How to Run Longer Without Getting Tired

Whether you’re a new runner or someone who’s taken a long break from the sport, building your endurance and mental stamina can take time. Running short distances may feel tiring at first, but if you strategize how you build your mileage, plus bolster your aerobic endurance and strength, you can reach your goals efficiently and safely.

Ahead, exercise physiologists share insights on how you can run longer without getting tired.

There are a few ways you can challenge your aerobic endurance so that you can run for longer periods of time.

“One of the most helpful tricks for building endurance is to focus on increasing the amount of time you spend running rather than the distance,” says Kaleigh Ray, a biomechanist and ACSM-certified exercise physiologist. “You may have heard of the technique, ‘time on feet.’”

When Ray, an ultrarunner, focuses on building her endurance for her next race, she likes to add time onto her runs in five- to 10-minute increments. But, new runners may benefit from adding just one or two minutes onto their runs. So, if you run for 10 minutes on Monday, aim for 11 or 12 minutes on Wednesday, for example.

New runners often try to build speed and endurance at the same time, which isn’t the most efficient route, Ray explains. There’s no advantage of trying to go fast as you’re building on endurance, she says, because you’re still running for the same amount of time no matter the pace.

Once you work up to 20-minute runs, Ray recommends increasing the time on your feet every week, more so than by each run, so you have some shorter, easier runs built into your week.

Another way you can approach building endurance for running? Add some walking into your workout for active recovery.

“When building endurance, you can start with a run/walk program, such as running for a quarter mile, then walking for a half mile,” says Alison Ball, exercise physiologist at OSF HealthCare and seasoned ultrarunner. “When doing this, you can slowly increase your running distance and time while decreasing your walking distance and time each week.”

Make things a bit more challenging by walking or running up stairs or a hill, Ball says. “The goal is to stress the body to work harder for a shorter period, which in return will help endurance.”

No matter what strategy you choose to increase how long you can run without fatiguing as quickly, understanding your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is critical to avoid running too fast, too early on in your training.

“The typical RPE scale goes from one to 10, but some variations measure from six to 20,” Ray says. “Most runners and instructors use the one to 10 scale because it’s more intuitive: one is a very light effort, while 10 represents a maximal effort.”

Essentially, the RPE scale breaks down in this way:

1-4: Light effort; you can hold a conversation
4-6: Moderate effort; you can still talk, but are breathing heavier
6-9: Moderate to vigorous effort; runs within this range are more challenging and require you to take short, quick breaths
9-10: Maximum effort

When training for endurance, Ray and Ball recommend doing runs at a pace that falls between a three and six RPE score. “By aiming for an easy to moderate effort, runners ensure that they are leaving plenty in the tank for later in the run,” Ray says. “I recommend staying as close to a three as possible, but some runners may not be able to run without exceeding that RPE.”

Keep in mind that the longer you stay running, your speed may decrease as your RPE increases, and that’s OK. It’s natural for your body to begin working harder to keep up with the same pace over a period of time. “The important part is to pace yourself in the beginning to delay this higher RPE for as long as possible.”

Ball adds that when you increase your weekly mileage, you should only be increasing by 10 percent. “For example, if you ran 15 miles last week, then the following week, you should only increase it by 1.5 miles,” she says.

When you want to start incorporating speed into your training routine, you can do hill workouts or interval training, which should be working more at a six to eight on the RPE scale, Ball says.

You can increase your aerobic endurance without running. Cross-training by doing other aerobic exercises, such as biking or swimming, can give your body a break from the demands of running, and work different muscle groups. “I would suggest doing these activities once or twice a week,” Ball says.

You can do a cross-training activity as a rest day workout to help you recover from a hard week of running. Aim to keep the resistance easy on the bike and work at a four or five on the RPE scale, Ball says. Alternatively, you can do a tough pool or bike workout instead of doing a speed session on the track or hill workout. “When replacing it with speed work, you can do intervals on a bike where you pedal harder or keep a harder resistance for two minutes and then lighten the load for one minute,” Ball says.

Another intense workout that can help boost your endurance — that isn’t running — is a HIIT workout. “High-intensity interval training is great for building your VO2 max,” Ray says. VO2 max is a measurement used to calculate how efficiently your body uses oxygen during a workout. “You can do a traditional HIIT workout that incorporates exercises like mountain climbers, burpees and jumping jacks,” Ray says.

One of the most important things you can do as a runner is establish a solid strength training routine. “Strength training helps build your muscle fibers,” Ball explains. “Heavy weightlifting, or heavier weight with lower reps, is going to help build up those type II muscle fibers which are responsible for power.” You need power when you’re sprinting, for example. “Lighter weightlifting, or lower weight with more reps, will help with the longevity of the run since you are focusing on your type I muscle fibers,” Ball says.

Aim to lift weights at least twice a week, with one day focusing on heavier weights and the other targeted toward lighter weights, Ball recommends.

Without giving your body the nutrients it needs to sustain the distance, your body can feel fatigued earlier on in your workout, which can hinder your performance. You can avoid that by fueling and hydrating as you run. “If you are running for more than 45 minutes in a hot climate or more than an hour in cold weather, it’s important to be drinking water throughout your run,” Ray says. Consider running with a water bottle and taking a few sips of water every 10 minutes or so, especially if you’re doing a longer run. For those who are more advanced, she recommends consuming about 100 calories every 45 minutes you run.

Letting your body recover after training runs is critical to progressing as an athlete. Not resting, getting poor sleep and skipping other recovery methods, such as foam rolling, may increase your risk of overuse injuries, such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis. “One of the most important factors in building endurance is staying consistent,” Ray says. “You can only stay consistent by staying uninjured.” Add mobility exercises into your training routine to prepare your muscles, tendons and joints for movement.

“Some runners may struggle with the mental aspect of endurance running,” Ray says. Similarly, people may struggle to get their run in after a long day at work or school because they’re mentally exhausted — and building endurance requires mental stamina or toughness.

“I suggest developing positive coping strategies that help you get through your run,” Ray says. Running with friends and running without music on at least one solo run a week can help boost your mental stamina, she explains.

Words by Cheyenne Buckingham