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One of the reasons so many runners are drawn to track running is because it is potentially one of the best places to practice sprinting and speed work. Combine the competitive element with the ideal conditions, and you can see why so many runners spend hours trying to see how fast they can run on a track. But the other day I found myself wondering, do you run faster on track? If so, is track the best place to be practicing speed running?
As a general rule, it is best to practice running fast on a running track. The lack of obstacles and pedestrians means that it is much safer and more efficient to get better at speed work. What’s more, running tracks are often made from surfaces that enable runners to perform at their best when it comes to running fast.
You don’t just need to take my word for it. To give you as accurate an idea as possible of what impact track running can have on your speed, I looked at averages, opinions from other runners, and many of the fundamentals of getting fast on a running track.
Runners Weigh In
The first thing I did when querying whether you run faster on a running track was head on to this online running forum and held a poll asking runners where they thought they ran fastest out of some of the most common places to run – track, road, and trails.
Hey Runners, do you run faster on a road, on a track, or on a trail?
| Choice | Votes |
| Trail | 33 (11.7%) |
| Track | 100 (35.5%) |
| Road Running | 149 (52.8%) |
Surprisingly, the majority of runners who voted thought that they ran fastest on a road rather than a track. Some of the runners who weighed in had this to say:
With the above in mind, I decided to look a little deeper into the kind of speeds you can expect to get when running on a track.
Average Speed On a Running Track
There is no single average speed when it comes to running on a track because people generally choose to do different kinds of running depending on their goals.
For example, if you are planning to run as fast as you can on a running track, then you can expect to be reaching average speeds of around 24KMH (15mph).
That being said, if you are wondering what your average speed will be when running a long distance on a track like a 5K, you will be closer to speeds of 7KMH – 4MPH. You can learn more about the average 5K times by checking out this article I wrote.
That being said, you are likely to get a faster average speed on a running track compared to other environments that have more challenging terrain. For example, the average runner goes 10% slower for every mile on a trail than they would on a track. So if you’ve been track running before and managed an average speed of 6mph (9.5kmh) then you’re likely to get an average mile time of 5.74mph (9.23kmh). It’s not a lot. But the difference is there.
World Records
If you’re wondering what the world record is for the fastest time ever managed on a track, the answer will also depend on what distance it is that you’re thinking of.
That being said, Usain Bolt is largely recognized as the fastest man alive and he won a record for running 100M on track in the Olympics by achieving a time of 9.58. You can watch the full video below:
Is It Easier To Run Fast On a Track?
There are many different aspects to running on a track that can make it both harder and easier to run fast. The following pros and cons are just a few examples.
Pros
Obstacle free
Take a jog around your local neighborhood and chances are you will come into contact with a lot of obstacles. The only exception might be if you’re running indoors on a treadmill.
Trails have rocks, and streets have potholes and oncoming traffic. However, a running track has open space dedicated to runners and is built to be free from obstacles. This means it’s a lot easier for runners to navigate around a track without having to stop and start again. This is perfect for runners who are focusing purely on their speed and also want to minimize the risk of tripping on things accidentally and getting injured.
Indoors
Generally speaking, running indoors often means having to run on a treadmill. Luckily, an indoor running track offers runners the ability to train to run fast without having to use a treadmill whilst also avoiding potential issues that they would face when running outdoors.
Examples include running in foggy weather or on slippery roads. Without the elements slowing you down, it’s a lot easier to run as fast as possible.
By the way, if you’re wondering what kind of speed you should be focusing on when running on a treadmill then I reccomend you check out this article. You can also learn how long you should use a treadmill for running here.
Easy to Track Speed
Tracking speed can be hard to do in real-time when you’re running in general. Typically, a runner would have to wear something like a running watch or use an app on their phone to figure out what speed they are running at. This is great and all, but having a running track set up to measure your speed can make it a lot easier to get an accurate idea of exactly how fast you’re going.
