(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

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If you've managed to get up on a cold morning, put your running clothes on and get out the door, you've already succeeded. The last thing you probably want to do is sprint until your lungs burn.

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But you don't have to overdo it to add a little intensity. Just running some intervals at slightly faster paces - also known as speed work - can offer significant health benefits, help you run faster and simply add some variety to a jog.

Short bursts of intense effort activate your fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for quick, powerful movements and are crucial for healthy aging. But it's hard to build and maintain these muscles during daily activity, and if you don't use them, you'll lose them, said Dr. William Workman, an orthopedic surgeon at DISC Sports and Spine Center in Walnut Creek, Calif.

Speed workouts can also make more relaxed paces feel easier, and for newer runners, offer a more approachable way to improve without piling on extra mileage. However, Dr Workman recommends limiting speed work to one or two days a week. Always warm up first with some dynamic warm-ups or a short jog, he added, and adapt the intensity to your ability level.

Here are five ways to incorporate speed work into your running routine:

STRIDES: SHORT ACCELERATIONS THAT BUILD FORM AND CONFIDENCE

A stride is a gradual acceleration lasting roughly 10 to 30 seconds. It's a gentle way to introduce speed work because strides can be tacked on at the end of an easy run, Mr. Workman said. Strides are also more forgiving than sprints, because you only hold your top speed for few seconds.

Start building up speed until you reach about 90 to 95 percent of your max effort, then slow back down to a conversational pace, said Jason Chuhay, a running coach at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Think of it like pressing down on a gas pedal briefly and then letting up.

Aim for six to 10 strides, and jog or stand between each repetition. Try to let your heart rate drop below about 120 beats per minute before starting the next stride, he added.

FARTLEKS: UNSTRUCTURED BURSTS OF SPEED THAT MAKE TRAINING PLAYFUL

“Fartlek” is Swedish for“speed play,” and it's one of the easiest ways to start running faster, said Matthew Meyer, a running coach in Boulder, Colo. These workouts don't always have a set distance or pace; you can simply pick a landmark and run to it.

“Maybe it's one tree to the next, or a single city block,” he said. Then, jog or walk until you're ready to go again.

If you prefer more structure, try a ladder fartlek: Run fast for one minute, recover with a jog, then repeat, running for two minutes and recovering two minutes. Keep increasing the run and recover times until you get as high as five minutes. Then work back down to a one-minute run time.

“The point is to play around with different gears,” Mr. Meyer said.“You're learning what 'faster' feels like.”

INTERVALS: SERIOUS BOUTS OF FAST RUNNING

Interval workouts are typically more intense and structured than strides and fartleks. If you have access to a track, distance is easier to gauge. Pick a distance - a half a lap (200 meters) or a full lap - and run it at about 85 to 90 percent of your top speed, then jog or walk the same amount to recover, Mr. Meyer said. Repeat this four to eight times. Beginners should start with fewer repetitions and longer recovery periods.

If you're running on a road, you can use a smartwatch, fitness tracker or app to track your distances. Start with a tenth of a mile, and rest for a minute or so between each interval.

“These sessions are challenging, but they deliver big aerobic payoffs,” said Peter Weyand, a running researcher and director of the Locomotor Performance Laboratory at Texas Christian University. By working at such a high intensity, you increase your VO2 max, or the amount of oxygen your body can absorb during exercise.

TEMPO RUNS: SUSTAINED HARD EFFORTS THAT BUILD ENDURANCE

Once you can comfortably run a few miles without stopping, try a tempo run. A tempo pace is uncomfortable but manageable - around a six or seven on a scale of one to 10 for effort.

Warm up at your easy pace for five to 10 minutes, then run at your steady challenging effort for 15 to 25 minutes. You should be breathing heavily, but still able to say short phrases. Then cool down for another five to 10 minutes.

Tempo runs can help you judge your tolerance for discomfort, Mr. Chuhay said, which is especially beneficial for runners with pace goals for a race. (For example, you might want to break 30 minutes in your next 5K.)

PROGRESSION RUNS: A PACE THAT GRADUALLY INCREASES TO A SPEEDY FINISH

Progression runs, which many runners do during their long runs, help you build endurance by teaching your body to finish faster than you started.“Think about it like a dial, where you're turning it up in small clicks,” Meyer said.

During an hourlong run, for example, a progression might look like this: Warm up at an easy, conversational pace for the first 20 minutes. Then run at a moderate pace for the next 20 minutes. The final 20 minutes should be the hardest.

If you only have 30 minutes, you can use the same structure for shorter blocks of time.

Progression runs can simulate a race. You're“helping to train the body to complete the workout under increased fatigue so you can push toward the end,” Mr. Chuhay said.

The article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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