Want to get faster? Sprint exercises could be the answer.

Running is a favorite form of exercise beloved by many, but after the initial improvements as a beginner, getting faster is a slow process. When you run a 12 minute mile and your running group members are all talking about 8 and 9 minute miles, it can make you feel terrible about your times.

Yet it can be a real struggle to go faster even by a few seconds, let alone whole minutes as some ambitious people may be after. Luckily, you may be able to improve your times without struggling to find a balance between pace and speed through sprint exercises. Here's how.

How sprints can help

Sprint exercises, or sprinting intervals for as fast as you can, helps recruit fast twitch muscles, which are needed to run—well—faster. You don't need to use them for very long in order to see gains in these muscles. You can do this in a few different ways:

·      Striders
At the end of an easy run, do a few 20 seconds long sprints at maximum effort. Recover at a jog for 30-45 seconds between sprints.

·      Run faster than usual
If you know your usual pace, challenge it. Try to run one of your shorter runs faster than usual. Even if you are forced to slow down, stop, or even walk, it will help you achieve a faster pace over time.

Most other sprint exercises are similar, involving periods of intense speed followed by slower recovery jogs into your normal run. These can help you PR because your regular runs help condition your aerobic system, while sprints challenge your anaerobic abilities. You need both in order to run faster.

If your slow pace has been keeping you from achieving a new PR, try adding sprint into your routine, and see if they can help you pick up the pace.