Cons
Other Runners
Although there aren’t many static obstacles that you have to look out for on a running track, other runners can cause problems. Unless you’re fortunate enough to have a running track all to yourself. A lot of the time you’re going to be running alongside other people who are also trying to go as fast as possible.
It’s important to remember that one of the main reasons for running on a track is to be able to run alongside other runners so that you can compete with one another. That being said, it also means that the amount of space you have could be limited which would lead you to run slower.
Running in Circles
A typical running track is around 400m in length. It generally takes less than a minute to run 400m. So if you’re trying to run as fast as possible for a distance longer than this, you will need to bear in mind that the turns you need to make to stay on the running track could slow you down slightly. Luckily, most running tracks are designed so that the turn is nice and gradual and not something that will cause an immediate stop to your flow. Generally speaking, twists and turn only usually slow runners down by a few seconds.
Wear and Tear
This applies more to high school students than to anyone else. When I was in school, the running track that we had was on a grass pitch. Safe to say, after hundreds of students had run around the track in a single day, the ground became significantly dug up and worn out.
Whilst a running track is usually the best place to practice your speed, one that is dug up and beaten down can significantly slow you down. Whilst a running track that is made from a grass surface is the most likely to become worn out from general wear and tear, all track surfaces may become beaten down over time – making it harder to run fast on them.
How To Train To Run Fast On a Track
If you’ve decided whilst reading this article that a running track is the best place to practice your speed then the first thing you should be doing is making sure you’re doing everything you can to get the most out of your track runs.
The following are just a few tips and tricks you can use to reach your best speeds and times on a running track.
Work On Your Technique
This study from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise looked into the relationship between running technique and performance. The study did this by looking at 47 female runners and taking note of specific measurements and diameters that they abided by whilst running.
The results showed that paying specific attention to the way that you’re running can have a great impact on overall running performance.
Simply put, runners who perfect their technique have a high chance of running faster than other runners. When it comes to perfecting your technique, few places are going to be as good as a running track.
Want to learn more about how to perfect your running technique? Check out the video below!
Invest in Track Running Shoes
I always say this. One of the reasons I love running so much is that you don’t have to invest a lot of money into running when you first get started. That being the case, I would always reccomend getting hold of a pair of high-quality running shoes. Not only will these help improve your speed, but they will also reduce your chances of injury. You can learn more about that here.
This study from the Journal of Sports Sciences looked at marathon runners who were running in Nike Vaporfly, Nike Zoom Stream, and Adidas Adios Boost Shoes. The study found that runners who work Nike Vaporfly shoes helped runners with their running economy and mechanics. For that reason, I would definitely recommend these running shoes.
Practice Sprints
Although all different types of running will help in one way or another, there is nothing better for getting faster on a track than practicing your sprints. The simplest way of explaining what a sprint is is to describe it as a maximum running force put out in a set amount of time. Think of it as the only time in running when you should aim to give it your absolute all straight away.
In addition to getting faster at track, there are lots of other benefits associated with sprinting. Examples include increased muscle growth, fat loss, and overall athletic performance.
How Else Can I Get Better at Running Track
There are many different ways you can get better a running track. Getting faster is just one of them. If you’d like to learn more about all the ways you can get better a running track, I’ve written an entire article on it which you can find here. The following are just a few examples of how you can improve your track running ability:
- Strength Train – Strength training can offer great neuromuscular support and by doing so help drastically improve your overall running performance.
- Mix Up Your Workouts – by mixing up your routine, runners can keep surprising their body and constantly encouraging it to grow and adapt.
- Warm Up – Warming up as well as cooling down is crucial to keep the muscles safe and avoid injury, especially when it comes to running fast on a track. Try spending a minimum 10-minutes stretching before and after speed training on the track.
Best Gear For Running Fast On a Track
One of the reasons that I love running so much is that you don’t need a lot of gear to get started. That being said, if you were wanting to run on a track as fast as possible, investing in the following gear could certainly help with that:
Read more about running with armbands here
Learn more about running shorts here.
