Go Short

Drop down in distance to ramp up speed and power.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 12:00 am
Image by Mark Shearman

Water flows downhill, and runners move up in distance—these are, or seem to be, immutable laws of nature. But to run your best, you sometimes have to counter your instinct. That's why top pros, whether they're milers or marathoners, spend time each year racing under-distance. Training for short races speeds up your cadence and increases the power of your push-off, making you more efficient and ultimately faster when you move back to longer distances.

But the biggest benefits may be as much mental as physical. Chris Solinsky the first American to break the 27-minute barrier for 10,000 meters, dipped down to 1500 meters for an early season race last April, running 3:35.89 at the Mt. SAC Relays. "If you're too ingrained in longer distances," he says, "you get scared and think that's as fast as you can go."

Like Solinsky, many runners plan their under-distance phase for spring. After a long winter of base-building, it's a good time to test your limits and set yourself up to PR in your goal distance later.

Target a distance two or three stops below your usual race length. In the months leading up to her gold medal at the 2005 World Championships Marathon, Paula Radcliffe didn't just race 5-Ks and 10-Ks—she also ran a 4:13:13 1500 and an 8:50:18 in the 3000.

You won't get the physiological jolt you're seeking by jumping into a 5-K in the middle of your marathon buildup while continuing your regular 26.2 training. Set aside at least a month to focus specifically on the shorter distance, running at least one workout a week geared toward the faster pace. That will allow enough time for neuromuscular adaptations to make the quicker, more powerful stride automatic.

You don't need more than a week between mile or 5-K races, so try two or three times to notch a personal best while continuing your speed workouts between races. You're compressing all the effort you'd normally expend in a longer race into a few minutes—don't expect to nail it on your first try.

You don't have to resume regular training if your newfound speed indicates untapped potential. At the 2008 Olympics, Jenny Simpson and Anna Pierce were both finalists in the 3000-meter steeplechase. But after moving down in distance to work on speed, they found they're even better at shorter races. Simpson heads into the upcoming Olympic Track & Field Trials as the defending world champion over 1500 meters, and Pierce is now one of the top 800-meter runners in the world.

Fast and Furious
Workouts to add speed for racing 5-K or shorter

Run at the fastest speed you can sustain for 1600, 1200, 800, and 400 meters with 3:00 rest.

Run 8 to 10 x 400 meters at mile race pace with 90 seconds rest.

Do 12 x 30-second uphill sprints. Jog down for recovery.

Run 600, 400, 200 meters at mile race pace with 2:00 rest. Rest 5:00. Repeat sequence.

For the latest in exercise news, check out Alex Hutchinson's blog, "Sweat Science," on runnersworld.com.