Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Run Better, Faster, Stronger
• Method 2 of 3: improving your technique
• Method 3 of 3: Run Smart
• Tips

It doesn't matter if you want to improve your running one mile to become the most valuable member of your high school running team, or you are trying to improve your time to successfully run your school 5,000 meters, anyone looking to improve their running one mile can do that. achieve by training hard. You will need to improve not only your speed, but also your strength and endurance, given that the faster your result, the harder it will be to beat it. If you want to start training, go to Step 1.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Run Better, Faster, Stronger

1. 1 Start running short distances. It's time to get on the track and improve your time by 800, 400 or even 200 meters. (A mile is about 1600 meters). Fast sprint metrics will help you run a mile faster than usual. For example, if you were able to run 800 meters in 3 minutes, while you cannot run one mile in 6 minutes, because you get tired from the distance twice as long, you can run a mile much faster if you consistently run 800 meters for 4 minutes. Here's how to achieve it:
   • Run 800 meters intermittently. Run 800 meters as fast as possible, and when you're done, walk 400 meters. Repeat this until you have run 800 meters 4 times. Remember to keep pace: your goal is to run 800 meters in approximately the same amount of time. Some people think that 800 meters is the most difficult distance in running, as it requires a lot of speed and endurance.
   • Run 400 meters intermittently. Run 400 meters, walk 200 meters, run another 400 meters, then walk 200 meters again, etc., until you run 6-8 times 400 meters.
   • Run 200 meters intermittently. Run 200 meters, walk 100 meters, run 200 meters, walk 100 meters, etc., until you have run at least 8 times 200 meters. Already spotted the pattern?
2. 2 Exercise to improve your hand speed. Fast and strong arms are just as important as strong legs. Here are some great exercises to help you improve your hand speed:
   • Swing your arms from a standing position. In this exercise, all you need to do is bend your arms at an angle of 90 degrees at the elbow, then sharply bring your elbows behind your back, quickly returning your arms forward and upward, while not unbending the angle, making movements from the chin to the hip, like as quickly as possible. To improve your hand work, do this exercise for 3 sets of 10-20 reps. You can even do this in front of a mirror to control the correct forward and backward movement of your hands.
   • Swing your arms from a sitting position. Do the same, only this time, in a sitting position, straightening your legs forward in front of you.
3. 3 Do interval training. Run short distances (less than a mile) first, then rest. Ideally, all of this can be done in the stadium. At this point, it is best that you are already in good shape by starting these workouts. As you begin to feel more confident, start making your best efforts. You can also run at an increased pace for longer; for example, you can run at an accelerated pace for 2-3 minutes, rest for about 90 seconds, run again for 2-3 minutes, and repeat all this until you have worked for about 25-30 minutes of interval training. It's all about the amount of time you run, not the distance, so check out our regular interval training program:
   • 5 minutes of light warm-up and then stretching.
   • 2 minutes of slow running followed by 30 seconds of fast running (70-75% of maximum effort).
   • 2 minutes of slow running followed by 30 seconds of fast running (75-80% of maximum effort).
   • 2 minutes of slow running and 30 seconds of fast running (80-85% of maximum effort).
   • 2 minutes of slow running and 30 seconds of fast running (85-90% of maximum effort).
   • 2 minutes of slow running and 30 seconds of fast running (90-95% of maximum effort).
   • 2 minutes of slow running and 30 seconds of fast running (100% of maximum effort).
   • 5 minutes jogging and rest.
4. 4 Exercise to build strength in your legs. The stronger your legs are, the more powerful and resilient they will be, and the faster you will run a mile. Here are some ways to strengthen your legs:
   • Run up the hill. Instead of running around the stadium, run uphill speeds for 30 seconds to a minute at a time, and then slowly descend for at least 1 minute before repeating the exercise. Do at least 10 reps in a row. It will help you build strength, power, and your cardio endurance.
   • Jump. For this exercise, you must jump as high as possible over objects such as soccer balls or cones for at least 50 feet (you can also jump over imaginary objects). It will improve your power. and your speed. After you have finished jumping 50 feet, return to the starting line and repeat the exercise. Do at least 50 reps.
   • Perform knee swings. Run in place for 30 seconds at a time, doing knee swings as high and fast in front of you as possible, so that they rise above your waist.
   • Run up the stairs. Run up the stairs from 30 seconds to a minute, walk down the steps, and do at least 5 of these repetitions. This is also a good exercise for your heart.
5. 5 Boost your stamina. A mile is also a test of speed and endurance, so it is very important that you develop the latter as well. The best thing to do is to run long distances to train your body to stay strong for an entire mile. You do not need to run a marathon for this, but you must confidently run 5 thousand meters at a good speed, or even 10 thousand meters.
   • Alternate your workouts for speed and endurance. For example, on one day, you can run 4800 meters as fast as possible, on another day, you can run 4 miles at a moderate pace to develop your endurance instead of speed.
   • Remember that you are not really doing just one thing. Even running 800 meters can improve your endurance in the same way that running 5 miles can improve your speed.
   • When you embark on long distances, set a goal for every mile you want to complete - be it 10 minutes, 12 minutes, or 15. Work towards your goal, instead of having a brisk start, and then, dying, run to the finish line ...
   • Add trail running to your endurance workouts. Running on uneven surfaces will help you build up your stamina so you can easily run your mile when the time is right.
   • If you get bored of running around, you can increase your endurance by swimming, playing soccer or basketball, or doing something that requires quite a lot of movement, on the order of 30 minutes or more.
6. 6 Use dumbbells. Dumbbells will help you increase your arm and back strength. Running with dumbbells for 20 minutes a day will help you get stronger and thus faster. You can easily train at home using hand weights. Grab light dumbbells and work on a variety of exercises to help you tone your biceps, triceps, forearms, and shoulders. You can do biceps, triceps, hammer exercises.
7. 7 Do other exercises to increase your strength. While dumbbells can be very convenient, you can also train at home without using any weights while quickly increasing your strength:
   • Do squats. Stand up straight, then sit down, and then stand up and repeat this at least 10 times in a row for three sets. This will help make your thighs stronger.
   • Do push-ups. Push-ups help develop biceps and triceps.
   • Do squats, abdominal crunches, or bicep curls to strengthen your back and get stronger.

