How to Improve Your Running Endurance

TRAINING | September 2024

Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world, and for good reason. It’s good for our cardio system, strengthens our muscles and joints, and can even boost our mental wellness. No wonder, then, that so many people enjoy endurance running – and set inspiring goals to run a specific distance or at a certain speed.

The joy of running is in its simplicity. All you need is a comfortable pair of trainers and somewhere to run (we recommend scenic routes!). But what is endurance running, and how can you use it to empower your cardio fitness? Read on, as the experts at F45 are here to empower your cardio fitness, and running stamina.

How to Improve Running Endurance

What is endurance running?

Endurance running means that you’re aiming to run a long distance at a constant intensity. However, what’s considered ‘long distance’ or’ intense’ is completely up to you. For a beginner, it could be building up to run your first kilometre; for someone further down the track, it could mean smashing a half or full marathon.

When learning how to build stamina and endurance for running, it’s important to understand that long-distance running is just as much a mental exercise as it is physical. Developing the mental strength to keep running is what helps your body settle into a comfortable rhythm and pace – which, in the (literal) long run, is what helps you become a better endurance runner.

How to improve your running endurance

Long distance running is an empowering form of fitness that can be consistently improved upon with a quality workout routine. Improving your endurance running could involve increasing your distance, speed or mental strength. And, for those who love the social aspect of group fitness, improvement could simply mean being comfortable enough to have a conversation while running.

Once you experience your first runner’s high, there’s no looking back. Below are F45’s top ways to elevate your running stamina to support your fitness goals.

1. Get involved in HIIT training

When learning how to increase your stamina for running, high intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective method for increasing your aerobic capacity.

Capable of delivering similar – and even greater – changes than moderate intensity exercise, HIIT training for running will usually involve repeated sprint training, with short recovery periods.

Here’s an example of a HIIT workout:

20 seconds of intense sprinting

40 seconds of moderate walking

Repeat 15 times

A key benefit with HIIT exercises to improve running endurance is the time save. Performing 15 sprints may only take 20 minutes (including warmup), whereas moderate long-distance running may take 40 minutes. In saying that, HIIT training should not replace long distance running to improve running endurance, but instead be used to elevate your routine – especially if you’re short for time.

To balance low- and moderate-intensity workouts alongside HIIT, F45 trainer Rilwan ‘Ril’ Anibaba recommends the “80/20 rule: where 80% of your weekly training is at low to moderate intensity, and 20% is high intensity work. This creates an optimal balance, helping you to improve your running endurance while avoiding burnout.

“Combine this with full rest and active recovery days,” Ril adds, “to let your body repair and adapt to the training stimulus.”

2. Implement strength training

When exploring how to improve running endurance, some of your training should include resistance workouts in a fitness studio or gym. Incorporating strength and cardio training into your routine is the most time-efficient way to bring about performance adaptations for endurance¹.

Weight training improves your explosive power, muscular economy and supports injury prevention. The goal with strength training is to lift heavy weights for a low number of reps. This usually looks like three sets of between eight and 12 reps, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between sets.

Strength training exercises that target your legs are:

Squats

Deadlifts

Lunges

Calf raises

Core and upper body exercises will also improve your body composition and make your arm movements more efficient when running. These exercises include:

Planks

Side planks

Push ups

Chest dips

3. Progressive overload

Gradually increasing the difficulty of all parts of an endurance running routine is important to maximise improvement². This applies to any cardio, strength training or HIIT workout you’re performing.

There are a variety of ways you can make your endurance training more difficult: including endurance running, HIIT, and strength training.

Endurance running:

Increase your distance ran

Improve your speed

HIIT:

Boost your speed

Increase your number of reps

Reduce the recovery time between interval sprints

Strength training:

Increase the resistance or weight you’re lifting

Increase your number of reps

Reduce the recovery time between sets

Small and incremental increases help your body develop without making your recovery time longer. To track your progress and keep pushing yourself, record your training with the F45 fitness app.

4. Monitor Pacing

The phrase “pace yourself” is especially important when learning how to build stamina and endurance for running.

Pacing refers to the speed at which you’re running, and it’s the key to long distance running. If you run too fast, you’ll tire early; if you run too slow, you may not challenge yourself or reach your fitness goal.

What an optimal pace is for you depends on your running goals. But the most common pacing for endurance running is when you’re working at 60 to 70% of your max heart rate. For beginners, we recommended you start off slow and settle into a comfortable pace. It can take time to get your pacing right: so if you feel it’s off, simply walk for a while to catch your breath, before easing into a running pace again.

The bottom line? When it comes to building running endurance, start slow.

Ril agrees. “As a beginner runner, it’s easy to get excited and push hard from week one, but this can hurt your long-term progress. Start slow, gradually increasing your weekly mileage to let your joints, muscles, and cardiovascular system adapt. Once you’re comfortable, add long, conversational-pace runs and strength training into your program. These will boost your aerobic capacity, strengthen muscles, and reduce injury risk, while improving running endurance and efficiency.”

5. Take time for recovery

Endurance running and distance running is a lifestyle, and to promote recovery it needs to be supplemented with quality hydration, nutrition, rest and sleep. Adequate recovery helps your cardio system and muscles adapt to long distance running³ and is fundamental for your mental wellness.

Quality recovery is essential for maintaining your fitness routine, as it ensures your body is ready for your next run or workout. An active recovery session such as walking or low intensity swimming can help reduce muscle soreness on rest days. Better still, you don’t need much: 10 minutes of active recovery is enough to help maintain performance and is a therapeutic part of a training routine⁴.