How to Run Faster: Simple Ways to Improve Your Pace

How can you run faster?

To run faster, add one or two faster sessions a week such as intervals or a tempo run, keep your easy runs genuinely easy so you recover, and build the total amount you run over time. Strength work and running relaxed with a quick, light cadence also help your pace.

The idea that ties all of this together is simple. Run hard on your hard days and easy on your easy days. Many new runners spend every session somewhere in the middle, which feels tiring but rarely makes them quicker. When you separate the two, your fast days get faster and your easy days let you recover, so you can keep training week after week.

Speed also comes from a body that can handle the work. That is why strength training, good running form and a steady, consistent routine matter just as much as the fast running itself. Below we break down each piece so you can build a week that actually moves your pace forward.

What are intervals and tempo runs?

Intervals and tempo runs are the two most useful kinds of faster running, and they train slightly different things.

Intervals are short, fast efforts with a rest in between. A classic beginner session is something like 6 rounds of 1 minute quick running with 90 seconds of easy jogging or walking to recover. The fast parts should feel hard but controlled, not an all-out sprint. Intervals teach your legs and lungs to work at a higher gear and make your usual pace feel easier.

A tempo run is a sustained effort at a comfortably hard pace, the kind where you could speak only a few words at a time. A good starting point is 15 to 20 minutes at that steady, controlled effort after a gentle warm up. Tempo runs raise the pace you can hold for a long time, which is exactly what you want when you are chasing a faster 5k or 10k.

You do not need both every week. One faster session is enough when you are starting out, and two is plenty even for more experienced runners. Always warm up with some easy jogging first, and finish with a few relaxed minutes to cool down.

Does running slow help you run faster?

Yes, and this surprises a lot of people. Running most of your miles slowly is one of the most reliable ways to get quicker over time. Easy running builds the engine underneath your speed. It strengthens your heart, grows the tiny blood vessels that feed your muscles, and teaches your body to use oxygen more efficiently, all without leaving you wiped out.

Easy should feel easy. You should be able to hold a full conversation while you run. If you can only manage a few words, you are going too fast. Many runners find their easy pace feels almost too gentle at first, and that is the point. It lets you recover from your hard sessions so those hard sessions can actually be fast.

This approach of lots of easy running with a small amount of hard running is sometimes called polarised training. Aim for roughly four fifths of your running to feel easy, with the rest made up of your intervals or tempo work. Building this easy base, or total steady mileage, over several weeks gives your quicker sessions something solid to sit on.

Does strength training make you run faster?

Yes. Strength training is one of the most underused ways to run faster, and it is where a hybrid approach really pays off. Stronger legs and hips produce more force with every step, so you cover more ground with less effort. A more robust body also handles the pounding of running better, which means fewer niggles and more consistent training.

You do not need to spend hours in a gym. Two short sessions a week focused on the basics will do plenty. Squats, lunges, hip bridges, calf raises and a few core exercises cover the muscles that matter most for running. Movements on one leg at a time are especially useful, because running is really a series of single-leg hops.

The thread here is that speed is not only built by running. A runner who also trains their strength tends to hold form better when tired, which keeps the pace up in the closing stages of a run or race. Pairing your running with a little strength work is one of the clearest ways to move your pace forward.

How do running form and cadence affect your pace?

Running relaxed and with a quick, light turnover makes your existing fitness go further. You do not need to overhaul your technique, but a few small cues help. Keep your shoulders loose, your arms swinging gently front to back, and your gaze up the road rather than at your feet.

Cadence is how many steps you take per minute. Many runners are more efficient with a slightly quicker, lighter step, aiming to land softly with your foot under your body rather than reaching out in front. A simple way to practise is to count your steps for 30 seconds now and then, and gently nudge the number up over time. Do not force a big change all at once, as small adjustments settle in best.

Good form costs you less energy at any given pace, so you can run faster for the same effort. Combined with the strength work above, a relaxed, springy stride is a quiet but real source of free speed.

Why does consistency matter most?

You can have the perfect week of training on paper, but it only works if you repeat it. Consistency is what turns a handful of good sessions into a genuine change in pace. Running regularly, week after week, lets your heart, muscles and tendons adapt gradually and safely.

Build your training slowly. A common approach is to increase your weekly running only a little at a time, and to hold steady or ease off every few weeks so your body can absorb the work. Sudden jumps in distance or speed are the fastest route to a niggle, and time off never made anyone quicker. If you feel pain rather than normal tiredness, ease back and see a qualified professional rather than pushing through.

The runners who improve are rarely the ones who train hardest for two weeks. They are the ones who show up steadily for months, mixing easy miles, a little speed and some strength into a routine they can keep.

How long does it take to get faster?

Most runners start to notice a real difference after around six to eight weeks of steady, consistent training. Some early gains come sooner, especially if you are new to structured running, but lasting improvements in pace build over months rather than days. The key is patience and repetition.

Progress is rarely a straight line. Some weeks will feel great and others flat, and that is completely normal. What matters is the overall trend across the weeks. Keep your easy runs easy, your hard runs honest, and your strength work regular, and the pace tends to follow.

Building a faster pace comes down to a handful of simple habits done consistently. Add a little speed, keep your easy runs easy, get stronger, run relaxed, and give it time. If you would like all of that laid out for you, an Edge plan combines your running, strength, HIIT and mobility into one balanced schedule that flexes around your life, so you always know what to do next. Making fitness feel good for everyone.