout is. It’s essentially a chance to experiment with varied speeds and lengths in the same session.

It’s also a great way to get started with speedwork training. It’s perfect for beginners who want to get a taste of speedwork before diving in headfirst.

This sort of speed training is quite simple to perform. Just mix running fast with running slow and vary the distance and pace of each interval.

It might be as simple as sprinting to a random street corner, tree, car, or light post, or running at a tempo rate for three minutes, then an easy pace for four minutes, then a sprint for one minute, and so on.

There are no rules, other than to vary your distances and speeds.

Sample workouts:

Try any of these options on your next run. Remember there is no set recovery, so go 30 seconds or 2 minutes, whatever you need.

• 3 mile run with 5 x 30 seconds hard effort (not max effort!)
• 5 mile run with 10 x 1 minute hard effort
• 6 mile run with 7 x 1 minute increasingly hard effort

Like this idea? Learn more about what are fartlek workouts and how to do them>>

7. Long Run

The long run is exactly what it sounds like: a long run at an easy and steady pace. Long runs are one of the most important workouts of the week. And yes for marathon runners this is part of the intensity in your week.

They boost endurance, form, lung power, and prepare your body for any distance.

Long runs will help you get stronger and show you how far you can go before getting tired. This will give you the confidence to keep going when things get hard during your next race.

They should be done at a natural pace until you are start feeling exhausted.

Sample workout:

Aim to keep your heart rate within 65 to 75 percent of max heart rate. The goal of the long has nothing to do with pace, you can aim to be anywhere from 1 minute to 2 minutes slower than marathon pace.

But the focus of the run is finding an effort level that you can maintain from start to finish which is easy.

8 Bonus Running Workouts to Change Things Up

Tried all the classic running workouts and looking for some more variations? Here are 7 more running workouts that will help you spruce things up!

Photo from OnTheRunFit

1. Climb Down the Ladder

This workout is great for distance runners who need to work on stamina, plus practice running faster. Your goal is to run faster as the distance gets shorter.

Start with 1 round and build up to being able to do 2 rounds.
Take .25 mile easy, easy run to recover between repeats.
1600m (1 mile)
1200m (.75 mile)
800m (.5 mile)
400m (.25 mile)
200m (.12 mile)

2. Stride Goal Pace Sandwich

Strides are a great way to warm up and ease in to faster running or to end a workout.

Start and finish with 5-10 minutes of easy running depending on your current mileage.

3 strides
2 x 9 minutes at goal half marathon pace
— 3 minute recovery between repeats and final strides
5 strides

3. 1 Minute Reps

I love a one minute repeat because it’s short enough that you can mentally talk yourself through it! Try aiming for faster than your 5K pace and hitting the same or slightly faster by the last reps.

Start and finish with 10 minutes of easy running.

10 x 1 minute with 1 minute recovery
New runners start with 6 reps and build up to 10

4. Mile Repeats – A Mental Push

On the flip side of a 1 minute repeat is the mile repeat! This takes a lot of mental effort to find the right pace, settle in and remind yourself that you can hold the pace.

Start and finish with 10 minutes of easy running.

3 x 1 mile at 10K Pace
3 minute recovery jog between miles
Build up to 5 x 1 mile at 10K pace

5. Marathon Effort Plus

When building up to race day, it’s great to practice goal pace running, but first start from where you are! Running workouts aren’t just about going as fast as possible, it’s also about learning how to hold the pace and then push on tired legs.

5-10 minutes easy running
40 minutes at marathon pace (not new goal pace, but previous marathon)
6 x 1 minute fartleks at 5K pace

6. 5K to Full Out

Yes, even marathon runners will benefit from a speed workout that goes to their top end! It reminds you and your legs what’s possible, plus allows you to push in a totally different way.

10 minutes easy running
4 x 3 minutes at 5K effort
3 minute recovery between reps
5 – 10 minutes easy running
3 x 20 seconds all out
walk to bring HR down between reps

7. LONG Run Intervals

This speed workout is designed to shake up your long run! While we do many of our long runs at an easy pace, if you build in some speed to certain long runs it’s a chance to mentally feel even more prepared for what race day will bring.

10 minutes easy running
4 x 3 miles at goal marathon pace
5 minutes easy running between miles
10 minutes easy running

8. HIIT Workouts

For my runners who love a good Orange Theory session, I have actually created an entire list of Running HIIT Workouts you can do on your own! These are a great way to really change up training.

As always, a reminder that not every run should be intense. It’s why training plans include easy days, rest days and faster pace runs. You need them all to be a strong, healthy runner.

And there you have it!!

A wide variety of ways to play with speed during your training to help build speed and endurance.

Looking for more marathon training tips?

Marathon training isn’t just about running fast, there’s a lot of base building and little pieces that will keep you healthy for the many months of running.

• Workouts to build hip strength to prevent knee pain
• Loosen tight hips for better range of motion
• How to fuel long runs
• How to pace a marathon

Other ways to connect with Coach Amanda
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Facebook Community Chatter: RunToTheFinish

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