Ten Running Tips to Run Faster - Increase Your Running Speed!

These are my take-home running tips to immediately increase your sprinting speed. If you want fast results, one or a combination of these will probably do the trick. These running tips are quick and easy, and can help out any runner, especially a beginner.

1. Run on the balls of your feet. Avoid heel strikes when you're sprinting. Running on the balls of your feet lowers the duration of contact with the ground. That contact, instead of allowing more force to be generated, will actually slow you down when you are running your very fastest. Furthermore, running on the balls of your feet can cause you to lean forward slightly, rather than allow you to "sit back." A slight lean is often desirable.
2. Keep your hands, shoulders, and jaw loose. Avoid expending energy that doesn't translate into speed. Tensing up can kill your time. Relax, and you will run better. Running at maximum effort doesn't mean you have to try to pass a kidney stone in the process.
3. Look far down the track/course. Aiming your eyesight further down your path of travel can help you run in a straighter line. If you're looking down, you might be weaving, which will lengthen the distance you have to travel.
4. Lace your shoes tight. Don't be excessive, but lacing your shoes correctly can make your shoes an extension of your feet. Make your shoes work for you. You don't want to be flopping around in loose shoes. This will lessen the amount of force you can immediately apply to the ground.
5. Take off hard. Set your pace early in the race. Even one- or two-milers come off the starting line rather quickly. They must decelerate, but it gets their bodies and minds ready to run a great race. Make sure to utilize your blocks. If you simply stand up out of them, you're wasting energy. You'd be better off just standing in the first place.
6. Warm up beforehand. You definitely do not want to shock your muscles at the sound of the gun. Once your muscles (and your psyche) know what they're up for, they'll be much more ready to do what you want them to do. And that's run fast.
7. Stretch beforehand. The same goes for this tip. Get your muscles ready to work! An added benefit is that your mind will be at easy about injuries. Once you're flexible, you'll be much less prone to hurting yourself.
8. Work your arms. Don't have "dino-arms." Swing your arms like you mean it. This comes especially in handy when you're tired. Swinging your arms can help you lengthen your stride when your legs turn to Jell-O during the last 70 meters of a 400. Do NOT swing your arms across your body.
9. Pick up your knees. Doing this also encourages lengthening of the stride. It also helps generate more power with each step.
10. Wear the right clothes. This goes for race time AND practice time. If you have the right clothes for practice, you can train harder. If you train harder, you'll get much faster. During times when you have to race, don't worry about how you look. Short shorts are not meant to humiliate you. The kid in basketball shorts won't be laughing once you smoke him in the 100 meter dash.

That's it for the running tips. Hopefully you can utilize a few of those.By Scott Sansovich