Five tricks to make your run faster, healthier and more fun

Speed work isn't just for serious runners. Up your pace just a little for a more efficient workout

- Hannah Singleton

If you've managed to get up on a cold morning, put your running clothes on and get out the door, you've already succeeded. The last thing you probably want to do is sprint until your lungs burn.

But you don't have to overdo it to add a little intensity. Just running some intervals at slightly faster paces - also known as speed work - can offer significant health benefits, help you run faster and simply add some variety to a jog.

Short bursts of intense effort activate your fast-twitch muscle fibres, which are responsible for quick, powerful movements and are crucial for healthy aging. But it's hard to build and maintain these muscles during daily activity, and if you don't use them, you'll lose them, said Dr. William Workman, an orthopaedic surgeon at DISC Sports and Spine Center in Walnut Creek, California.

Speed workouts can also make more relaxed paces feel easier, and for newer runners, offer a more approachable way to improve without piling on extra mileage. However, Dr Workman recommends limiting speed work to one or two days a week. Always warm up first with some dynamic warm-ups or a short jog, he added, and adapt the intensity to your ability level. Here are five ways to incorporate speed work into your running routine:

Strides: Short accelerations that build form and confidence

A stride is a gradual acceleration lasting roughly 10 to 30 seconds. It's a gentle way to introduce speed work because strides can be tacked on at the end of an easy run, Workman said. Strides are also more forgiving than sprints, because you only hold your top speed for few seconds.