Keeping it Together: The key to running faster

Whether you’re a weekend warrior trying to shave time off of your casual jog or an elite athlete trying to cut a tenth of a second from your 100-meter dash, advice for how to run faster is — surprisingly — generally the same for everyone. It just comes down to form, strength and practice. 

Hello, I'm Katie Camero, a health and wellness reporter with Paste BN. With the new year looming around the corner, you might be mustering a list of resolutions to pursue, some of which may be fitness related. Not sure where to start? Consider reading this running guide. It may inspire you to reevaluate your goals for the better.

The knee-jerk reaction for many athletes trying to increase their speed is to run more often, run more sprints or go for longer jogs. While this is a vital aspect of training, experts emphasize the need to work on technique, strength and practice.

You may want to seek a professional trainer’s opinion because it can be difficult to know what kind of training best suits your needs.

“It’s probably one of the most individualized things you can do in training because everybody is different — everybody moves differently," said Jeremy Golden, former director of athletic training at Santa Clara University and current director of fitness at Tehama Golf Club in Carmel, California. "It could be as simple as your shin angle when you’re landing, or you’re not producing force or you’re leaking power. All those things can play a role."

Read on to learn more about improving your running technique while preserving your health, safety and energy.

And stick around for more health and wellness content we worked this week.