How to Run Longer

Co-authored by Kai Ng

Last Updated: February 23, 2023 Approved

If you want to run greater distances and improve your endurance, you can start right away. Just add a few minutes to each workout, pushing through the discomfort until your time is up. If you want to gain speed as well, doing plyometrics and sprints will help your body get stronger and faster. Follow these steps to run longer and get more out of your workout.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Adding Time

1
Check your running form. Before you aim to run longer, it's a good idea to make sure you've mastered the basics. Using awkward form might not make a difference when you're only running a couple of miles, but when you add more time and mileage your running form makes a bigger difference.
- Pump your arms and take comfortable strides.
- Relax your upper body instead of holding it stiff.
- Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Make sure you're running in a comfortable pair of shoes that fit your feet well.
2
Time a run. Before trying to add time, see exactly what you have to work with. Wear a watch on your next run and time yourself. You'll be adding time in small increments, so it's a good idea to know what your starting point will be.
- Run as long as you can before needing to stop. Try to keep going even after you feel tired and your legs start aching. You likely have a little more endurance than you realize, since a big part of being able to run longer is having the ability to deal with some discomfort.
- Consider setting a goal based on your starting time. If you can run 15 minutes, your goal might be to make it to 30. If you can run 30, maybe you want to be able to run for an hour.
Advertisement
3
Add 5 - 10 minutes a week. It might not sound like much, but adding 5 - 10 minutes per week, depending on your initial endurance level, will build up very quickly. This is a good, steady amount of time to add to help you run longer without jumping ahead too fast and over-straining your muscles. Make a commitment to running the extra time, even if it's a struggle - that's how you build endurance.
- If your first timed run lasted under 30 minutes, start by adding 5 minutes next time. Keep adding 5 minutes week after week until you can run for 30.
- If your first timed run was over 30 minutes, add 10 minutes per week. Keep adding 10 minutes per week (and no more) until you reach your goal.
You can work on your speed later - for now, just focus on the goal of running longer. Your pace should be easy enough that you can have a conversation while you run. Run at a pace you feel like you could keep up indefinitely. Pushing yourself to run both faster and longer could lead to burnout, so if you're concerned about speed, make it a goal to run faster after you've reached your goal to run for a certain amount of time. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
5
Fuel your body properly. What you eat and drink before working out matters. If you feel heavy or bloated, you won't be able to run as long. It's very important to be completely hydrated and sated with nutrients so you'll be able to endure the entire run. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- While you need to have fuel in your body, it's not necessary to "carbo-load" before a run. This can actually really slow you down. Unless you're running a marathon, your body really doesn't need a rush of carbohydrates to complete the run.
- Try eating a handful of almonds, a banana, or half a bagel with peanut butter about an hour before you run. This should be sufficient to get you through the run without weighing you down.
- Don't hydrate with sports drinks - just drink water instead. Again, your body doesn't need the extra sugar to perform well. In the end, the extra calories will just make it more difficult to stay in good shape.
Building endurance happens when you make a plan and keep at it, week after week. If you skip a few weeks of running, your fitness level will drop a bit and you'll have to build it back up again. If you end up needing to take an extended break because life gets in the way of training, that's OK - just get back out there and start adding time again. Fitness is a work in progress, and you're going to have super-fit times and not-so-fit times - that's just part of the game.
7
Don't push too hard. Attempting to skip ahead in your plan and add more than 10 minutes per week will backfire on you. Your body needs time to slowly build muscle and fitness, and if you try to push too hard you could injure yourself or simply get burned out. You'll be more successful if you build endurance slowly but surely. ^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Make sure to incorporate rest days into your routine. Don't run every single day - you should rest at least 1 or 2 days a week to give your muscles a chance to heal and rest.
- On the days when you don't run, you can cross train. Try biking, swimming, or hiking as an alternative.
Advertisement

