Want to know how to run faster? It comes down to two things: training smarter, not just harder, and giving your body the right fuel for steady power. Forget junk miles. Use targeted, progressive workouts and a fueling plan that stabilises blood glucose so you can hold pace without fading.^[1]

We Know That Wall You Keep Hitting

Picture this: you’re lining up for the Sydney Marathon. You’re 30k in, feeling good, but then your energy just tanks. That pace you held so comfortably for the first couple of hours is starting to feel impossible—classic late-race energy shortfall from poor fueling timing or unstable blood sugar.

Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. The fix isn’t tougher miles—it’s smarter training and steadier energy availability.

Think of this guide as advice from a training mate—a no-fluff plan to break plateaus. We’ll keep it practical and specific for Aussie terrain, climate, and race calendars—so you can turn consistent training into consistent speed.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Train with purpose: The exact sessions that improve VO₂ max, lactate clearance, and running economy for lasting speed.^[1]
• Refine your running form: Small cues (cadence, posture) that reduce braking forces and wasted energy.^[2]
• Nail your race-day fuelling: Stable, slow-release glucose so you don’t spike-and-crash when it matters most.^[3]
• Recover like a pro: Sleep, nutrition, and hydration that lock in adaptations.^[6]

This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about building a solid foundation so you can cross the finish line at your next big race—whether that’s the Melbourne Marathon on 13 October 2024 or up at Ironman Cairns—feeling powerful, not just surviving.

A huge piece of the puzzle is having consistent energy. Without it, the best training plan will fall apart on race day. Understanding why stable blood sugar matters is the first step to unlocking that steady power you need to hold your pace from start to finish.^[3]

We’ve put together a framework to get you there. Here’s a quick look at the core areas we’ll cover. Each part builds on the last, giving you a complete plan for a new personal best.

Your Quick Guide to Running Faster

Each of these pillars is crucial. Let’s get into the specifics of how to make them work for you.

Stop Junk Miles and Fix Your Training Week

Piling on the kilometres can feel productive, right? But if every run is at the same comfortable, chatty pace, you’re not training the systems that make you faster—you’re just getting good at running slow.

It’s time to ditch the junk miles. Build a week where each session has a purpose: one to push oxygen delivery, one to raise threshold, one to deepen endurance—plus true recovery to absorb the work.

This quality-first approach expands your “engine,” improves economy, and builds mental durability so race pace feels sustainable, not desperate.^[5]

The Three Pillars of a Faster Week

A good training week doesn’t need to be complicated. Balance three types of runs—speed, strength, endurance—and protect recovery.

Here’s the simple breakdown:

• Speed Work (Intervals): Short, sharp efforts above race pace (e.g., 400 m reps or hill sprints) to improve VO₂ kinetics and economy when it hurts.^[1]
• Strength Work (Tempo): “Comfortably hard” continuous running (30–60 minutes depending on goal) to enhance lactate clearance and pace stability.
• Endurance Work (Long Run): Builds aerobic base and connective tissue resilience. Finish the last kilometres at goal pace to rehearse running fast when fatigued.

Juggling these sessions is the art of smart training. Avoid stacking hard days back-to-back; the adaptation happens on the easier days. A classic layout: intervals Tuesday, tempo Thursday—space that stimulus so you show up ready for quality.

This infographic breaks down the essential elements of good running form, which becomes even more critical when you’re pushing the pace in these quality sessions.

Nailing these three components—foot strike under the centre of mass, knee drive, and back-driven arm swing—minimises braking and vertical oscillation. Less wasted motion = more pace for the same effort.

A Sample Week That Slashed My PB

Here’s a snapshot week that helped cut a big chunk off a half-marathon PB. Don’t copy/paste—use it as a template and scale volume to your history.

Coach’s Tip: In Brisbane heat/humidity, dial back pace and protect recovery. Swap an all-out session for aerobic running when HR and RPE say “not today.” Consistency wins.

