Workout trend: Treadmill training Look for this fast-paced group-workout class in gyms like Equinox, Toronto’s Track Fitness and, if you’re in the U.S., Barry’s Bootcamp.

Treadmill training keeps you engaged. After a 45-minute adrenalin-pumping combo of running, intervals (bursts of speed) and strength training (off the treadmill), you’ll wonder how you ever survived those sleepy 30-minute jogs.

It’s social. “Group training increases energy and boosts motivation,” says Larry Track of Toronto’s Track Fitness.

It gets the heart pumping…for hours. Studies have shown that it takes longer for the body to recover after intervals and strength training, which means you’ll continue to burn calories throughout the day.

It will make you harder, better, faster, stronger. Most runners neglect strength training, which can lead to injuries, says Debora Warner of the Mile High Run Club in New York. Incorporating squats, kettle-bell training and other muscle work improves balance and stability. The more stable your joints are, the faster and more powerful your pace will be.

Running must-have: Music to make you run faster
Eminem was right when he said that we lose ourselves in the music. Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist from Brunel University London, says that plugging in while jogging can make you feel like you’re exerting up to 12 percent less effort than you actually are. (It’s thought that music stimulates the pleasure areas of the brain.) If you sync your stride with your playlist, you might run even faster. One step = one beat. The average runner takes 140 to 175 steps per minute, so look for songs with the same beats per minute (BPM).

The DIY way: Google a song title with “BPM” and the BPM should appear in the search results. Pick tracks with a BPM of 140 to 175 and—voila!—you’ve made your playlist. (Note: If slow jams with a BPM of 70 to 85 get you going, time your steps to hit half-beats.)

Slacker-style: Music-streaming service Spotify recently introduced a running stream that detects your pace and picks music that matches your tempo. Saving up for a new pair of running kicks? Try Podrunner, the similar-but-free version.

Must-have gear: reflective jacket
Stash away the nerdy reflective vest your mom insists you wear on your evening jogs and try one of these brilliant alternatives: all-over-reflective running jackets. Brands are weaving reflective yarns into fabrics or using reflective materials for eye-catching 360-degree visibility.

 

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