If you’re a little more ambitious and are beyond the beginning-runner stage, it helps to incorporate some speed work into your training once a week. Typical speed work involves things like tempo runs, where you warm up for 10 minutes or so, then pick up the pace for several miles (where you’re running hard, but not all out), then cool down.

You can also run repeats on a track — for example, running 1200 meters (three times around the track) two or three different times, with a rest in between each of the two or three “repeats.” It’s best to run repeats that are at least 800 meters long (twice around the track, or about a half-mile) since you’re training for a long event. Repeats should be run at a pace close to your maximum effort. The training plan you select will indicate whether or not you should do such workouts, though. Don’t randomly substitute a day of speed work if you plan doesn’t call for it.