My Go-To Weekly Structure:

• Monday: Rest or active recovery (easy walk or spin).
• Tuesday (Speed): 2 km warm-up + drills, then 8 × 400 m at 5K pace with 400 m jog; 2 km cool-down.
• Wednesday: Easy 45-minute recovery run—keep it conversational.
• Thursday (Tempo): 2 km warm-up, 20–30 minutes at half-marathon pace, 2 km cool-down.
• Friday: Rest or cross-training (swim or short strength).
• Saturday (Long Run): A cruisy 90-minute run; finish the last 3–5 km near goal pace.
• Sunday: Easy 30-minute shakeout or full rest.

This structure hits the key systems while respecting recovery. On long and quality days, carry a reliable energy source. UCAN energy gels deliver steady power without a sugar spike-and-crash, so you can finish reps—and the run—strong.^[3]

The point is to make every run count, turning what used to be junk miles into building blocks for your next PB.

Run Smoother and Faster with This Form Checklist

Ever watched an elite glide at Parkrun? That’s economy—moving forward with minimal wasted motion. Poor form is like running with the handbrake on: more impact, more fatigue, less speed.

Clean up form with simple cues you can use today. No overhaul needed—just small changes that add up to “free speed.”

Find Your Rhythm with Cadence

Improve cadence—steps per minute—to reduce overstriding and ground-contact time. Most recreational runners sit around 150–160 spm; nudge up by 5–10% toward 170–180 for smoother turnover without forcing it.^[2]

Think “quick and light” feet landing under the hips. Let stride length grow naturally as fitness and strength improve.

Posture Cues for a Strong Finish

Late race is where posture collapses. Keep it together with two cues:

• Run Tall: Imagine a string lifting the crown of your head—opens hips and improves breathing mechanics.
• Lean from the Ankles: A slight forward lean (not at the waist) uses gravity to assist, not resist.

When form goes, efficiency plummets. A simple “run proud” cue—tall chest, relaxed shoulders—can unlock a stronger closing kilometre.

The goal isn’t stiffness; it’s relaxed, tall, and rhythmic. If you want more, dig deeper into how to improve running form.

Activate Before You Run

Five minutes of activation primes the right muscles—especially glutes/hamstrings—so good mechanics show up at pace.

Weaving these into your warm-up only takes five minutes:

• High Knees: Fast knee drive with tall posture.
• Butt Kicks: Snap heels to glutes; crisp recovery.
• A-Skips: Rhythm + knee lift; reinforce midfoot strike.

Plyometric-style prep improves neuromuscular readiness and turnover—one reason simple drills can pay off in speed.

Build a Stronger Engine with Strength Work

To add real speed, add force per stride. That’s strength. Runners who lift don’t just get hurt less; they run faster at the same effort, thanks to better economy and posture late in races.^[4]

This is your secret weapon when the pace bites in the back half.

A stronger foundation isn’t only injury insurance. A stable trunk and powerful posterior chain (glutes/hamstrings) drive propulsion, hills, and finishing kicks.

Just two 30-minute sessions a week are enough—consistency beats marathon gym sessions.

The Non-Negotiable Lifts for Runners

You don’t need fancy equipment. Prioritise fundamentals with full-body carryover:

• Squats: Quads, glutes, hamstrings—the main running engines.
• Deadlifts: Posterior chain power for forward drive.
• Lunges: Single-leg strength and stability that mirrors running.

To truly build a stronger engine and increase your speed, strength work is a must. You can get some great insights from a fitness trainer on high-impact exercises to get you ready to tackle your goals.

Power translates to pace. The best endurance athletes aren’t just aerobically fit—they’re strong.

Unleash Your Finishing Kick with Plyometrics

After you’ve built a base, add plyometrics to improve rate of force development. Think of it as spring-loading your legs for sharper turnover and a better kick.

I used to fade hard in the last kilometre. Adding two short plyo blocks per week changed the way my legs responded under fatigue.

Coach’s Tip: Prioritise quality: soft landings, minimal ground contact, long rest. Five crisp reps beat ten sloppy ones.

