If you can run 60 minutes comfortably non-stop, you're ready to bring your fitness to the next level. Boost your speed and fitness. You should be able to cover around 7km to 9km with the 60 minutes. So how do you complete a longer distance within the 60 minutes? Read on for the top tips on how to boost your speed and fitness.

1) Know Your Body 

Weigh yourself and get your body fat measured so that you able to track the changes that is taking place in your body. This allows you to track your progress. Nothing beats seeing the improvements that your body is making, this serves as a good form of motivation.

2) Go for the Uphill and Upslope

Running upslope may be very imitating for many. You will definitely be gasping for air after charging up the incline slope and this may cause many to give up at the bottom of the slope or right after the slope. However, it is the uphill and upslope runs that build leg and lung strength. For a start, go slow on the upslope. Stay focus but relax. Go at a slower pace than you would for flat terrain run. On your way down from the incline slope, control your legs movements and feet landings. Do not allow your feet to slam into the ground, this put a lot of stress on your joints.

3) Pick your pace

It’s important to make sure that you are running at the right pace. A 60 minutes run is not a short run and you definitely do not want to be gasping for air 15 minutes into the run. Run a comfortable pace of around 6 min/km or even slower. Target to increase your pace as your fitness level increases

4) Track Running

Many runners dread running round and round in a Stadium running track. However, do interval trainings on track helps to increase your fitness tremendously. 1 round around the track is around 400m. Add in a 6 x 100m dash into your training. Do your warm-ups of slow runs before carrying out the interval training. Standard tracks are 400 meters long. Here’s how you do the interval training.

• Do a warmup run of 800m around the track. Do this at a very slow pace.
• Start at the 0m mark. Dash as fast as you can towards the 100m mark.
• Slow down when you reach the 100m mark, take a rest and continue walking for the next 200m.
• Start your dash again for the next 100m.
• Repeat the above till you complete 4-6 x 100m dash.

5) Don’t Dash for the Lost Time

Keeping track of your pace during a run is very important. Setting a target timing for individual check points can help you to know if you are going at the correct pace to achieve your targeted timing or distance. However, lots of people are too focus on each individual check points target, once they missed the timing for that particular check point, they tend to increase their speed at a much faster pace to ensure that they are within target for the next checkpoint. This is absolutely discouraged. Instead, slowly increase your pace and cut down the timing for each checkpoints. If not you will find yourself all flat out even before you reach your next checkpoint

6) Feed Your Body

Again, as we have also mentioned, you need to feed your body well. When you’re running faster, and going longer, you must make sure that you’re well hydrated and well fuelled before you go out. Stay hydrated throughout the day. Make sure to drink at least 300ml of water/sports drinks before your run. Have a light snack like a banana at least 30 minutes before the run.

Follow the tips above when you are looking to boost your fitness and timings for your next run.

Have a good run and enjoy the run!

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