One of the great things about starting a running program is that your performance tends to improve rapidly over the first few months. With each passing week, you are able to run farther and/or faster, often times with less effort. However, at some point, your performance will plateau. Even worse, you may find that your performance actually declines a bit after time.

Switching your normal routine is often the key to breaking through the plateau. Here are a few ideas for switching things up:

1. Increase your training volume – Unless you're already running 150 kms or more a week, you probably have room to make gains by simply putting in more kilometres. If you normally run 3 or 4 times per week, try increasing to 5 or 6. If you normally average 40 minutes per run, try to push the average to 50 minutes or an hour. Running is no different than any other sport or skill; the more you practice, the better you get.

2. Increase the training intensity – If most of your running is a conversational pace or slower, picking up the pace 2 or 3 times a week can lead to gains. This faster running can take the form of repeats (repeated bouts of faster running with jogging recoveries e.g. 5 x 3 minutes hard with a 2 minute jog recovery), tempo runs (a fast steady run of 15 to 45 minutes), or hill repeats. Note, it's important not to get carried away with intensity. The vast majority of your running should be at conversational pace or slower.

3. Reduce the volume or intensity – If Point #1 or Point #2 haven't worked, it may be time to back off a bit and let your body recover. Particularly if your performance has degraded over time or if you find yourself constantly tired, it may be time for a few easy weeks. Sometimes you need to go backwards for a bit before you can move forward.

4. Increase your leg speed – Improving your sprinting speed has a number of benefits. In addition to allowing you to outkick your opponents in the finishing straight, higher top-end speed also improves your running economy. In other words, increasing your ability to sprint will allow you to spend less effort when running at slower speeds. Incorporate a set of strides (i.e 8 x 100m fast and relaxed runs with full recovery) into your routine once or twice a week is an easy way for you to improve your leg speed.

5. Get stronger – Spending a bit of time in the gym or on the mats can pay off. Core strength is particularly important for maintaining good form while running. Also, strength training can help reduce muscles imbalances,which may cause injuries, and it promotes increased lean body mass. Of course, like anything else, you can over do strength training with counter productive results. However, 2 or 3 thirty minute sessions a week might just be the ticket to improved running performance.

6. Improve your running form - Good running form allows you to maximize the return on the physical energy you put into running. For many of us, focusing on running relaxed, particularly in the arms and shoulders, is the key to improving running form. Apart from focusing on relaxation, there are a number of other things you can do to improve form – sprinters' drills, hill bounding, core strength, strides, and video analysis are all possibilities.

7. Cross train – As alternative to running more (see point #1), you might choose to incorporate other aerobic activities like swimming, pool running, cycling, x-country skiing, or the elipitical trainer. These other activities can improve your cardio fitness without the added stress on your legs that extra running would entail.

8. Improve your diet – While a good diet alone will not make you a champion, a poor diet can limit your performance. It's important to be burning the right fuel in the right amounts. Following the Canada Food Guide (or equivalent) is a good start. Pay particular attention to post workout nutrition. For optimal recovery, it's important to eat something with carbs and a bit of protein with 60 minutes post workout. A glass of chocolate milk is not a bad choice.

9. Try regular massage, physiotherapy, or yoga – Ignoring little muscle imbalances, minor pulls, or misalignments is a recipe for getting injured. If you've been losing training time due to injury, a little preventative maintenance can go a long ways towards avoiding down time. There's nothing wrong with visiting the physiotherapist every two months or so for a check up. Don't wait until things start to hurt. Similarly, regular massage or yoga can help to keep you off the injured reserve list.

10. Choose a new goal – As runners, we often fall into routines – daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly. Routines are a good thing, they keep you consistent, but taken too far, routines become ruts. Every so often, you need to get out of your rut. If you've been running marathons, maybe target running a good 5 km or completing a triathlon. If 5 kms have been your focus, consider running the mile or 1500m, or maybe move up to the half marathon. Switching your training emphasis from speed to endurance (or vice versa) for awhile can pay big dividends when you return to your favorite distance.

With apologies to the creators of Spinal Tap, this article goes to 11.

11. Bonus Point - Hire a coach – Ok, this last point is a bit self serving, but a competent coach can guide your training, provide feedback, and act as an ongoing source of motivation. Paying for professional advice often increases your commitment to a training or fitness goal.