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Runner's Six-Pack

Practice these six running components, and you'll run faster and easier by spring.

Here's something we've all been waiting for: a six-pack that's calorie-free and leaves you feeling great (even the next day). It's the runner's six-pack: Six running components that, when practiced regularly, will help you run faster and easier. Just fit each component into your regular runs every week or two.

Endurance
Benefits: If you increase your endurance, you'll boost your performance. Added endurance will also raise our confidence level.
How to do it: Increase your long-run distance gradually. Add 1 to 2 miles to your long run every other week. As you increase your distance, reduce your speed to 2 minutes per mile slower than your race pace for that distance. You can insert 1-minute walk breaks about every 5 minutes to help you recover faster

Cadence
Benefits: When you practice running with a lighter, quicker turnover, you become a faster, more efficient runner. An increased cadence also decreases your risk of injury, because your feet spend less time pounding the pavement.
How to do it: During an easy run, count the number of times your right (or left) foot hits the ground during a 30-second period. Jog for a minute or two and repeat the 30-second drill eight times, trying to increase your count by one or two footstrikes each time.

Form
Benefits: The better your running form, the easier running will feel. Proper form can also decrease injury risk.
How to do it: During the early part of an easy run, check these three main elements of good running form: your posture should be upright and relaxed; your feet should remain close to the ground; and your stride should be relatively short. Stay relaxed and keep your head over your shoulders and your shoulders over your hips, all aligned with each foot as it hits the ground.

Awareness
Benefits: If your body awareness is high, you can make the adjustments necessary to increase running efficiency, improve performance, and decrease your risk of injury.
How to do it: Water running increases your body awareness because of the added resistance of the water. Once a week, use a flotation vest or belt to run in deep water where your feet can't touch the bottom. Deliberately move your legs through a smooth running motion, keeping your knee lift low. Run for up to 45 minutes. (It's fine to break up your workout into three sets of 15 minutes with some rest between each.)

Speed
Benefits: The benefits here are obvious: If you do speedwork, you'll run faster.
How to do it: To add variety to your weekly speed session, alternate between hill repeats, track intervals, or pace pickups of 1 to 3 minutes in length. Pick a pace the same as your current 5-K race pace or slightly faster. Rest between speedy segments by jogging or walking for half the time of each segment.

Fun
Benefits: The more fun you have when you run, the more consistent you'll be with your workouts. And consistent running leads to improved performance.
How to do it: Schedule one fun run every week. Keep the pace easy, with the emphasis on enjoyment. For example, drive to a beautiful park where you haven't run before. Along with your weekly fun run, try injecting a little whimsy into every run. Before heading out, guess what time you'll pass a certain landmark on your course, then see how close you come. Or schedule a speedwork session when you know the friendly dog down the street will be out in his yard to race you along the fence.

Sample Six-Packs
Here's a good way to divvy up your training six-pack over 2 weeks:

From Runner's World

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