How to Run Longer Without Getting Tired?

Several runners, especially beginners, encounter challenges when running longer. Many factors can affect your strength or endurance to achieve that stride. It might be injuries or even boredom and burnout after hitting your distance plateau; all these may make you frustrated and tired at some point. 

However, these hurdles don’t make running longer impossible. What you might not know is that runners who can now run longer have tried different running methods, exercises, and habits to help them increase their running speed, and you can also try them. 

Nothing stops you from running longer. You can run as long as you wish if you follow the exercises and tips below. Get on your running shoes, and let’s go! 

How to Run Longer? 4 Tips to Try Today

Training to run longer means committing to a regular routine of physical training. You’re your own running coach, so you need to trust the process and exercise patience with your progress. 

There are particular key parts of a training plan that anyone who aspires to run longer distances must keep to. 

#1 Try different running types 

Sticking to a conventional training plan and routine isn’t advisable for someone aspiring to run longer. It’s best to switch up methods and techniques – the more, the merrier.

A recent study expressed that trying out different running techniques possess great benefits needed for runners to hit their long-running aspirations and get into a proper running form. 

Apart from the physical benefits these different running types hold, they also mentally prepare for achieving results before hitting that distance plateau.

Here are a few alternate running exercises you should get on: 

Progression run

This running exercise involves beginning at a slow, easy pace and then gradually speeding up throughout the workout. Here, you run at a conversational pace but finish quicker. This way, you become faster as you run at the same pace. 

A progression run is a fairly challenging running exercise that will strengthen your running stamina, increase your speed, and boost your tolerance. It will also help you achieve quick paces without the exhaustion that comes with intense speedwork sessions.

Interval run

Interval run combines low-moderate and high-intensity runs. As the name implies, you’ll take turns between running intervals. 

You’ll start with little amounts of quick runs. Here, you’ll put in the increased effort. Then, continue with longer jogging and reduced intense running. 

For this first interval, you can make a countdown in seconds to help you keep a count of the runs. As you get into the second interval, you can go at a slower pace to catch your breath and ease into the jogging. 

In a 2018 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, there was an assessment of 16 trail runners that added interval training to their routine. Each runner finished six interval training sessions over the course of two weeks, with two days of recovery between each running session. After the training program, the runners could run an average of 3.6 more meters in 30 seconds. 

The study also revealed that participants boosted their speed by an average of 6% in a 3,000-meter run.

Fartlek run

As much as you’re trying to reach your long-running goals with all seriousness, a fartlek run helps you see that you can also have fun on your journey. 

Swedish for “street play,” fartlek shares a similar approach with interval run, but it’s not as intense and broken down. Instead, it approaches running at a lighthearted and easy pace.

Here, you don’t feel tired as you motivate yourself to continue running until you hit a certain distance. It might be that red house or the orange tree up ahead. 

You can slow jog to catch your breath or take little walk breaks. After this, you run at a faster pace again until you get to the orange tree up ahead of your street.

Tempo run

Tempo run translates to a “comfortably difficult” run you have to do at a certain pace for a lengthy period of time, like long-distance running. 

Your muscles secrete lactic acid, a metabolic after-product that results in fatigue when you run. When you engage in a tempo run, you stretch out your threshold so that your muscles don’t quickly fatigue, so you can continue running for long distances.

It was reported in a study that tempo runs were one of the activities that accounted for significant variance in their performance. 

Sprint run

Unlike tempo runs, sprint runs are helpful for everyone. No matter what type of runner you are, a sprint run assists you in developing your running endurance, muscular strength, and the power to run longer.

In a 2016 medical review published in The Journal of Physiology, it was found that running sprint intervals builds muscle as well as aerobic endurance.

Sprint runs make your body adapt to running longer distances without easily getting tired. So if you get on this type of run, you have higher chances of running longer. 

#2 Strengthen your body with other exercises 

Building a solid body foundation is important for any runner, especially ones aspiring to run longer. To achieve this, strength training exercises come into the mix. A 2017 review published in the Sports Medicine journal revealed that including strength training in a running routine 2 to 3 times a week had a strong, positive effect on running performance. 

Strength training exercises can help you lose your thigh fat while working particular parts of your body like your legs. They make your muscles work harder than usual, increasing your muscle size, strength, power, and endurance.

Burpees 

Burpees consist of push-ups accompanied by a vertical aerial jump. These two simple elements come together to form an exhausting exercise that eventually pays off. 

According to this recent study, after a 3-minute burpee test, nearly 70% of female and male students aged 18–25 years showed average strength and endurance. 

Further into the study, less than 1% of the evaluated subjects exhibited a significant amount of good strength endurance.

Burpees are one of the ways your body can lose weight, offering a full-body workout and improving your cardio fitness. They give you good running form by building endurance and strength in your lower and upper body. Burpees also work the muscles in your hips, leg, arms, and shoulders, to mention a few. 

Squats 

Squats form a major foundation in the movement pattern for strength training exercises. They strengthen your butt muscles by initially targeting your legs. They also improve your core strength, which is crucial for endurance. 

According to a study, eight weeks of squat workouts done 2–8 times a week can grow muscle mass thickness by 3.2%.

Apart from the fact that squats are versatile and you can engage in them anywhere, they are also one of the effective ways to burn calories. 

Stair climbing 

Stair climbing is an easily accessible strength training exercise that involves pushing your body down to lift it up a stair. According to a Science Daily report, short and intense bursts of stair climbing is a practical approach to boosting fitness.

This strength training exercise helps increase your leg strength, which is important for you to run longer. It also develops your thigh and hip muscles. Stair climbing assists in building muscle mass mostly in the lower body.

#3 Practice proper breathing 

Your breathing when running is very crucial. You have to be on the same scale with your breath to achieve your maximum performance. When running longer, it’s even more important to practice proper breathing to reach your goals.

Proper breathing during long runs centers around a variety of things, ranging from deep belly breathing to nose breathing and learning your breathing rhythms.

Deep belly breathing, to begin with, involves deeply and consciously breathing in and out while focusing on exhaling all the air out of your lungs. It’s efficient for running long as it helps you use your entire lung capacity.

Furthermore, ensure you breathe through your mouth when running. This way, you get to take in as much air as possible.

There’s only so much oxygen your nose can take in during races. Find different ways to mouth-breathe. That way, you get to take in as much air as possible. 

Learn your breathing rhythms too. This way, you know your personal approaches to breathing and get to choose the ones that make you comfortable. Over time, you’ll find the best one for you.

#4 Keep running consistency

Consistency is an efficient fuel for developing any habit and getting into a proper form for running. Building your endurance is important if you want to run longer, and consistency helps you with that. After you make your running plans and develop your routines, keep at it, and don’t slack.

If you skip any plans in your running program or do not follow up with any activities, your fitness levels are likely to decline, affecting your total performance.

If you need to take pauses, that’s understandable. Make an effort not to take too much and return to your plans. Make sure your training equipment is always accessible and clean. Your training sneakers are not forgotten. This act will improve your training mindset and make it easier to get started. 

Remember your objectives and allow them to motivate you. Continue running and accept that your route to running longer will include ups and downs. What matters is your consistency.

Conclusion 

Running longer might seem difficult and impossible at first, but by trying different running types, strength training exercises, and proper breathing, you should hit your long-running goals. 

You need to keep at it. Warm up with slow exercises and take breaks when you can. Acquaint yourself with several other long running strategies, exercises, and tips in the runner’s world. You should also note that the benefits can only come to you when you consistently engage in them.