This 20-minute HIIT running workout builds speed in 4 weeks

This 20-minute HIIT running workout builds speed in 4 weeks

Whether you're head over heels in love with running or are more of a casual runner, its benefits for the entire body are undeniable. Not only can adding it to your regular routine help extend your life, but the infamous runner's high is 100 percent a real thing. And one of the coolest things about running is that it's easy to see improvements in your performance (aka speed) when you commit to a consistent routine. This is where a HIIT running workout comes into play.

Incorporating high-intensity interval training – commonly referred to as speed training in the running world – can be a game-changer. "While steady-state running increases your aerobic capacity, interval training also increases your anaerobic capacity," says Hollis Tuttle, an RRCA-certified senior running coach at Mile High Run Club, a treadmill-based studio in New York City. “This additional training will help improve your cardiovascular system, making it more robust and pumping more oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.” Your muscles will also become better at using the oxygen-rich blood. (You'll also get these benefits from HIIT training.)

In terms of performance, a HIIT treadmill workout will help your stride become more efficient as the coordination between your muscles and your nervous system improves, which Tuttle says makes important adaptations to increase your speed. End result: You can run the same distance in less time - hello, new personal record!

Check out Tuttle's HIIT running workout below to help runners increase their speed. She says about a third of your weekly workout should be dedicated to speed training—assuming you run 6 days a week. If you did the 20-minute HIIT treadmill workout twice a week for four consecutive weeks, you would definitely see an improvement in your 5K time by the end of the month. (And check out these different types of interval running workouts if you want to change it up.)

Before you begin your HIIT workout on the treadmill, Tuttle suggests that you have a good idea of ​​what your hard run (think 5K), half marathon, and marathon paces are so you can better estimate your perceived exertion rate (RPE) during your workout. Example: Maybe you run a 5K at an 8:30 a.m. pace, a half marathon at 9:30 a.m., and a full marathon at 10-minute miles.

Oh, and if treadmill running isn't your thing, don't sweat it: This routine can also easily be done outdoors. You just need to do a little bit of engineering to find the right hill (and have a running watch with an altimeter that measures elevation, like the Apple Watch Series 3 or Garmin Forerunner 645 Music). To determine the slope (angle of slope) of a hill, divide the slope by the slope. For example: If the climb is 50 feet over a distance of 500 feet, that would be 50/500, or 0.1 equivalent to an 11 percent grade (which is a steep climb, by the way). A rise of 12 feet over the same distance of 500 feet (12/500) gives a result of 0.024 or 2.4 percent grade. Once you find some great benchmarks in your area, you'll be ready for any outdoor training in the future. (I have to say, though, that this 30-day treadmill challenge is actually fun.)

20-minute HIIT treadmill workout

“Your goal in the first half of this HIIT running workout is to maintain the same light jogging speed throughout the workout while increasing the incline,” says Tuttle. "Focus on maintaining a tight core as you move your knees up and your arms back. The steeper the incline, the greater the drive. This will translate into speed when you're back on flat ground."

Note: There is a difference between the “light jog” and “recovery” tempos listed in the HIIT treadmill workout. If you want to go for a walk during these recovery periods, do so. The recovery period is really all you need to feel like you're ready to tackle the next interval to the fullest. Light jogging, on the other hand, should feel like you're still exerting yourself at a low level.

About halfway through the HIIT treadmill workout, you'll reach the descending speed ladder. There the goal is to increase speed (add 0.1 to 1.0 mph) as interval time decreases. “As you speed up, engage your core to reduce upper body rotation and increase knee and arm drive,” says Tuttle. And after you cross the invisible finish line of your HIIT treadmill workout and catch your breath, don't forget to stretch.