Unfortunately, there is no magic trick that can make you run faster. Like almost everything, it takes time and diligent practice to get better at running. A considered approach is needed to ensure that the work you are putting in is productive.
Mara Yamauchi knows a lot about running fast. Yamauchi finished sixth in the marathon at the Beijing Olympics and is the third fastest female British marathon runner of all time.
Yamauchi shares race insights in his new book Marathon Wisdom: Elite Athlete’s Insights on Race and Life, It includes training, nutrition, mental preparation and more.
We spoke with Yamauchi to get some knowledge on how to run fast.
What’s the key to getting faster?
Training with the right quality and quantity for your level is the key to running fast and doing it consistently without obstacles or injuries. If you do, then you need to get faster.
You microdamage your body as you run. Then as you relax after running, your body will adapt to that stimulus. That process repeats itself and you improve over time. The process is called Super Compensation. So for any runner, from the complete beginner to the elite athlete, getting the super compensation cycle.
If you are a beginner, start running two to three times a week or mix walking and running to avoid injury and allow your body time to adjust. If you are an experienced elite athlete, this could mean training 14 times a week or more.
Find a routine that suits you, and inspire adjustment and improvement. Then continue doing more of the same. Don’t tweak things in an effort to improve more quickly, because you may find that you get worse.
What if you find that you are not improving anymore?
If you are improving and then plateauing, then it will tell you that the supercompensation cycle is working but not now.
In that scenario, it is good to see what you are doing and what is not right. Is your training too little or too much? Or maybe it’s just the right amount, but not the right kind of training for the event you’re targeting?
Audit your running and your non-running activities. It’s easy to focus on training, but it has something to do with transformation. The obvious things are nutrition and hydration, relaxation and sleep. If you’re sleeping badly, you’re doing really good training but don’t fit in between training sessions. If your work is too stressful and you are circulating a lot of stress hormones, it can stop good coordination. Or a lot of travel and jet lag – this can lead to poor sleep and therefore you are not adapting.
Why is it important to do different types of runs to improve?
Different types of runs serve different purposes. For example, an easy jog can help you recover from a tough session or add to the volume of miles you are running and your running economy in the long run, so it will make you more efficient.
On the other hand, a track session of very short, very fast intervals can help you develop tolerance to high levels of lactic acid. This will improve your leg turnover – your farm at a very fast pace.
Develops muscle endurance in the long run. It helps your body adapt to fuel depletion because you burn fuel while running.
Running Hills is an anaerobic type of training if you do it fast, but it is also a form of strength training because you need to produce more energy while running on a flat.
All these different types of ticks tick different boxes. Long runs are really important if you’re training for a marathon, but if you’re training at 800 meters, you need to run fast enough and develop your tolerance to lactic acid. You have to decide what you will do and when.
Do you have any nutrition advice for people who want to run fast?
I must say that I am not a qualified dietitian or nutritionist, and that being the only elite athlete I know about nutrition. For me, variety is the most important thing in what you eat. Try to eat really diverse foods, including more nutritious foods like oily fish, green leafy vegetables, nuts and seeds – all sorts of things. How do you get all the different nutrients you need to stay healthy and fit into the race.
If you do a lot of training later, for example if you are training for a marathon, it is obviously really important to eat enough calories to promote your training.
After any rigorous training, which means no fast training or long training, I try to eat or drink something that contains protein and carbohydrates in the last 20 minutes. It may be a recovery drink or a smoothie you have made yourself. Milk is good because it contains protein and carbohydrates. This means that your recovery begins quickly, as soon as you finish running.
Another suggestion is to have a proper meal reasonably soon after any kind of serious training. Practically it is sometimes not easy, but as much as possible, try and make the right meal. It really applies in the evening. If you train in the evening and then you do not eat properly or you do not replenish what you burned before bed, you will wake up the next morning and your recovery will be delayed.
I used ice baths after very intense training sessions. I know there is mixed evidence about the usefulness of ice baths, but personally, I find that it really helps to reduce the inflammation and discomfort in my legs after a tough session. I have also used compression socks after tough periods to help with circulation in my legs. Obviously rest and sleep are very important. Very simple, but very important.
Your activity can also have a big impact. If you make a big run on a Sunday morning and then spend the day hiking, seeing friends or shopping, or something else, you’re more tired of getting your feet up and spending time at home.
Then there are things like compression boots and all gadgets. I didn’t really use much of the gadgets to recover. I’m sure some of them are useful, but I personally haven’t tried them much. If you are going to use any kind of gadget, I think it is worth making sure that you are doing your best in the simplest of things first. In terms of recovery, gadgets should be viewed as icing on the cake.
Do you have any elite-level race day advice to help people get faster?
Your mental preparation is really important. When you go to the start line, it means having a mental break and being fresh. If you feel tired or stagnant, or are tired from work or are not mentally prepared for racing, it will definitely affect your performance. I always tried to have easy days before races, so I felt mentally intense to get to the start line.
I always read the course for marathons and even shorter races because the course is familiar. I knew when any corners or uneven road surfaces would come in, so I was ready for it.
And be really organized: Wear your kit in advance, wear your shoes in advance, and make sure you know what the startup procedures are. Think about how you will travel in and out of the race, because there will be a road closure during the big event. It frees up your mind to focus on practical things that are really good.