This is not speed work. I never did speed work and won't. I didn't do fartleks, intervals, or hill repeats. I had no track background, and only ran in circles once, for 320 laps because that's where the Leo Jenkins Relay for Life was. I did run track for 2 months in high school, but quit because I got lapped in the 2-mile. 4x440 is a math problem, and the answer is 1760. You get my drift.
1) Stretch a little like you see them doing on TV or at races. It's supposed to help.
2) Try to run 5 miles at a time or more. No, I don't know why. It just works. Build up slowly, because you really will get injured if you don't. Really, you will. Everyone I know did.
3) Run like you're a little bit late, or at least on a schedule. Reserve slower runs for times when you are with someone else, recovery runs, are nursing an injury, or just have nothing better to do. That sense of urgency or that little imaginary "push" in the small of your back--gets you out of your comfort zone. Get used to not being comfortable. In time, you'll have to do it faster to be uncomfortable.
4) Leave the watch off. Remember the "we don't need no stinking badges!" quote? We were talking about watches, I think. Ignore the mile markers, the splits, and the watch. Do you really want to carry the extra weight? At races, you're paying someone else to keep time, so let 'em. See 3) above and run. If you really need a time crutch, look at the clock before you go outside, then look at it again when you come in. You'll quickly realize that you spent time before and after running, tightening your laces, talking to Charlie, or adjusting your jogbra, and you have no idea how fast you really ran. You'll soon see that a sundial works just as well. Now you're getting to where you'll understand this method.
5) Have a base run. Your daily 7, or 5, or 10, or whatever. Make it like brushing your teeth, something your day is not complete unless you do. That way, if you only do a 3-miler, or ride a bike, at least you did something. At my age, cutting the grass counts. This allows your guilt and all manners of twisted logic to motivate you.
6) Have a long run. That's what the Sunday Morning Run was originally all about.
7) Throw in some fast runs, outside your base runs, and not in the morning (good injury time). Stretch well, then take off to warm up, and then run noticeably faster than you normally do. Try to go as fast as you think you can, the entire distance back to your car or house. Hold it as long as you can, so fast you have to really focus just to avoid pedestrians, dogs, and traffic. Ease up when you're done, walk it off, then hit the showers. See, you're already faster.