How To Run A Faster Mile, According To The Pros

Whether you have a race on the horizon or just want to keep up with your Saturday morning run club, there are plenty of things you can do to run a faster mile. From training certain muscle groups to improving your flexibility, it’s all about making little tweaks to set yourself up for speed.

Ultimately, running a faster mile is a combo of endurance and technique, says Ellen Thompson, a NASM-certified personal trainer at Blink Fitness. “You need a high level of aerobic capacity to be able to take in the right amount of oxygen, muscular endurance to run for an extended length of time, and proper form to decrease the risk of injury,” she tells Bustle. Besides working on your running game, this also means incorporating sprints and certain strength training exercises into your workout routine.

To improve your speed, Thompson recommends jogging three to five times a week, with additional days added in for strength training. From there, shaving a few minutes off your mile is all about consistency. “You won’t see results right away,” she says. “It will take a few weeks to a month, but stick with it and you will start to notice gradual improvements in stamina and endurance that will ultimately lead you to a faster mile.”

Ready to zoom around the track — or make it to your post-run brunch just a little bit faster? Here’s how to get started.

How To Run A Faster Mile

1. Set A Goal

Start by setting a realistic mile time for yourself. “This will give you a nice goal to work towards and help you stay motivated,” says Bryan Macias, an instructor at workout studio Activate House. While everyone’s idea of a faster mile will look different, he says an ideal mile time typically falls between eight to nine and a half minutes.

For beginner runners, a 10 to 12-minute mile is perfect. If you’re currently running a 12-minute mile and want to shave off a few seconds, aim to run an 11:30 minute to start. “Gradual improvements are really the best approach to increase your pace and avoid injury,” Thompson says.

2. Try Interval Training

Interval training works the fast-twitch muscle fibers needed to put a little pep in your step, and it also trains your cardiovascular system to handle a speedy mile-long run. “Interval training involves alternating between periods of high-intensity running and recovery periods,” Macias tells Bustle. “For example, try running at a fast pace for 30 seconds, followed by 60 seconds of recovery jogging, and repeat for several sets.”

3. Work Your Lower Body

Leg day is your friend. Michael Hamlin, NSCA, CSCS, a personal trainer and founder of Everflex Fitness, recommends zeroing in on your lower body multiple times a week with exercises like squats, which will train your glutes for strength and stability, as well as lunges and deadlifts — all of which will help improve your running form and generate more power with each stride. Lateral movement exercises, like skaters, can also help with your balance — something that’ll feel great as you skedaddle down the pavement.

4. Add Cross-Training

Take days off from running to work on your endurance and your strength in other ways. Cross-training with low-impact workouts like cycling or swimming will ensure all your muscles work together as a whole for the fastest mile possible. It’ll also give your joints a break from the constant impact of running, Hamlin says.

5. Use Good Form

Proper running form is essential, says Macias. “It will help you run more efficiently and prevent injury,” he tells Bustle. To practice good form, focus on keeping your shoulders down and relaxed — not crunched up by your ears — your elbows bent 90 degrees, and check to see that your foot strike lands under your body with each step. Good form will also help propel you along with a little more ease.

6. Remember To Stretch

It’s tough to move quickly when your hamstrings are tight. Stiff muscles limit your range of motion and slow you down, Hamlin says, so add dynamic stretches — like the world’s great stretch — and plenty of mobility exercises to your routine. “Leg swings, hip circles, and foam rolling can help improve your range of motion and prevent injuries,” he says. Do these movements before a run so that you’re prepped and ready to stride.

7. Practice Pacing

Running a faster mile is all about learning to pace yourself so you can maintain your speed and avoid burnout, aka that moment when you realize you’re too tired to keep going. “Start by running at a comfortable pace for the first half of the mile, then gradually increase your speed for the second half,” Hamlin suggests. To see your pace in real time, download a running app like Strava. “If you want to get a little bit more serious, Garmin watches help track pacing as well,” he says.

8. Go For One Long Run

To boost your cardiovascular endurance and build muscle, Macias suggests going on one long run each week. Aim for five to six miles at an easy pace. “I usually save my long runs for the weekend since you have more time to rest after,” he says. As you kick back, he recommends rehydrating and refueling with carbs and protein so that you’ll be ready to race another day.

9. Plan Your Week

Try planning out your workouts for the week. Macias suggests running two easy miles on Mondays, cross-training on Tuesdays, running two to three miles at an easy tempo on Wednesdays, cross-training on Thursdays, resting on Fridays, running five to six miles on Saturdays, and resting or doing active recovery on Sundays. Remember: The days off are key to giving your muscles time to rebuild and repair, he says.

10. Stay Consistent

To see and feel a difference during your next timed mile, try to stick to your routine. As Macias says, “Consistency lasts longer than motivation.” Once you get in a groove, you’ll be running on the regular — and at the front of the pack in no time.

Studies referenced:

Folland, JP. (2017). Running Technique is an Important Component of Running Economy and Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001245.

Gosztyla, AE. (2006). The impact of different pacing strategies on five-kilometer running time trial performance. J Strength Cond Res. doi: 10.1519/R-19275.1.

Kohn, TA. (2011). Specific muscle adaptations in type II fibers after high-intensity interval training of well-trained runners. Scand J Med Sci Sports. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2010.01136.x.

Shaw, AJ. (2014). The valid measurement of running economy in runners. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2014 Oct;46(10):1968-73. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000000311.

Vorup, J. (2016). Effect of speed endurance and strength training on performance, running economy and muscular adaptations in endurance-trained runners. Eur J Appl Physiol. doi: 10.1007/s00421-016-3356-4.

Xu, Y. (2021). Effects of Foot Strike Techniques on Running Biomechanics: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Health. doi: 10.1177/1941738120934715.

Sources:

Ellen Thompson, NASM-certified personal trainer at Blink Fitness

Bryan Macias, instructor at Activate House

Michael Hamlin, NSCA, CSCS, personal trainer, founder of Everflex Fitness