Method 2 of 3: improving your technique

1. 1 Master the correct upper body technique. Running with the right technique will keep you from getting tired quickly and wasting extra energy that you don't need to expend. This alone will allow you to shed a couple of seconds from your running time by one mile. Here are a few must-have technique things you need to know to keep your upper body in shape while you run a mile:
   • Tilt your head correctly. Look in front of you, at the horizon, not at your feet. This will keep your neck and back straight.
   • Keep your shoulders low and relaxed. If your shoulders begin to lift towards your ears as you get tired, shake them to release the build-up tension. It is very important not to strain your upper body and keep it relaxed if you want to run as efficiently as possible.
   • Keep your hands in open fists, swinging them back and forth, right between your waist and below your chest, without bending your elbows and keeping them bent 90 degrees.
   • Keep your torso and back straight. Pull yourself up to your full height until your back is straight and comfortable. Deep breaths can help you straighten your body when you're tired.
2. 2 Master the correct lower body technique. Your legs and lower body are just as important as your upper body when running. Here's what you need to know when mastering the correct technique:
   • Keep your hips straight. If you lean forward while running, you put excessive pressure on your back and this will prevent you from running as fast as you want.
   • As you run, lift your knees slightly. This and frequent changes of legs, as well as short strides, will help you run long distances more quickly. Your feet should step under your body, with your knees slightly bent so that they can bend properly when your feet touch the ground.
   • The touch of the foot with the surface should be light.You need to place your heel first, because the midfoot, and then quickly move to the toe of the foot, while keeping your ankles bent so that you have more strength when moving. Push off the ground as you move onto your toes so that your calves push you forward with each step, making your movements calm yet firm.
3. 3 Breathe correctly. If you want to maximize your running potential, you need to master breathing. To do this, you need to know how to breathe deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth. For some people, breathing through the nose can be a problem, so you will probably need to work on it; if you inhale through your mouth, it may happen that you will suffocate. Work to match your breathing with your running pace, breathing every 3 or 4 steps to get a feel for the rhythm. If you feel like you are falling out of rhythm, just focus on your breathing.
4. 4 Master your technique through races. If you are running a mile in a stadium or on a run, then there are a few things you can do to improve your running time while you run, using other athlete (s) to your advantage. Here's what you can do:
   • Start with confidence. Run fast and powerfully, preventing other athletes from standing in front of you, as this will only make it difficult for you to reach the leaderboard during the race.
   • Know your position. If you are on an athletics team, you need to know where you will be during the race. If you are one of the fastest athletes (s) per mile, then yes, you should be right at the start of the running group. If you belong to a weaker group, then you should not start running at the beginning of the group, as you will slow down faster athletes (s), so you need to find your position somewhere in the center.
   • Don't try too hard to be ahead. The athlete (s) running at the head of the group experiences the greatest pressure during the entire race, as he or she sets the pace for the entire group, meets the wind first, and feels constant pressure from the runners. Only if you are not overwhelmingly stronger than everyone else should you hold on near with the front group, letting the other athlete (s) set the pace and waiting for opportunities to get ahead when you feel that others are starting to get tired. This usually happens 400 or 200 meters before the finish line.
   • Keep yourself relaxed in the middle of a run. There is no need to strain in the middle of a race. Focus on your breathing without letting your body strain as you move forward.
   • Get in the best position on the track. If you are running on a track, the tried and tested technique is not to overtake in a curve, but in a straight line. Overtaking on a curve is a waste of energy as you have to run longerto outrun your opponent than if you were overtaking in a straight line. When running in a group, try to stay ahead of the group so that you have to cover less space; this is a good strategy until you get swallowed up by a bunch of other athletes.
   • You may feel like you are sprinting into the final straight of your race, and that's okay if that's what it takes to win.
   • Look only in front of you. Don't look at the coach, your teammates, or anyone else near or behind you, this will only slow you down.
5. 5 Warm up and relax effectively. Many people believe that stretching before or after a run can improve your run, protect you from injury, help your body prepare for running, and relax your post-workout routine. However, there are those who believe that stretching is actually muscle wasting and has no benefit at all before a workout, and that just a couple of minutes of warm-up can be much better for running.
   • If you decide to stretch your calves, thighs, and feet, do some simple standing and sitting exercises.
   • Whatever you choose, it will help prepare your body for a fast run.

