Running Speed vs. Endurance: What Sets Them Apart?
What’s The Difference + Why Do We Need Both?
By Coach Chris Knighton
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Introduction – Running Speed vs Endurance
I’m so proud to say that I ended my 2024 summer racing season with a new PR in the Mile! After running a disappointing 5K a few weeks prior, it felt awesome to finish the season on such a high note.
Since setting a lifetime best in the 2023 Chicago Marathon, I’ve shifted gears this year to really work on my speed in a way that I never have before.
Something I’ve personally experienced and learned from coaching over the past 5 years is that it’s so essential for marathoners to take the time to develop their speed. But unfortunately, most never really do.
If this sounds like you, then by missing this aspect of athletic development, you are leaving a lot of performance potential on the table.
Today, I want to share with you a bit more content from my upcoming book, Ageless Track Star: How to Become a Masters Track Runner in Your 30’s, 40’s or 50’s.
What the Difference Between Running Speed and Endurance?
In distance training, speed and endurance are two distinct but interrelated components that contribute to an athlete’s overall performance.
Here’s a breakdown of the differences between running speed vs endurance:
Speed
- Definition: Speed refers to the ability to move quickly over a distance. In distance running, it involves the capacity to maintain a fast pace throughout the race.
- Training Focus: Speed training typically includes workouts that emphasize short, high-intensity efforts.
- This can involve:
- Sprints or short intervals (e.g., 200m to 400m repeats)
- Strides and acceleration drills
- Speed endurance workouts, where runners maintain a fast pace for longer intervals (e.g., 600m to 1000m repeats at race pace)
- This can involve:
- Physiological Components: Speed training enhances muscle power, neuromuscular coordination, and the ability to recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers. It also improves the anaerobic energy systems, which are crucial for quick bursts of speed.
- Race Strategy: Speed is essential for executing race tactics, such as surges, finishing kicks, and responding to competitors’ moves.
Endurance
- Definition: Endurance refers to the ability to sustain physical activity over a longer period. It involves maintaining a strong performance over an athlete’s race distance.
- Training Focus: Endurance training emphasizes longer, steady-state runs and a variety of tempo workouts.
- This can include:
- Long runs to build aerobic capacity
- Steady or Broken Tempo runs at a comfortably hard pace to improve lactate threshold
- Fartlek training, which combines periods of fast running with slower recovery segments
- This can include:
- Physiological Components: Endurance training enhances cardiovascular efficiency, aerobic
capacity, and the ability to utilize fat as a fuel source. It also improves the body’s ability to clear lactic acid, allowing runners to maintain a faster pace for longer.
- Race Strategy: Endurance is crucial for pacing throughout the race, allowing runners to avoid early fatigue and finish strong.
Conclusion – Running Speed vs Endurance
Both running speed and endurance need to be carefully balanced to perform effectively in races.
Athletes who have never taken the proper time to develop their speed will ultimately be limited in their ability to run fast and achieve all time bests.
You need to train to be fast, if you want to run fast.
Training endurance alone won’t get you there.
Get Started with Track Training Today
Would you like to try focusing on track training for your next running cycle?
Here are two ways I can help you out today:
1. Grab my 5-week “Run Your Fastest Mile Program” here to get a taste of track training.
2. I’m looking to bring on a few 1:1 coached athletes over the next month who want to focus on track training. Would you be interested in working together? Please apply for coaching here to let me know!
Until next time… happy running!
