On your daily runs start off from the very first step going your absolute fastest. Try and keep this up for at least a quarter mile. It does not matter if you can only keep up that pace for a few yards, for the rest of your run just do what you can. Do this for a few weeks and you will be surprised at the difference. Try and go farther each time you do this. Since this is only a training run you don’t have to worry about how long it takes you. The important thing is start off as fast as you can.

Pick out a telephone pole, a block or some repetitive landmark. For this short distance, from pole to pole, run your all out speed. Do this as many times as possible, at least three or four times, on your daily run. When you are running by yourself you don’t have to worry about looking exhausted it is all about your training.

Run as fast as you can for your entire run, this is best with short runs like a 5k but with practice you can even do it in a 10k. Time yourself for a particular course and train on other routes then go back and time yourself on the same route again to see if there is an improvement. This is my favorite way to get ready for certain races.

Running these short, fast distances is sometimes called Fartleks, which means, “speed play” in Swedish. Basically they are around three quarters of your total capacity for three quarters of a mile 3 or 4 times during your daily run. Just remember your three’s and fours’. An ideal schedule might be to alternate days with long distances of over, 7 miles.

After doing this for a few weeks you are ready for real interval training. This is a great form of speed work you can do by yourself. An interval can be just a short distance you run at three quarters of your full speed. Measure a quarter mile and run it at your three quarter speed then jog back and repeat this at least 4 or 5 times. Then jog for 3 miles or so as a cool down. The best speed workouts are half miles, run a half and jog a half at least four times before your cool down. If you measure off a quarter, half and a whole mile you can do what are called "Steps". Steps are when you run the quarter and jog for a quarter, then run the half and jog for a quarter run then the whole mile at your three quarter speed. Then cool down with a 5K. You can also use 220 yards instead of a quarter mile.

Consistency is the most thing in any training schedule. My Favorite 5k Training Schedule:
Monday – 7 or 10 miles
Tuesday – speed work or short fast run
Wednesday – 5 or 7 miles
Thursday – speed work or short fast run
Friday – easy 3 or 5 miles
Saturday – Race and shatter your P.R.
Sunday - Rest

5k = 3.1 miles
Marathon = 26.2 miles