Pining for a PB? You are against evolution itself. Left to our own devices, humans have evolved to run at speeds that require the least energy expenditure, according to new Research from Queen’s University in Ontario and Stanford University in California. In other words: We were born to run slowly.
After analyzing data from more than 37,000 runs per day via wearable trackers, the researchers found that whether the runners headed 2, 4, 6 miles or more, they ran about the same pace — a speed that allowed for maximum calorie conservation.
“In general, when we go for a run, even though the goal may be to burn calories, we move quickly to reduce it,” according to study co-author Jessica Salinger, PhD.
But what works from an evolutionary perspective doesn’t cut it when it comes to racing. To avoid falling into a ‘slow on the go’ pattern, try breaking up your workouts into five-minute blocks, where you run four miles and run for one; Alternately, the 1 minute and 1 minute method can help inject some speed into your game as well.
Other tips for building shivering fast fibers: Go hard uphill and an easy incline, find a faster jogging buddy to train with, and listen to music with 165 to 185 beats per minute to improve your spin rate.
Although we may be born to run slow, here are some additional tips for speeding up:
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