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Step 1
Think about how you want to run track faster. Sprinters, long jumpers, high jumpers and pole vaulters need to focus on short bursts of speed but may need to do several all out sprints in a short period of time. Middle distance and long distance runners must consider endurance along with kicking speed. The two types of track runners approach speed training in slightly different ways.
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Step 2
Stretch and warm up your muscles before a speed workout. Fast twitch muscles easily pull and tear if they are pushed too hard while cold. Get the blood flowing in your legs and start slowly. An injury could set your training back months.
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Step 3
Run wind sprints. Every track athlete benefits from them. From a dead stop, accelerate to full speed and hold for 50 meters. Jog back to where you began and run another one. Pump your arms hard and run through the finish line. Do at least 5 wind sprints. When they stop being challenging, do them up a hill, wear a weighted vest, or drag a sled or parachute behind you.
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Step 4
Keep your muscles guessing by altering workouts regularly. Muscles quickly adapt to challenging exercise. Several days after doing 50 meter wind sprints, do half as many over 100 meters. Middle distance and long distance runners should mix it up even more. Perform workouts at 200 meter, 400 meter and 800 meter distances. Try doing your wind sprints at the end of a workout when your muscles are taxed. It will be painful but they will force your muscles to grow.
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Step 5
Hit the weight room. Perform sets of explosive resistance exercises like squats and lunges. Weights make muscles strong in ways that running can't. Alternate workouts between the gym and the track.
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Step 6
Eat well. Proper nutrition is essential to running track faster. Low fat protein from lean meat, milk products and nuts should be consumed immediately after a workout. Protein shakes and bars are reasonable substitutes. Eat a well balanced diet while avoiding fried food, sweets and alcohol. If your diet is bad, your body won't benefit from your workouts.
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Step 7
Rest to make yourself faster. Sore muscles are your body's way of telling you that you taxed your body. Allow your muscles to heal and you will come back speedier. If you push your muscles while they are still sore, they will never improve. Limit intense workouts to once or twice per week with lighter workouts in between.
