If you’re an athlete or are just getting started, you may want to know how to increase running endurance. Learn how in four simple steps.
When it comes to increasing running endurance, beginners and experts are looking for two different things: distance and speed-endurance. Fortunately, there are different training plans that can improve the distance and the speed at which you cover it.
According to exercise physiologist Kris Berg, improving endurance comes down to “encouraging runners to do what feels right.” The following are four different training steps that can boost endurance for a range of people – from beginner to expert.
1. Step by Step
One of the most important principles that apply to runners of all types is that endurance is built gradually. For example, you may start by running for 30 seconds nonstop, but that will increase if you’re consistent in running.
Furthermore, Alex Harrison of the Renaissance Periodization suggests starting from where you are, not from where you wish you were. “Progress should be over many weeks, allowing time for recovery, but getting harder and harder,” he explains.
2. Yasso 800s
The Yasso system consists of running 800-meter repeats on a track within the same minutes/seconds as your hours/minutes goal time. In other words, if you want to run a marathon at 3:30, complete your 800s in 3 minutes and 30 seconds.
Doug Underwood, a Boston Marathon qualifier, says that “if you can run 10 of them at your goal pace, you have a great chance of achieving your marathon goal time.” If you’re planning a go at them, do them once a week and start with four or five, adding one per week.
3. Long and Slow
Coach Warren Finke believes that “a lot of runners train too hard, get injured, and never reach their potential.” To avoid this, his program focuses on running at 80% of the speed you would run the same distance.
By following this efforts-based training, runners can maintain their training while avoiding any injuries that may set them back. To figure out your time, simply multiply the race pace by 1.25. For instance, if you can run 10 miles at a 7:30 pace, run it at 9:23.
4. Make Workouts Count
As chair of the Health and Exercise Science department at Furman University, Bill Pierce has figured out a program that works for him. He runs three days a week on hard days and focuses on strength training the other four days.
“I run at a higher intensity than some others recommend, but I have found that this program has worked well for me for many years,” Pierce says. Therefore, if you want to follow his training, plan for interval training on Tuesdays, tempo on Thursdays, and long runs on Sundays.
Increasing Running Endurance
By improving your endurance, you can become a better athlete while also boosting your heart health. Similarly, if you have a healthy heart, you will be able to perform better during your workouts.
In addition to running, you can take supplements that will promote your heart health and energy levels like L-arginine Plus. Its ingredients help increase the production of nitric oxide, a natural compound that improves circulation.
As a result, your body and muscles can get the blood and oxygen it needs to function effectively. Try L-arginine Plus along with your endurance training to boost your energy and overall health.