How do I get faster? Is probably the most asked question we get here at the running channel,
and today we're going to answer that question with one simple workout. 400 meters repeats.
We've taken this workout from Training Peaks coach Sid Baptista, and it's guaranteed
to add some speed into your legs. Speaking of speed Imma get started.
Everything hurts. Everything really, really hurts. I've seen stars.
This workout is nice and simple to remember.
Just going to start with a ten minute warm up, which I'm currently doing right now.
And then we have a six x 400 meters repeats with two minute rest in between each.
Going to end all off with a five minute cooldown. The 400 meters should be at your mile pace,
and if you're not too sure what that is, you can go out for a mile time trial
before this to get an accurate result and if not, then you just want to go a bit quicker than your 5k pace.
But why is this workout so effective? Sid?
400 repeats is such an effective workout because it actually
teaches your body how it's going to feel when you're running faster, right? And the more you do
it, the more comfortable you become at that goal pace that we're training for and
so it's just like anything else. The more we repeat it, the more comfortable we
become with it from our body to our mind to even like the way we feel about it.
And so that's why this is such an effective workout.
If you have a running track near you, then definitely go out and try this workout on a track.
Distances are measured out for you. One lap, 400 meters repeat.
There is nothing like getting on a track
to get you motivated to run fast. But if you don't have access to a track, then you can always measure out 400
meters on your watch using apps like Strava or Garmin connect on your phone. Or you could even
go full on old school and get out a tape measure wheel.
Tracks can be intimidating places to run, but you have every right to be there.
Quick bit of track etiquette, though, for your warm up. Stick to the outer lanes or
some tracks even have a separate warm up lane around the outside.
Then when you're ready for the speedy stuff, you can move into the middle lane or lane number one.
Speaking of speed, it's time to get my 1st 400 meters in. Let's go!
1st 400. So much longer than I remember it being. It don't look that long when you're on
track, but you actually run it. I'm out of breath already, so I'm going to go into my second one now.
But it's the first of six, that's brutal.
Speed work can play a massive part in making you faster. If you're going for a PB, then you should definitely
get comfortable running up paces that are slower and faster than your desired goal pace.
This is so that you understand your goal pace inside out and you get used to the feeling
of running at your goal pace without feeling like too much of a stretch.
So if you can comfortably run faster than your goal pace for a shorter distance,
then goal pace for your race should feel a little bit easier.
I lied. Second rep was so much harder than the first. Wow. Two minutes is not a long recovery at all.
You might feel like it is, but it's not. Got about 5 seconds, but I'm going to go
into rep number three. So... lets... go!
Thank you.
It's always the way of interval sessions that the first couple will feel okay. Then you'll start to hit a wall because
you know that you have so many more to go. And then for the last couple of reps
your legs will start to pick it up because the end is in sight.
For me, it was rep number three and four that were the hardest.
And I knew as soon as I got to rep number five, I only had one left and I had it in the tank.
So focus your attention on the middle reps
because that's where you build both your mental and physical strength.
I feel like my pacing was all over the place. I need
to slow it down. I forget I need to be able to sustain this pace for a mile.
And I think that third effort went a bit too quick. These kind of speed
sessions, yes, you want to train, you want to train hard, but you definitely don't want to
train to the point of utter exhaustion where it then ruins your subsequent
sessions for the rest of the week. I'm almost done with flat number three
Got 5 seconds before I go into that number four. So let's go
Started my sprints. Let's go.
Halfway through the workout and I was really hurting here. So if you haven't already,
give this video a like to cheer me on. And if you haven't subscribed yet, what are you doing with your life?
Click the subscribe button now and we'll continue with the workout.
Two thirds of the winter and it's not getting any easier. Got a minute
left on my recovery and it's only two more reps. This is where
the mental really start talking to you. You really got to dig deep and understand that
eventually this will transfer over. You said you wanted to get faster. This is exactly how you do
it. So make sure that you stay tuned. See how quick I can go for the last
two, and then try it yourself and see how quick you can go. If you are
struggling with the recoveries and if it is a bit too intense for you, you can slow it down into a walk
like I am now, and then you can pick it right back up when you're ready to go.
Like I've got 5 seconds left. So once you've done your walk and you're ready to go again,
make the hard reps hard and let's go.
Fast running is great for making you stronger. Your fast twitch muscle fibers engage,
as do your glutes, hip flexors and extensors.
So if you want to build up your muscles, then don't skip speed sessions and
incorporate them into your training.
I was right. This is the hardest. Going to pick it back up.
Make sure that you still have that energy in the last rep to really give your best.
Everything Hurts. Everything really, really hurts.
Go. 5,4,3,2 and one. Let's go, let's go Mo, let's go. Last Lap.
Okay, recovery and now we're done.
We've got recovery and a cool down and then we're done. That's an amazing
workout, though, honestly, I would recommend this to every single person that's looking to get faster.
You will get faster. You do this, you will get faster.
There's no if, buts or maybes. Do workouts like this and you'll see a difference.
So make sure after that six rep, you're still getting your two minutes worth of recovery
because it's so important. And then we're going to go into our cooldown.
So your jogs in between are really between 60% to 70% of your threshold.
And then once you come to finish,
after you've done your two minutes, you're going to go into your five minute cooldown to end the workout
and the cool down just to make sure the Lactic Acid can really leave your system.
And you're not aching after a workout like this because this is a workout of pure pain.
After a workout like this, you really want to get that blood pumping around your muscles. What you want to do
is when you are doing your cooldown, sway away a little bit from laying number one.
So if anyone is still doing their workout, you're not going to get in their way.
That's my favourite sign right there.
There's nothing quite like finishing a track workout knowing you've given it everything.
My body is feeling it. This workout here is really going to get your feet flowing.
It's working on your mild pace. So if you put this workout into your program
once every few weeks, you will get faster. I for one, am ready to go have a bath.
But if you want to attempt this workout, let us know in the
comments below exactly how it went. And we'll see you here next time at The Running Channel.