Running a speed work session can be tricky business. There are so many variables to play with. The duration of a repetition, the rest interval, the number of repetitions, warm-up and cool-down. With so many things to think about, what’s the right way to do speed work?

To start a speed work session, always do a warm up. Running at least a mile loosens up your legs and allows your blood to circulate and prepare for more strenuous activity. Proper pacing is also important. Start jogging, and when your second wind comes, start running faster. Finish your warm-up with a light sweat.

After warming up, take a few minutes to gently stretch your legs, shoulders, and arms. Run a couple of lunges to further loosen your legs.

Improper pacing is one of the main causes of bad workouts. Running the first lap of a repeat too fast can ruin a planned workout. To get a good indication of proper pace, run a 5K. Then divide your race time by 3.1 to find your average pace.

Example: race time / 3.1 = pace per mile.

When the average pace is known, subtract 5 to 10 seconds per mile. This sets your pace for speed work.

Example: race pace – 5 to 10 seconds = sprint pace.

Dividing this number by 4 will give you the pace per lap.

Example: 6:00 pace / 4 = 1:30

The length of your reps is also important. Repeats of at least 800 meters will work best. Spending longer periods at your VO2 max will increase the effectiveness of your training. Repetitions up to 1,200 meters work best for increasing your strength and mental toughness.

Rest intervals are also important. Jogging the rest intervals and not walking will make the training more effective. Jog at a slow enough pace to recover enough to execute the next repetition at the proper pace. For 800 meter jog repeats for 2 minutes, 1200 meter jog repeats for a three minute period.

The number of repetitions is also an important training consideration. When beginning a season of speed work, always start with 1-2 reps. As your fitness improves, perform up to 8 repetitions of 800 meters or 5 repetitions of 1200 meters.

After your workout jog a mile or so to cool down. The cool down period allows the blood to flush out waste products that accumulate in the muscles during periods of intense running. Another benefit of the cool down is the reduction of muscle soreness the next day.

One final suggestion to consider is to rotate your speed training by week. Running speed workouts for two weeks straight. The third week skip your normal track training and compete on the weekend. Sticking to a schedule like this prevents burnout and allows your body and mind to recuperate.

Running a race every three weeks gives your body time to adapt and get stronger. Also running a race will allow you to determine your new training pace. And identify overtraining if your race times seem to drop dramatically.