Magill Speed Runner Program

Reading time: 5 min

When I go to the book store with my wife and daughter, I swing by the endurance sports section. I peruse through the titles to see if anything new and exciting I didn’t know about is available. Last summer (July 2018), I noticed a book called Speed Runner by Pete Magill. The subtitle was “4 weeks to your fastest leg speed in any sport.” I cringed. Terms like “4 weeks” and “fastest leg speed” upset me. They wreak of the current “hack” culture out there on the internet. I almost didn’t by this book.

Luckily, I had heard the name of the author before, Pete Magill. I knew he was the real deal. Magill is a national championship coach and accomplished masters runner with multiple American and age-group records. I started flipping through.

A Transition Program

What I found in here was what struck me as a fantastic Transition Program for runners. It reminded me of the fundamental concept of Lydiard Hills – strengthen your body using drills specific to the running motion before transitioning into the faster anaerobic phase of training. Magill compiled a series of running drills and exercises. Plus he suggests you alternate a dill with a Stride. The combo strengthens your body and improves your running technique.

Reminder, a Transition Program assumes you have complete a Running Base Building Program first.

The book also succinctly describes complex physiological concepts like energy systems and debunks myths related to “recovery strategies.” The focus of this post, however, is solely on using the Speed Runner system as a Transition Program for distance runners. In the “Speed Runner Schedules” portion of the book, Magill outlines a one-day-per-week distance runners program. What I propose here, is that you complete the workout four times within a two-week cycle along with Base runs, 2.5hr Pace runs and Mile Repeats as part of a Transition Program.

Field-Sport Athletes and Coaches

If you are a field-sport athlete or coach field-sports, I’d highly suggest you check out Speed Runner for the programs on accelerations, maximum velocity, strength, agility etc. Magill has laid out training schedules to integrate into your practices and workouts.

Speed Runner Drills and Exercises

Some runners love doing running drills. If that describes you, fantastic! This will be an excellent Transition Program for you.

If you hate the idea of doing running drills, that’s fine too. Look at the other Transition Programs I outlined in THIS POST that do not include any drills at all.

Magill includes tried-and-true running drills and exercises like

  • Skipping
  • High Skipping
  • Marching
  • High Knees
  • Quick Feet
  • Butt Kicks
  • Bounding
  • Quick Hops
  • Triple Hops

I am not going to describe the drills here. Refer to Speed Runner book for detailed descriptions.

A critical insight gained by Magil through his years of experience is to alternate a running drill with a Stride. The combo allows for the muscles and movement patterns specific to the drill to be integrated into the running movement as a whole. Brilliant! This breaks the disconnect between what the drill develops and what running requires – a common complaint about running drills.

Magill also recommends eccentric (muscle lengthening) exercises to strengthen the muscle-specific to the demand imposed by running. I have been a big proponent of this style of strength work for runners for a decade. Examples include:

  • Heal Dips
  • Nordic Curls
  • Single-Leg Deadlifts

Speed Runner Workout

In the programs outlined below, when I refer to Speed Runner Workout, it means the following:

  • 15min Base Run
  • 2-3min Walk
  • Speed Runner Program
  • 10-15min Base Run

Refer to page 250 of the Speed Runner printed book or search of “Distance Runner once-per-week schedule” on the kindle version to see what the Speed Runner Program is.

Magill has a four-week progression. So choose the appropriate workout based on which week you are currently on.

In each workout, you complete 6-8 drills with a 15s Stride in between each exercise. Then you practice acceleration in multi-directions, hammer out a couple Hill Sprints, And finish with a simple strength circuit.

Speed Runner Transition Program

There are a few terms I use in the programs below that may be new to you. Here is a brief overview:

  • To understand what I mean by 2.5hr Pace, please read the 2.5hr Pace section of Transition Program post.
    • The workout is 10min Warm-Up at Base pace followed by 20-60min steady at 2.5hr pace and 10-20min at Base pace to finish the workout.
    • Start with 20-30min at 2.5hr pace. Increase by 10min each workout.
  • Mile Repeats are a staple of Coach Vigil’s Fulcrum. Please refer to the Mile Repeats section of that post.
    • The workout is a 10-15min Warm-up at Base pace with the option of adding 3-5 Strides to the end of the warm-up. Then 6 x 1mile at 85% of your Mile time with three-minute recoveries in between.
    • More seasoned runners can start right away with six repeats. If you are newer to the sport, so with 3-4 repeats and then increase by one rep each workout.

Four-days-a-week Program

  1. Longer Base Run
  2. Speed Runner Workout
  3. Rest Day
  4. Speed Runner Workout
  5. Rest Day
  6. 2.5hr pace Run
  7. Rest Day
  8. Medium Base Run
  9. Speed Runner Workout
  10. Rest Day
  11. Speed Runner Workout
  12. Rest Day
  13. Mile Repeats Run
  14. Rest Day

Five-days-a-week Program

  1. Longer Base Run
  2. Speed Runner Workout
  3. Rest Day
  4. 2.5hr pace Run
  5. Shorter Base Run with 10min Diagonals after
  6. Speed Runner Workout
  7. Rest Day
  8. Medium Base Run
  9. Speed Runner Workout
  10. Rest Day
  11. Mile Repeats Run
  12. Shorter Base Run with 5 x Surges during
  13. Speed Runner Workout
  14. Rest Day

Six-days-per-week Program

  1. Medium Base Run
  2. Speed Runner Workout
  3. Short Base Run
  4. 2.5hr Pace Run
  5. Short Base Run with 10min Diagonals after
  6. Speed Runner Workout
  7. Rest Day
  8. Medium Base Run
  9. Speed Runner Workout
  10. Short Base Run
  11. Mile Repeats Run
  12. Short Base Run with 5 x Surges during
  13. Speed Runner Workout
  14. Rest Day

How many Weeks is the Program?

I’d suggest that you complete three two-week cycles for a total of six weeks.

During the first four weeks, you’ll make it through the Speed Runner workouts outlined on Page 250 of the book. And in the final two weeks, you can repeat the highest-level workout a few more times to ensure adequate time for adaptation.

Plus you’ll have time for three 2.5hr pace runs, and three Mile Repeat runs to build up your volume at these paces.

At the end of the six weeks, run 60min at 2.5hr pace. If it was comfortable physically and mentally, you’re good to go. If not, you may want to include a few more 2.5hr pace runs before moving on.

Or, if you can do a two-mile run at you Mile Repeats pace. If it was comfortable physically and mentally, you’re good to go.

Both the two-mile run and 60min runs are reasonable indications your body is ready to move to the next stage of training. You can move onto any program for the event you are targetting with confidence that your body is prepared. One of my favourite program structures is called Five-Pace Training. You can read all about it HERE and formulate a plan to reach your target race goals.

Also, if you enjoyed completing the Drills a few times per week, you do not need to abandon them altogether. You can integrate the Speed Runner workout into your next training program by organizing your weekly training according to Magill‘s suggested one-per-week-schedule:

  1. Intervals / Tempo
  2. Rest Day
  3. Speed Work
  4. Easy Day
  5. Speed Runner workout
  6. Easy Day
  7. Longer Run
  • Intervals / Tempo usually means workouts that include longer reps or runs at paces between 5k and Half-Marathon pace
  • Speed Work usually means workouts that included shorter reps at paces from 400m to 3k pace

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