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How to build endurance and speed?

ydyms
ydyms Posts: 266 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not a beginner runner but I'd love to increase my endurance and speed. Any advice?

Replies

  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    edited January 2016
    Run slowly. Very slowly (you should be able to sing as you run). Add distance slowly over time. This will increase both your endurance and speed (and help keep you injury free).

    Check out apps like C25K and read the stickies here about running.

    EDIT - I misread the first sentence. I thought you WERE a beginner. So perhaps skip the C25K. :smile:

    What are your stats? How far do you run and how fast are your races?
  • tri_bob
    tri_bob Posts: 121 Member
    I'll agree with the dewd above that it would be good to know a bit more. That said, I'm sure that most (all?) of us long-time runners would offer this bit of advice: build gradually, and on any given run focus on either increased distance or speed. If you want to run longer, you'll need to run longer. If you want to run faster, you'll need to run faster. Trying to do both at the same time is actively courting injury.

    Without knowing what your running schedule is currently like, it's hard to offer anything more than this broad-stroke advice. But, if you're not doing any hills work currently, give it a try. Running hills improves strength and efficiency. If you're not doing any speed work, give that a go. Track workouts help you push up to and past your current limits. If you do a long run, very gradually increase the distance of that run, preferably without trying to go any faster than you usually do. If you don't race, try at least a few small local 5Ks.

    Especially since you're trying to make change in your running, log everything if you don't already do so. Keep track of how long and how fast you're running, and how you feel during and after. Eventually you'll notice patterns of what works and what doesn't. Listen to your body, and run like the wind!
  • ydyms
    ydyms Posts: 266 Member
    I'm amazing at walking on incline 15 without holding on for an hour (3.2 mph), and I could run a half hour at 5.8 mph. I used to run 7 mph easily for an hour before I became pregnant.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    tri_bob wrote: »
    If you want to run longer, you'll need to run longer. If you want to run faster, you'll need to run faster. Trying to do both at the same time is actively courting injury.
    Do you think there is some carryover between the two? Meaning, if one focuses on running longer, would that also help somewhat in increasing speed over a shorter distance?

  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    You can build speed by building endurance. Run longer, but slowly. You'll see your shorter distance times improve.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    kristinegift wrote: »
    You can build speed by building endurance. Run longer, but slowly. You'll see your shorter distance times improve.
    Ok thanks.

  • tri_bob
    tri_bob Posts: 121 Member
    There will be some carryover, but the point I was trying to emphasize is that trying to run longer distances at a faster pace than previous is more likely to induce injury than increasing one or the other on any given run. In other words, if you want to do next week's long run differently than last week's, either increase the distance (a bit) or increase the speed (a bit).
This discussion has been closed.

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