How to improve running fitness

Whether you are training for a competitive event or simply want to run further for longer, knowing how to improve your running fitness is essential. With better stamina and running fitness, you will be able to cover longer distances at a higher speed without getting exhausted. 

You won’t be able to improve your stamina without a running fitness plan however, so the following running fitness guide will provide you with everything you need to know to increase your endurance. 

What is running fitness?

Running fitness is your body’s ability to sustain physical effort over long periods of time and at a higher speed. It can be improved through a variety of exercises that change how your body works and which make it more efficient. 

Running fitness plans will focus on helping your body to boost its aerobic capacity - the amount of oxygen your muscles can use. This means your muscles become more efficient when it comes to using oxygen and you can therefore run further without having to breathe so hard. 

Running fitness plans also focus on your strength and anaerobic abilities - that is your muscles’ ability to keep running without using oxygen.  

How long does it take to build running fitness?

Running fitness is a long-term activity - you cannot expect to improve it in just a couple of weeks. As a rule of thumb, it will take between 10 days and two weeks (or even longer) for the effects of a running fitness exercise to translate into improved overall fitness. Because results take some time to show, your running fitness motivation needs to be high!

Ultimately, you need to keep focused on your end goal - whether that’s beating your last marathon time, losing weight or simply getting stronger and fitter. To help with running fitness motivation, many people find that it is useful to keep a diary - not only describing the distance they covered, but also how it felt. You can then look back and see how far you have come. 

Running fitness plan

If you are looking at how to improve running fitness, the following pointers can form the basis of your plan. 

• Create a running fitness schedule

Because stamina only increases slowly and through consistent practice, it is important to develop a schedule which you can use to measure your improvements. 

Say you want to improve your endurance over the next two months. You should plan for 3-4 running sessions each week, each of which will build up your stamina (see the different kinds of exercise below). Having a schedule will make your training more consistent and your goal more achievable. 

• Start slow

If you try to increase the amount of running you do too fast, there’s a real risk of injury. You should therefore aim to build up distance running as well as speed and strength training only gradually. Aim to increase speed or distances by no more than 10-20 percent each week. 

• Build up your distance

The only way to improve stamina is to increase the distance you run! Using your running fitness schedule, build up the distance you cover consistently. If, on week one, you can comfortably run 10k, aim for 11.5k the following week and increase that number by 10-15% each subsequent week. 

Each week you should be aiming to do a couple of shorter runs, then one longer run. A running app can help you track distances most accurately. 

• Build strength training into the plan

Strength training is vital for runners as it makes your muscles stronger and more resilient. Try and fit a range of strength training exercises into your weekly routine - including lunges, squats, press ups, core exercises and more. Read our blog on strength training for runners to learn more.

• Include speed training too

Speed training is essential for any runner who wants to improve running fitness. Speed training sessions will improve your anaerobic capacity and mean that you can keep pushing yourself for longer. There are several different speed training exercises you can build into your routine, including:

• Tempo runs: shorter distances but at a higher speed than you usually run at
• Sprint intervals: You sprint for a set distance then slow down before sprinting again
• Threshold running: You run just at the threshold of the lactic acid in your muscles becoming overwhelming

• Eat for distance running

Distance running uses a lot of energy, so it is important to give your body the nutrition it needs. Runners should follow a well balanced diet, but be conscious to include more carbohydrates than usual. You can get carbs from foods like pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, cereals, lentils and other pulses. Aim to make your diet around 50 to 60 percent carb based. 

• Rest up

Resting is a crucial factor when working on your running fitness. As your body composition changes, you need time to adjust and make repairs. You therefore need to have at least three rest days each week, and get plenty of sleep. 

How to improve fitness for running

If you’re looking to improve running fitness, having a solid plan in place is a great start. By implementing the running fitness exercises and lifestyle changes described above, you will soon notice how much your running fitness improves.