Start with these two classics:

1. Box Jumps: Explode up, land softly, step down.
2. Broad Jumps: Drive hips, cover distance, reset posture each rep.

Drop these after warm-up on a strength day to “wake” the nervous system before your main lifts.

Nail Your Race Day Nutrition and Fuelling Strategy

You can execute the perfect training block and still underperform if your energy supply collapses on race day. Fuel is performance.

Training builds the engine; fuel runs the engine. Get fuel wrong and you’ll likely fade around 30 km—just when you need stability the most.

This is practical, real-world advice based on what holds up at race pace.

Before the Run: What to Eat

Two to three hours pre-race, choose carb-forward, low-fibre foods that sit well: toast and jam, banana, porridge. The goal: top up glycogen without GI drama.

For ideas, see our guide on pre-workout meal ideas.

My Personal Go-To: For early starts, a UCAN Energy + Protein mix about 90 minutes pre-gun. It delivers steady energy without a sugar spike and stays gentle on the gut.^[3]

Race day is not for experiments. Test your breakfast and timing on key long runs.

Fuelling on the Go: The Key to a Strong Finish

For efforts beyond ~75 minutes, start replacing carbs. Gels are practical at race pace, but choose the right type and practise the schedule.

Standard sugary gels can spike blood glucose and then crash. UCAN energy gels are formulated for steadier release, helping you hold goal pace deeper into the race with fewer GI surprises.^[3]

The golden rule: practise in training. Use long runs to nail timing (e.g., every 45–60 minutes), sip water at aid stations, and lock your plan before race day.

Recover Harder Than You Train For Real Speed Gains

Training provides the stimulus; recovery drives the adaptation. Skip recovery and you’ll pile up fatigue, not fitness.

Burnout and plateaus come fast when sleep, post-run nutrition, and hydration are afterthoughts.

Your Most Powerful Recovery Tool Is Sleep

Sleep is the cheapest performance enhancer you have. Deep sleep supports hormone release (including growth hormone) and tissue repair; chronic restriction undermines mood, decision-making, and output.^[6]

Aim for 7–9 hours. Protect it like a key workout.

Refuel to Rebuild

Within 30–60 minutes post-session, combine carbohydrate (to restock) and protein (to repair). A simple shake or yoghurt + banana works; if convenient, use UCAN Energy + Protein to simplify timing.

• Carbohydrates restock muscle glycogen.
• Protein supplies amino acids for muscle repair.

For more depth, see our recovery nutrition tips for runners.

Despite more participation, average marathon times have slowed. The athletes getting faster are the ones pairing targeted training with disciplined recovery and fueling.

Listen to Your Body

Know when to back off. Watch for persistent fatigue, elevated morning heart rate, poor sleep, irritability, or loss of motivation—classic signs you’re overreaching.

Swap intensity for easy aerobic work when the “check engine” light is on. Active recovery (walk, swim, light mobility) helps you bounce back without adding stress.

Remember, you don’t get stronger from the training itself, but from recovering from it. Train hard, then recover even harder.

Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers

If you’re wondering how to run faster, you’re not alone. Here are quick answers to common questions from runners chasing a PB.

How Long Does It Take to See Results?

With purposeful intervals and tempo work, expect noticeable improvements in 4–6 weeks. For big breakthroughs in halves and marathons, give yourself a full 12–16-week cycle to consolidate adaptations.

Should I Focus on Stride Length or Cadence?

Focus on cadence. Forcing stride length often creates overstriding and braking. As fitness and strength rise, your stride length will increase naturally at the same cadence target of about 170–180 spm.^[2]

How Do I Know If I’m Pushing Too Hard?

In speed sessions, your final rep should be similar to your first—big drop-offs mean the early pace was too hot. On tempo days, you’re searching for “comfortably hard”: not chatting, not gasping. Sharp pain = stop; dull fatigue = adjust and live to train tomorrow.

Nailing training and recovery is huge—but it all unravels if your fueling isn’t right. Give your body steady, reliable energy. UCAN is designed to deliver stable power without the sugar crash—ideal for tough sessions and race day. Explore our energy gels and powders at generationucan.com.au.