Whether you’re an elite marathon runner or starting the third week of a 5K program, running farther and faster are two common training goals for people of all fitness levels.
While there is no set rule or “best way” to increase your running endurance, there are some general guidelines you can follow that will help you perform better while avoiding injury.
How to increase stamina?
To increase your resistance, you need to have a working definition of what it is. The easiest way to understand endurance as it relates to running, according to Steve Stonehouse, NASM-CPT, USATF certified coach, director of training for STRIDE, is to think of it as your body’s ability to sustain effort for an extended period of time.
In general:
1. Start slow and tackle small steps:
Even if you feel ready to increase distance or speed, it’s a smart idea to go slow and aim for incremental gains in your training program. This is especially true if you’re new to a regular running program.
If you averaged 4 miles, don’t increase to 7 miles. To avoid injury and burnout, increase in small steps, such as increasing 1 mile each week.
Another important tip, says Alex Harrison, PhD, CSCS, USATF-3, USAT, USAW, sports performance consultant with Renaissance Periodization, is to always start training from where you are, not where you want to be.
According to Harrison, “progress should last many weeks, allowing time for recovery, but becoming increasingly difficult.”
2. Add strength training:
If you’re not already doing resistance training, you need to add it to your running program.
According to a literature review by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, performing strength training exercises at least 2 to 3 days a week can help improve running economy.
Additionally, increasing the strength of all your muscles helps reduce the risk of injury. Aim for full-body workouts that hit major muscle groups. Perform 2 to 3 sets per exercise, 8 to 12 repetitions per set.
3. Commit to training:
You need to be consistent with your training to increase your running endurance.
Harrison asserts that “training needs to shift from less overall, less intense training to more overall training volume and more intense sessions.”
If your running workouts don’t improve in volume or intensity over the months, there will be no progression.
4. Alter rest times and intervals:
Beyond simply increasing the number of miles you run each week, Stonehouse says he likes to limit the recovery time between intervals while increasing the intensity of his running intervals. Both are great steps toward building stamina.
However, he stresses that the recovery period both during and after training is crucial, especially when it comes to avoiding injury.
For speed:
5. Sprint interval training:
Sprint interval training is a type of high-intensity training used in many sports such as running to increase endurance and speed.
In fact, a 2017 study found that six sessions of sprint interval training improved running performance, both endurance and anaerobic, in trained runners.
The work intervals performed are at 100% of your effort, or all-out sprints. Rest periods are longer to aid recovery.
6. Train for your distance:
According to Stonehouse, the distance or time of intervals will be relative to the race distance you are training for.
For example, if you’re training for a marathon, “speed work” may consist of mile repeats. But if training is for a 1,600-meter or 1-mile run, speed work can be repeated over distances of 100 meters, 200 meters, or 400 meters.
For beginners:
7. Slowly increase weekly mileage:
The overall goal for a beginner should be to slowly increase mileage while at the same time getting stronger with resistance training. Following a workout plan can help beginners increase stamina and endurance while reducing the risk of injury.
8. Use heart rate data:
If you have access to a heart rate monitor, consider using this information to increase your running endurance.
“Heart rate monitor data can be critical for beginners to know how efficient their body is at working hard and recovering quickly,” explains Stonehouse.
For the 1,600 meters:
9. Increase running volume:
Running 1,600 meters or 1 mile might not seem too difficult, but if you’re racing against the clock, every second counts. And if you consider that a mile or 1,600 meters is an aerobic event, Harrison says you have to be incredibly fit to run it faster.
The best way to get incredibly fit, he says, is to run lots of miles a week and progressively increase them over time.
10. Focus on running economy:
Running economy reflects the energy demands of running at a constant submaximal speed. In general, runners with good economy consume less oxygen than runners with poor economy at the same steady-state speed, according to a 2015 study.
So if you want to become more economical by running at mile pace, Harrison says you need to run at or near mile pace.
One way to achieve this is to run sometimes faster and sometimes slower, then focus on your mile pace as the race approaches.
Harrison outlines a training example from the Renaissance Periodization Beginner 5K Plan that helps improve running economy when training for faster mileage.
On a treadmill:
11. Run on a slight incline:
In addition to staying indoors, you can apply all the same resistance training techniques to your treadmill workouts.
That said, Harrison says that to increase resistance on the treadmill you need to adapt your technique.
“The running gait (technique) tends to be slightly more passive in some phases on a treadmill due to the absorption of the running surface and the belt motor,” he explains.
To mitigate this problem, he recommends increasing the slope to 0.5 or 1%, and calling it “flat” is a great place to start.
11. Adjust for injuries:
If you have impact-related injuries, such as shin or joint pain anywhere, Harrison says to consider increasing the grade by 1 to 3 percent. The pace, obviously, will have to be slower, but the cardiovascular benefit will be the same.
12. Stay hydrated:
Even though it’s not a specific training method, dehydration has an impact on your capacity to gain endurance.
Because when you run on a treadmill you don’t have the cooling effect of air flowing across your body, Harrison recommends using a fan or running in an air-conditioned facility.
He says, “Running on a treadmill in 70 degree weather with no airflow is more like running in 85 degree weather outside.”
That’s why hydration before, during and after workouts is so important. For longer sessions, he considers consuming carbohydrates and electrolytes during exercise.
When to talk to a professional?
Whether you’re new to running or have been hitting the trails for years, talking to a running coach or personal trainer with experience training runners has benefits for all fitness levels.
When you’re looking to improve your running performance and endurance, getting advice from an expert can help you get started on the right foot.
“In my experience, everyone turns to a coach or personal trainer for different reasons,” says Stonehouse. Whether it’s education, motivation or accountability, she says a coach can be a valuable resource.
In light of this, Stonehouse advises speaking with a coach early on in your running career as opposed to waiting until issues or injuries arise.
Harrison concurs as well. He clarifies, “There’s a widespread misconception that someone should attempt to reach a specific level of fitness before working with a trainer.”
In fact, Harrison says the first few weeks and months of training are the most critical to follow, because people are the most vulnerable to injury when they start.
“A good coach will know how to get beginners into training while reducing the risk of injury and can also help instill good running patterns and training habits from the start, rather than trying to break bad habits that form when they people run alone before seeking expert advice,” he adds.
The bottom line:
As you work to increase your running endurance, it’s important to remember that seeing improvements takes time.
An excellent place to start is by showing up, sticking to your training schedule, and being consistent.
And once you’re ready to up your game, the tips and techniques above can help you perform better, run faster, and last longer.