Track 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Speed Work
From the ancient Greeks to modern-day Olympic hopefuls, track workouts have long been a powerful tool for building strength, speed, and confidence. Whether you’re training for your first 5K or chasing a PR, a little time on the oval can make a big difference.
Why Track?
Speed workouts teach your body to put more force into the ground with every step. The faster you train (with purpose), the easier your slower paces feel. Your body’s smart — it won’t work harder than it needs to — but you can train it to move better and more efficiently.
Warm Up First
Don’t skip this. A good warm-up gets your muscles ready for action and helps prevent injury.
Try this:
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10 min walk or light jog
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Toe touches, high knees, butt-kicks
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Leg swings + a few squat jumps or hops
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Be patient. Warming up is part of the workout.
Cool Down Counts
Cooling down helps your body recover and prep for tomorrow’s training. It also flushes out the burn so you don’t carry it into the next day.
Try this:
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Wait 5–10 min after your last interval
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10 min slow walk or jog
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Light stretching (calves, hamstrings, hips)
Easy Entry Workouts
The beauty of the track? The distance is predictable, the structure is simple, and the finish line is always in sight.
Start here:
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Straightaway Drills: Run the straights, jog/walk the curves for 2–4 laps
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4 x 400m with 2 min walk between
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6–8 x 200m with 200m jog recovery
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Ladder: 200, 400, 800, 400, 200 (recover 2 min or jog 200m between)
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Descend: 800, 600, 400, 200 with walk breaks
Start at your current 5K pace — not your dream pace. Better to finish strong than flame out halfway.
Form & Effort Tips
Good form beats forced speed every time.
- Relax your shoulders
- Keep arms and legs in sync
- Slight lean forward
- Quick steps, not overstriding
- Save something for the next rep
If a workout leaves you completely drained, it’s too much. You should always feel like you could have done one more.
Track Etiquette 101
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Most runners go counterclockwise — stay alert
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Use lane 1 when running, step out when recovering
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No pressure to “earn” the inside lane — if someone’s faster, they’ll pass
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Everyone belongs. You don’t have to be fast to be here.
Local Track & Training Resources
The Track Project at CRC South Charlotte
Free group track workouts every Tuesday at 6 AM
All paces welcome. Coaches on hand.
Public Tracks:
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Johnson C. Smith University (open during school hours unless in use)
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AG Middle School (open early mornings)
Whether you’re chasing your next PR, a Hyrox podium, or just bragging rights at Thanksgiving, the track can help you get there. Give it a try — you might surprise yourself.
About the Author
Jaymes Cole is the Assistant Manager at Charlotte Running Company – Promenade and an experienced Endurance Coach. As a former professional runner, Jaymes brings years of training knowledge and a passion for helping athletes of all levels unlock their potential. When he’s not leading group workouts, you can find him chasing down miles across Charlotte.