22 Tips to improve running stamina, speed and distance

Every runner wants to learn how to run faster and longer. Whether you are a beginner or advanced into running, you will always want to improve your performance

So, here are 20 tips to improve your running stamina, speed, and distance:

Improve running stamina

1- Proper warming up

Warming up helps prepare your body for running activities. It increases your body temperature, which is particularly helpful in increasing blood flow to your muscles.

Not only that, but it will also improve muscle elasticity, reduce muscle soreness, and lessen your risk of injury.

for a proper warm-up, do quick stretching exercises like spot jogging, jumping jacks, side bends, ankle rotations, neck rotations, arm circles, shoulder rotations, and waist rotations.

2- Maintain correct posture

Running requires the right balance of relaxation and tension throughout the body. Correct running posture helps you run better and for a longer duration and prevents injury.

Here are some tips to improve running posture:

1. Stand tall
2. Keep midsection stable
3. Keep shoulder blades stable
4. Avoid slouching
5. Look ahead
6. Slightly lean forward

3- Go slow and steady

Always aim to go slow and make incremental gains in your running routine. Even if you feel ready to bump up your distance or speed, go up in small steps to avoid injury and burnout.

This is especially important if you are new to a regular running schedule.

A good practice is to increase your mileage by no more than 10 percent each week. It will prevent injury and build long-term endurance.

4- Long Runs

Targeting long runs is critical for improving stamina and endurance. Many try to run too fast and struggle to finish strong. To combat this, ensure to finish your long run at a slow and sustainable pace and focus on covering the distance.

Either increase your long run by 5-10 minutes or add 800 – 1600 meters each time.

5- Incorporate Cross-training

Runners always tend to run, but cross-training will help improve overall fitness, which will aid in your performance.

Once or twice a week, incorporate a few of the following in your running routine:

• Outdoor biking
• Swimming
• Elliptical training
• Tabata workouts

6- Stay consistent

You must be consistent with your training to increase running stamina.

Training needs to progress from less total training and less intense training to more total training volume and more intense sessions.

If your running workouts don’t progress in volume or intensity over the course of months, there will be no progression.

7- Cooling Down

Cooling down after your running routine allows gradual recovery to regular heart rate and blood pressure.

Cooling down is like warming up. It should last for 3-10 minutes and include slower, gentle movements, and stretching exercises. 

Improve running speed

8- Interval training

Interval training is also known as HIIT cardio is one of the best ways to improve your speed. It’s used by many top-level athletes to improve performance for almost any sport that involves running.

Here is how to do it:

Warm-up for 10 minutes by jogging slowly. Then run at a high-intensity pace (where you can’t hold a conversation comfortably) for 2 to 5 minutes. Jog for the same amount of time to recover.

Repeat 4 to 6 times. Do this a minimum of once or twice per week until you’ve comfortably reached your desired speed.

9- Tempo training

The goal is to run at a tempo pace or a comfortably hard pace. It should be slightly faster than your target goal time.

Run at this pace for a few minutes, followed by several minutes of jogging. Work up to 10 to 15 minutes of tempo pace for a 5K and 20 to 30 minutes of running at your tempo pace for longer races.

10- Hill training

If you’re planning on running a race that has hills, it’s important to train on them. Pick a hill that’s of similar length and incline to the one you’ll encounter in the race. Or, if you have access to the course, train on the hills there.

Run at tempo pace up the hill, and then jog back down. Repeat several times.

11- Strength training

If you’re not already doing resistance training workouts, then you need to add them to your running program.

Performing strength training exercises at least 2 to 3 days a week can help improve the running economy, according to a review of literature from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Plus, increasing the strength of all your muscles helps reduce your chance of getting injured. Aim for full-body workouts that target the major muscle groups. Perform 2 to 3 sets per exercise, 8 to 12 repetitions per set.

12- Include some Walking

Adding some walking to your running routine helps you run farther and faster by building leg strength, increasing lung capacity, reducing stress, and burning extra calories.

One should include at least 30 minutes of walking in their running routine.

Improve running distance

13- Control your Breathing

Usually, people hold their breath or forget to increase their breathing speed when running gets hard. If you are running faster, you need to breathe faster. Holding your breath can make you feel fatigued during your workout sooner than you should.

Your breathing should increase from 15 times a minute while resting to 40-60 times a minute during running.

14. Alter rest times and intervals

Other than simply increasing the number of miles you run each week, Stonehouse says he likes to limit recovery time between intervals, while also increasing the intensity of the running intervals. Both are great steps toward running for a longer distance.

However, he does point out that the recovery period both during the workout and after is critical, especially when it comes to avoiding injuries.

Related: 5 tips to prevent an injury from happening

15- Using the right gear

It may sound obvious, but long-distance running requires that you be properly clad. This can mean several forms of attire depending on the weather and the time of day that you prefer to run. In hot weather, dressing down in light loose shorts and a loose top prevents excess sweat from sticking to your body. A headband is also a good idea since it prevents sweat from trickling down into your eyes. 

In cold weather, runners sweat less. Tights and woolen headgear can provide the needed protection from the chill and prevent excessive loss of body heat. Dressing warmly is vital to prevent injuries.

16- Get comfortable sneakers

Long-distance running is challenging enough; the last thing you need is your footwear holding you back. Because you’ll be on your feet the entire time, it’s essential to get comfortable sneakers that can go the distance. Stopping a run halfway because you have blisters ruins the flow of the workout and impacts your stamina and momentum negatively. Also, Improper support can lead to long-term damage.

17- Use a timer

Although not everyone is into long-distance running for competition, it’s still a good idea to use a timer to help gauge your threshold for a given distance. That information will prove helpful with pacing long-distance runs. It will also help you develop effective running plans for future workouts.

18- Break your run into sections

Thinking about long distances before you start your run can be discouraging. Mentally breaking down a long-distance run is often the key to getting going and keeping going.

10km runs can be broken up in your mind into three 3.5km stages. Once one stage is accomplished, the next one doesn’t seem too daunting and by the time you’re through with the second stage, you can make a push to finish the last stage. 

19- Eat healthily

Any sport requires nutritious meals and snacks to aid in muscle recovery and overall health. It’s advisable to eat familiar food and beverages before and after training, since trying something new can cause an upset stomach.

This is especially true before running a marathon. Eating healthy and consistently helps to stabilize your body before and after long workouts.

20- Don’t run too soon after having a meal

Having a meal before a run is a crucial step to boosting one’s energy level and increasing the chance of a successful long run. However, it is important to wait for at least 3 hours to allow adequate time for digestion.

Not allowing enough time to empty the stomach can lead to stomach discomfort during a run, which can mean anything from bloating and abdominal cramps to vomiting. 

21- Staying hydrated

Long-distance running means perspiration and expelling toxins, but it also removes a good amount of water from the body. 

The process of hydrating for longer runs should start even before the training session. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids with meals and in between meals. Also, consider a drink of water at the middle point of your run or every 30-45 minutes in runs that last longer than an hour.

After a marathon or long-distance run, it’s advisable to not only drink water but also alkaline-rich recovery beverages such as Gatorade.  

22- Train in a group

When taking up long-distance running, it may be easier to find a safe group in the area that gets together to do long runs. Even seasoned long-distance runners can benefit from running in a local group every so often. It is motivational for beginners and socially uplifting for everyone involved. 

As you work toward increasing your running performance, it’s important to remember that seeing improvement takes time.

Showing up, following a plan, and being consistent with your training is a great place to start.

And once you’re ready to up your game, the tips and techniques outlined above can help you perform better, run faster, and last longer.