Using Running to Build Stamina

Do you find you get tired relatively quickly when running? This is totally normal - particularly if you’re new to running, returning after a break, or increasing your distances. The good news is that you can increase your running stamina by training in specific ways. This should help you run longer and faster than before.

Feeling tired when running is normally not a problem. But severe breathing problems could be a sign of an underlying health issue - so you should speak to your doctor if you notice significant discomfort.

In this guide, you’ll learn about what stamina is, and how you can build stamina with running.

What is stamina?

Stamina can be defined as: “the physical or mental energy needed to do a tiring activity for a long time”. In terms of running, stamina is about your ability to run at your maximum effort for a sustained period of time.

Stamina isn’t a ‘thing’ that you can measure directly (unlike more objective fitness metrics such as VO2 Max or lung capacity). There are many different forms of stamina, and it depends on the characteristics of the exercise. For example, a long distance runner will have a different kind of stamina to a tennis player - the runner could run for much longer, but the tennis player could continue hitting tennis balls for hours.

At a biological level, increased stamina can mean several different things:

• More efficient use of oxygen
• More blood carried to muscles per minute
• Greater efficiency at using energy
• Greater explosive strength in muscles
• And many other factors

Read more in our stamina guide.

What are the benefits of improved stamina?

Increasing your stamina can provide multiple benefits for your running:

• Get more enjoyment from your exercise by running longer and faster
• Increase general fitness and health
• Feel more confident participating in Park Runs, races or other events
• Increase self esteem by seeing how much further and faster you can run
• Improve general athletic performance
• Get better race times

Stamina vs endurance

The terms ‘stamina’ and ‘endurance’ are often used interchangeably, but they mean slightly different things when it comes to running:

• Stamina is your ability to run at maximum effort in a specific time period
• Endurance is your ability to run for a long time at any speed for any amount of time

Training techniques for stamina with running

Whether you’re a beginner who wants to make it to the 5K mark for the first time or an experienced runner training for your first half marathon, there are several techniques you can use to increase your running stamina.

1.Run long and slow

One way to build stamina with running is to consistently do long, easy-paced training runs that allow you to increase your endurance while lowering the risk of injury. As a guide, when training, you should aim to run at around 80% of the speed you’d run at competitively. Say you had run a half marathon at an 8-minutes-per-mile pace. When training, aim to cover each mile in 10 minutes instead (calculate your 80% pace by multiplying your race pace by 1.25).

2.Interval training

Interval training is an excellent way of increasing stamina. It involves alternating periods of high intensity exercise interspersed with short rests. Research shows that doing interval running can ‘train’ your heart, help your muscles extract oxygen from blood more efficiently, and even get more enjoyment from exercise.

There are a few different kinds of running interval training you could try:

• Lap repeats: Visit a running track, use a treadmill, or follow the outside of a football pitch at your local park. Run at your top speed around the track (or for 400m on a treadmill), pause for a minute, then repeat.
• Fartlek running: A more ‘relaxed’ approach to interval training. Rather than repeatedly running a set distance, you head to your local park and choose a specific place to sprint to (e.g. a bench or tree in the distance). After reaching the spot, you do a walking rest, then choose another target to sprint towards, and so on.

For more running interval training ideas, read our guide.

3.Tempo runs

Tempo runs are a great way to increase running stamina.. To do a tempo run, you will run at a ‘comfortably hard’ pace for 20 to 40 minutes. Tempo runs can improve your stamina by training your body to clear lactic acid from the bloodstream more quickly, so you can run further before fatigue sets in.

To learn more about tempo runs, read our guide.

4.Develop your technique

Improving your technique will allow you to run more efficiently and ultimately cover more miles with less effort.

One key method for improving your technique is to focus on running tall. Straighten your back and neck and imagine there’s a piece of string holding you up nice and straight. Another useful method is to use your arms. Drive your elbows back - this will lift your sternum (chest) up, helping you run tall.

You should also make sure your feet land centrally under your body and are pointing forwards, rather than off to the side. Aiming for a cadence of around 170 to 185 steps per minute will make sure your strides are shorter and more efficient. .

More tips: Read our guide to running form

5.Strengthen your legs

To run faster and longer, you need to have sufficient power in your legs and core to keep you strong over the distance. Studies have shown that strength training can improve running economy, VO2 Max and anaerobic threshold.

Focus on building resilience and loading the tendons around the ankles, feet and knees to make your legs stronger. A great place to start are isometrics (static movements like wall squats) and isotonic exercises (such as weight lifting). As you get stronger, you can then progress to plyometrics (such as squat jumps, box jumps or reverse lunge knee ups).

6.Hill running

Hill running is a challenging form of running training where you sprint a set distance up an incline, walk down to the start, then repeat. It’s a great way of building stamina for running - one study found that a six week hill running programme improved people’s running economy by 2.4%.

Read our guide to hill running for tips on where to start.

7. Fuel your body

If you want to build stamina with running, it’s essential you know how to fuel your body properly or you’ll run out of energy long before your legs give up. Complex carbohydrates, like brown rice, whole grains and oatmeal, can provide the slow release of energy you need to keep going for longer.

Tracking progress and staying motivated

Working to increase your running stamina can be challenging. Here are a few tips to keep you going - even when it gets tough:

• Track your runs: Use a running app to track your distance, speed and times. This can give you a clear view of your progress, and means you can see improvements over time.
• Set milestones: Building running stamina will take time. Set yourself targets, and reward yourself when you achieve them. For example, you could set yourself a goal to increase your 5k time by 5% over the course of a month. Once you achieve that goal, treat yourself (with, for example, some new running gear).
• Get social: Running with other people can be a great way of increasing your stamina. By joining a club or running with a friend, you can take part in challenges to run faster and increase your stamina.

Challenges for increasing running stamina

Increasing your running stamina isn’t always easy - and will require a change in how you train. It’s important to be aware of certain issues, and how to avoid them.

Injuries: If you increase the speed or distance you run too quickly, you increase your risk of developing injuries. As a rule of thumb, avoid increasing your speeds/distances by any more than 5% per week.

• For example, say you’re using track interval training to boost your stamina. If you can currently run around a 400m track in 75 seconds, next week you might want to increase that speed to 72 seconds.
• Fatigue and soreness: Increasing your stamina will undoubtedly lead to fatigue and soreness. To minimise this, make sure you warm up adequately before every stamina training session, then use stretching while you cool down. You’ll also benefit from plenty of rest - leave at least two days between stamina training sessions to give your body time to recover.
• The mental game: Increasing your stamina for running requires real exertion. There are a number of mental ‘tricks’ you can use to keep going, even when things get tough. These include:
• Focusing on the present - tune into your breathing and how your body feels, rather than thinking about the finish line.
• Positive self talk - keep praising your own efforts, and remind yourself how well you’re doing
• Smile - smiling can help you loosen up, and may even reduce the perception of tiredness
• Listen to music - tuning into your favourite music can distract you from discomfort and help you keep running faster

Find the right running shoes

If you’re looking to increase your stamina when running, a pair of lightweight, stable and supportive running shoes can help. ASICS men’s and women’s running shoes are designed to help you run more comfortably and efficiently by using high quality materials and advanced technology.

Unsure which running shoes to wear to build your stamina? Visit an ASICS store to speak to our experts, or try our shoe finder for personalised suggestions.