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Increasing Endurance

1
Walk when you need to. When you're building up endurance, you're likely to experience some discomfort as you add time to your runs. You'll get to the point where you feel like you can't take another step. That's OK - you can slow down and walk for a bit. Walk until you feel able to run, then start running again. Keep rotating between walking and running until you've been working out for the amount of time you set out to run.
- The run/walk strategy is especially helpful if you're a beginner runner. Try to increase the time you're running and decrease the time you're walking with each subsequent workout. Eventually, you'll be able to run the entire time.
2
Run sprints. Doing high-intensity interval training has been shown to increase the body's maximal oxygen uptake - known as VO2 max - which is the standard measure or aerobic fitness. ^{[4]
X
Research source} That means that running sprints a few times a week will help you build the endurance to run longer at a slower pace. Try the following routine 2 to 3 times a week for about 6 weeks:
- Warm up completely. Sprinting puts a lot of pressure on your muscles, and warming up will help prevent injury.
- Sprint for 30 seconds at 50 percent capacity. Rest for 2 minutes.
- Sprint for 30 seconds at 80 percent capacity. Rest for 2 minutes.
- Sprint for 30 seconds at 100 percent capacity. Rest for 2 minutes.
- Repeat for a total of up to 8 sprints depending on your fitness level.
3
Do plyometrics. Boot camp-style exercises like skipping drills and high-knee sprints have been used to great success by some athletes to improve endurance. ^{[5]
X
Research source} These exercises build core muscles and tone the entire body. Incorporating plyometrics helps athletes run longer, faster. You can work with a personal trainer to use your gym's equipment to complete a plyometrics routine 2 - 3 times a week. Alternatively, try the following workout:
- Run 20 yards (18.3 m) using the shortest, quickest stride you can do. Repeat 6 times.
- Do a total of 5 minutes of the following exercises: single-leg hops, jump roping, and high-knee skipping.
This strategy is used by marathoners who add distance every week. During the week, do 2 or 3 shorter, intense runs - hard runs during which you run faster and with more effort. On the weekend, do your longest run at an easy, conversational pace. You'll find the longer runs to be more pleasant than the shorter ones, even though you're covering more distance and running for a longer amount of time.
A tempo run is one that starts with 15 minutes at an easy pace, then 20 minutes at a comfortably hard pace (not a sprint), and finishes with 15 minutes at an easy pace. Adding one or two tempo runs to your workout will increase the body's lactate threshold, the point at which the body fatigues while running a certain pace. ^{[6]
X
Research source}
In order to keep your mind occupied and away from thoughts of feeling tired, try listening to an MP3 player during your run. Alternatively, you might prefer the quiet time to relax your mind and focus only on your running. Do whatever works best for you and helps you push through the discomfort your body will feel as you gain endurance.

Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How do I stop the pain from cramping?

Community Answer

Lay down on your back in sit-up position, put your hands on your head and breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. Eventually you'll stop getting them, but the first couple of times you'll get them. If you get a cramp, it's best to do as stated above, but if your muscles just hurt or your throat burns its best to not sit down, but to try to stand or walk slowly.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 7 Helpful 63
Question

What do you do if you're tired, but you want to keep running?

Community Answer

Keep going for as long as you can, then gradually bring your pace down to a speed-walk until you recover enough energy to start running again.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 11 Helpful 90
Question

Should I sprint at the start of the race to get a head start?

Community Answer

If you do, be careful of going over the limit and tiring yourself out of the race. Pace yourself to build up to a faster sprint toward the end.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 16 Helpful 118

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

If you are in a race, or running with someone who is better than you, try to keep within in a certain distance of them, as it will distract you from your tiredness and keep you going.

Thanks
Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
If you feel short of breath, breathe through your mouth. Breathing through your nose may not get enough oxygen to your muscles.

Thanks
Helpful 2 Not Helpful 2
Make sure you have a good pair of running shoes with adequate arch support.

Thanks
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Show More Tips

Warnings

Drinking too much water before the run can also throw your electrolytes off balance, making you prone to fatigue faster. You might also vomit and pass out.

Thanks
Helpful 277 Not Helpful 35
If you feel faint or notice your vision clouding, stop running immediately and walk slowly for a few minutes before sitting down.

Thanks
Helpful 231 Not Helpful 35
Consult a physician before you undertake strenuous exercise after a period of sedentary living.

Thanks
Helpful 140 Not Helpful 53

You Might Also Like

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

How to Run Longer

Steps

Adding Time

Increasing Endurance

Community Q&A

Tips

Warnings

You Might Also Like

References

About this article

Reader Success Stories

Did this article help you?

You Might Also Like

Explore Categories