Hello, this is Debbie Boyle's coach at Mojo for Running, and this is podcast number nine.

Today the topic is speed work. If I was typing that word instead of saying it, I'd put it in all

caps, make it bold, and make it taller than all the other words on the page. That's because

speedwork encompasses so much and is so important.

It's important because it can make a huge difference in your running performance, if done

correctly. But it's also important because if done incorrectly, it can easily sideline you

with an injury. More injuries happen when runners are doing speed work than at any other time. Don't misunderstand.

Don't think I'm saying that it's important for you to do speed work. Maybe it's not. Some runners

never do speed work and never need to. It depends entirely on your goal. If your goal is just to stay fit, then it doesn't matter how

fast you run. But if you like to race and you want to get faster, then at some point, you

want to incorporate some kind of speed work. But you might never advance as far as traditional

track workouts, opting rather for

varieties of fartlic and hill trading instead. You can accomplish a lot that way. And no matter

what type of speedwork, it's critical to make sure you're ready, meaning that you have been running

for a while, I mean several months, have built an adequate base and are otherwise

in very good physical condition. Speed work, any kind of speed work, puts much more stress

on your body, so it's very easy to get injured. This is either because people do it incorrectly

or because they're doing it when they're not otherwise physically ready for speed work.

I've said it many times.

The main reason beginning runners get injured is because they try to do too much too fast.

They get too anxious to do that first race, that first half marathon, to run that first sub 10 minute mile, or to do that first 30 minute 5K.

All those things are worthy goals, but they take time.

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