Speed Workouts: Why Recovery Makes You Faster
Speed workouts are tough. They tear down your muscles, spike your heart rate, and leave you feeling like you got hit by a truck.
But here’s the thing — you don’t get faster from the workout itself. You get faster during recovery. That’s when your body rebuilds stronger.
So don’t treat recovery like an afterthought. It’s not optional — it’s training.
Fuel Up Right After
The clock’s ticking once you stop running. You’ve got about a 30–60 minute window to refuel, and what you eat matters.
Research backs this up: studies show that a combo of 30–60 grams of carbs and 20–30 grams of protein shortly after your run helps top off glycogen stores and speeds up muscle repair.
My go-to?
- Banana with peanut butter
- Yogurt and berries
- Recovery shake + protein bar if I’m in a rush
Doesn’t have to be fancy — just effective.
Lesson learned the hard way: I used to wait hours before eating, thinking I was “toughing it out.” All it got me was sluggish legs the next day.
Respect Your Rest
After a hard session, you need downtime. No way around it.
- Sleep: 7–9 hours — your body repairs when you’re knocked out, not while scrolling TikTok in bed.
- Buffer days: If I hit intervals on Tuesday, I’m not doing anything hard Wednesday. If I’ve got a Saturday long run, Sunday is either couch-and-stretch day or a light recovery jog.
Miss this, and you’re not training — you’re just digging a deeper hole.
Body Maintenance (Even If You’re Lazy Like Me)
I’ll be real — I’m not the best stretcher. But I do:
- Foam rolling
- Light band work
- Mobility flows when things feel off
Contrast showers or ice baths? They work for some people. I don’t love ‘em, but if I’m really sore, I’ll suck it up and do one.
Most important thing: know the difference between soreness and pain.
- A little muscle ache = fine, part of the grind
- Sharp, nagging tendon pain = back off
I’ve ignored that signal before, and it landed me on the sidelines for weeks.
Know When You’re Overcooked
If you’re dragging for days, sleep’s garbage, and you’re snapping at people for no reason — that’s not “mental toughness,” that’s burnout.
Watch for:
- Crazy fatigue that doesn’t go away
- Trouble sleeping
- Weird mood swings
- Elevated resting heart rate (check in the morning)
If that sounds familiar, take a step back. One missed session won’t ruin your season — but running through burnout might.
Coach’s Reminder: Speed is earned through rest. If you’re gonna cheat on something, skip a meeting — not your recovery.
Rookie Speed Mistakes (I’ve Made Them All)
Speed work is powerful — but only when you respect it. I’ve jacked up my training by ignoring every one of these at some point. Here’s your cheat sheet to avoid the same mess:
1. Going All-In Too Soon
Don’t go from “jogging on Mondays” to “intervals, hills, and race pace by Thursday.”
That’s how I tweaked my hamstring early on — trying to “get fit fast.”
✅ Start with one speed day a week, and let your body adapt.
2. Skipping Warm-Ups
I get it — you’re short on time. But jumping into sprints cold is a recipe for disaster.
I treat warm-ups like a mini session: 15–20 minutes jog, drills, strides, light sweat. That’s when my body knows, “Alright, time to turn it up.”
3. Speed Every Day? Nope.
You don’t stack intervals on Tuesday, race pace on Thursday, and hills on Friday.
That’s not smart — that’s punishment. Sandwich speed days between easy or off days. Always.
4. Form Goes Out the Window
You can’t run fast with sloppy mechanics.
Sprinting with bad form locks in bad habits — and injuries.
✅ Focus on upright posture, arm swing, quick turnover. Technique matters.
5. Skipping Strength
Speed demands strength — especially in your glutes and core.
If you’re not doing planks, single-leg work, and general strength 2–3x a week, your legs are gonna rebel.
Takeaway: Treat speed work like lifting heavy. It’s technical. It’s demanding. And it requires rest after.
Final Thoughts: Go Fast, But Don’t Be Stupid About It
Speed training isn’t about turning every run into a suffer-fest. It’s like adding spice to your running stew — get the mix right, and the whole thing tastes better.
Here’s the deal:
- Start light
- Focus on quality
- Give your body time to adapt
I’ll be honest — I used to hate speed work. I avoided it for years because it scared me. Then one season I finally committed… and it completely changed my running.
I got stronger, smoother, and suddenly my long runs didn’t feel like death.
Now it’s your turn.
This week, try something small:
- 4×30-second hill sprints
- Finish an easy run with a few relaxed strides
Feel that burn? That’s growth showing up.
Speed work will humble you — but it’ll also build you up.