Set Realistic Goals, Race Fast

Don’t just talk about what you want from the season; work on a manageable plan of attack and get after it – ‘it’ being speed. Run coach Spencer Smith has just the session…

- Spencer Smith

Spring has sprung! With the warmer weather knocking on the door (positive thinking), and the race season, which seemed a distant blip on the horizon during those long, dark winter nights, suddenly looming a lot closer, it’s time to get race-specific. But, more importantly, it’s time to get fast!

The art of running at speed is a habit that needs to be introduced slowly into the training cycle. You shouldn’t expect the body to learn new tricks over a matter of days, or even in a few short weeks – be patient. Over my 27 years in the sport, I’ve tried many different methods (some ridiculous, trust me) to get myself up to speed. Here are just a few ideas that worked for me:

Race. We don’t race to train, we train to race. I know it seems obvious, but nothing beats racing. Search for and complete a few low-key races that will, in turn, allow you to implement some realistic goals into your training. [Head to p134 for our complete listing of 2017 UK races.]