Method 3 of 3: Run Smart

1. 1 Make sure you have the right shoes. One of the easiest ways to improve your one-mile run is to get the right footwear. It may sound inappropriate, but if you are running in very old shoes, too tight, too loose, or simply uncomfortable, then you are not using your full potential. Do not be shy. Go to a sports store where a professional consultant can help you find the best shoes for you, and sometimes they even look over your run to find the best shoe for you. Here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for new shoes:
   • How long have you been carrying around an old pair of shoes. You should replace any pair of running shoes after 300-400 miles, which is 10 miles per week in less than a year, or much sooner if you were using marathon or training shoes. Running in shoes that are no longer in good shape not only makes it difficult to run fast, but can also lead to injury.
   • Free place. You should have a space, at least as thick as your big toe, between the tip of your big toe and the toe of your shoe. Many people buy running shoes that are actually too small for them, so don't worry if at first you feel like a clown in a walker.
   • Secure fit for the entire midfoot. Your feet should fit comfortably on either side.
   • Secure fit throughout the heel. Slipping in this area can cause injury.
2. 2 Eat well. You should eat well enough so that you have a lot of energy for running, but not too much, otherwise it will lead to lethargy and fatigue. If you know that a strenuous stadium workout or sprint run awaits you, eat until you are satisfied with 2/3 of your usual diet. You should eat foods that contain carbohydrates and are easy to digest, giving you energy without burdening you. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are monitoring your diet to improve your running performance:
   • It's all about balance. While carbohydrates provide energy, don't forget about protein or fruits and vegetables as well.
   • If you are training to only improve your time by one mile, you not need to be loaded with carbohydrates. Don't eat a full bunch of pasta before a race, thinking it will give you the energy you need.
   • If you're looking to find a snack to help you exercise, try a banana, peach, half a Cliff Bar, a slice of wheat toast, or an English jelly bun.
3. 3 Drink, drink and drink again. Drink at least 2 glasses of water before running, and remember to consume at least 8-10 glasses throughout the day.
   • Along with water, a cup of coffee 30-60 minutes before running maybe contribute to better running. However, do not do this on your first day of the race, or it can make you a little jittery and can lead to digestive problems.
4. 4 Lose weight if needed. If your heavy weight matches your height and build, then you don't need to lose weight at all. However, if you are overweight, it will only slow you down, as it will put additional burden on your body as you run the mile. Therefore, work towards finding healthy weight loss exercises as long as you continue to run regularly and eat foods that will keep you strong.
5. 5 Find a company. Run with those who are either as fast as you or faster than you. This will help you to be motivated (oops) and not to shirk when you are tired. No matter where you run or what distances, in the company of other people you can stay strong, think soberly, and try to improve your personal achievements.Most importantly, running with company can remind you that while fitness is an important goal, having a good time is just as important!
6. 6 Try running for a while. Whether you are running with a team or on your own, if you want to improve your speed, you will need to run one mile for a time from time to time, simulating pressure, you will feel like you are running a real race. You don’t need to constantly run for a while when you’re running a mile or you’ll piss yourself off, but you should do it at least once a week to feel the pressure, forcing your body to produce adrenaline, and prepare for success. If you break your personal best, celebrate and think about the things you are doing right so you can continue to progress in the future.
7. 7 Set your own standards. If you're trying to lead your high school running team, then yes, your goal is to run a mile around 6-6: 30 if you're a girl, or 5-5: 30 if you're a guy. However, if you're just trying to run a mile faster because you want to stay fit and just for fun, then a goal of 12 or 10 minutes is very impressive. You don't need to be Usain Bolt to enjoy how fast you run, and you don't need to keep pace with other runners around you if your body is already aching and wants to stop. Improving your speed is great, but more importantly, staying healthy and proud to be in shape.

Tips

• Running with your iPod or partner (s) is much more fun.
• Running is much more fun on the street and easier to push yourself. Only use the treadmill if the weather is bad.
• Remember the saying "Quality is better than quantity" when doing reps for weight work.
• Push-ups and squats can be done daily. However, when doing strength training, you need at least 48 hours of rest before working on the same muscle group again. A day off from strength activity is also a good idea to allow your body to recover.
• Push yourself to work one day and rest the next.