How To Increase Your Running Stamina and Speed

By Philip Yiga | February 3, 2015

People like to keep looking young and healthy but this requires one to do some physical exercises and i think the mostly done exercise is running or jogging. on the other hand, in case you are a long runner who wishes to increase his/her cardio endurance in marathons or when you are new to running and you wish to run for an mile, then this post will probably show you how to achieve that. In fact whether you are a beginner or professional runner, i will show you how to your running exercise to a whole new level.

METHOD 1: INCREASING RUNNING STAMINA WITH INTERVAL TRAINING:

• Practice interval training: you should that there are many benefits from interval training that can help you achieve the most out of your running process while increasing the stamina. This will help to improve the cardiovascular capacity, increase on the amount of calories burnt and even add interest to your running routine.

• Do steady intervals: this can be the easiest way of incorporating interval training. These will simply require one to alternate equal periods of high and low-intensity running. In order to do this, you should begin with a 10-15 minutes warm-up before you break up into a full run then end with a 15-25 minute cool-down period.

• Try pyramid interval training: these intervals begin with short bursts of high-intensity and then go on building up whereby the longest period of the high-intensity training is in the middle of the workout. After, you will have to gradually pull back to the shorter burst intensity before completing the cool down period. This training is a bit more complex than steady intervals and it may require one to use a stop-watch to maintain the times. However, before you start-out any interval training program, you should make sure that your body is adjusted and it’s ready to start off.

• Go for variable intervals: in case you are a kind of person who plays sports like football or tennis on top of running, then you probably know that speed and stamina requirements may vary according to the conditions of the game being played. this is when variable intervals come in whereby they help one to mix up short and long high-intervals but in an unpredictable pattern which is similar to irregular bursts of speed that are usually part of a typical playing condition.

• Use an interval-setting on the treadmill: when you are running in intervals on a treadmill, this machine tends to mix up both speed and incline thus presenting you with new and unpredictable challenges. However, always remember to warm-up and cool-down afterwards in case these periods are not built into the interval training program of your treadmill.

 

METHOD 2: TRY CROSS TRAINING AS A WAY OF INCREASING YOUR RUNNING STAMINA:

• Try to add weight-training to the running routine: weight-training really helps to increase your running process whereby it enables you to use oxygen more efficiently while running. This implies that you should try doing free-weights, machines or even go for other training exercises for at least 3-times a week.

• Go for high-powered bike intervals: you should know that pedaling on a high-tension exercise bike setting helps to work your leg muscles even more than running up-hill but without causing any impact on your joints. This actually means that once you are on an exercise bike, try to gradually increase tension until you can barely move its wheel, then try to stand-up and do some intervals of pedaling as fast as you can. But try to rest and lower tension between intervals.

• Swim for some laps: you may as a break after a hard work-out or try to include some swimming in order to change your running routine. This is mainly because swimming an added advantage when it comes to working your upper-body muscles that are usually typically undeveloped amongst runners.

 

METHOD 3: OTHER IDEAS OR WAYS OF BOOSTING YOUR RUNNING STAMINA

• Try to increase your running mileage by 10-percent per week: always add 10-percent to your running routine inorder to increase on your stamina but remember to alternate your training. For example, you can run for 20-miles in the first week and then increase it to 22-miles in the next week. But the week after these two, bring your running mileage back down in order to enable your body to adapt to the conditions.

• Go for along run on the weekends: in case you are that individual who is used to running for 2-miles per day during the week. Then try to take a weekend run of about 4-miles in order to gradually increase your running stamina.

• Try to run slower but longer: for instance, you can run at 60-percent of your total capacity for longer distances. This is because long runs are meant to help one build his/her stamina and you should know that they are not a race. However, ensure to take easy days before and after having these runs.

• Do some plyometric: these include exercises like jumping a rope and skipping drills whereby they help one to improve his/her running mechanics by simply reducing on the amount of time the feet stay on the ground.

• Gradually increase the pace at the end of the runs: make sure that at least for the last quarter of your workout, run as quick as you can before reaching the cooling period. This greatly helps one to counteract late-race fatigue.

• Run on a changing terrain: this actually implies that whether you are running on a treadmill or outdoors, try to change your incline frequently in order to give your cardio workout a boost.

• Change or improve your diet: try to avoid consuming refined carbohydrates but consume more lean proteins and vegetables since they keep your body healthy and strong. On the other hand, try to eat smaller but more frequent meals inorder to keep the body active.

METHOD 4: CREATE A TRAINING SCHEDULE:

• Make a schedule: setting a schedule and sticking to it will help you stick to your running routine. This will inturn help you to accomplish your goal of increasing the running stamina and even offer you an opportunity of gathering metrics like: do you maintain a steady pace? Have you reached a plateau? Can you run longer or faster (both)? etc.

• Mix up your schedule a little: you can do this by pushing yourself once every 3-week or more by following the following technique: look for a local track or flat surface of about 400-meters to run on and avoid streets since they are too curved. Stretch with dynamic stretches and then do a light warm-up. Do a sprint and jog routine for about 2-miles. Always try to exceed your reach and then remember to do a cool down.

• Make a commitment: never quit your training schedule or even tell yourself that you will do it tomorrow. Don’t even tell yourself that you are too tired or too busy. You just have to always run in the morning in order to get over your running-routine.