Rev Up Your Run: Marathon Training Drills

Do speed work on a track -- the distances are measured out for you.

How to do it: Run ladders: Try a 200-meter sprint, 400-meter fast, 600-meter moderate, 800-meter slow. Reverse order back to start.

Why do it: Upping your tempo strengthens your legs and increases your lung capacity.

Run at goal race pace for an entire workout.

How to do it: Check your watch every 1/4 mile to make sure you're being consistent.

Why do it: Practice helps your body memorize a desired speed.

Loosen up.

How to do it: Relax your hands, shoulders, and mouth.

Why do it: The less tense you are on any run, the speedier you'll be.

Warm up pre-workout with a few speed bursts.

How to do it: Sprint 60 meters, then slowly jog 60 meters to recover. Do 3 or 4 sprint-jog sets.

Why do it: These short bursts help prep your fast- twitch muscle fibers for an interval run.

On race day, start slower than usual.

How to do it: At mile 1, pick up to 20 seconds below race pace. At the halfway mark, run faster than race pace to the finish.

The benefit: This saves your strength for the last mile (start too fast, and you might slow down midway).

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, March 2009.