Intro

Running is one of the simplest and most effective exercises for improving overall fitness, but for many people, the thought of running a long distance can be daunting. Whether you're training for a marathon or trying to run your first mile without stopping, there are steps you can take to run farther and longer. While there are several limitations to running far, there are also both scientific and anecdotal tips for battling these limits and improving your distance capacity.

Limitations to Running Far

There are a few short-term and long-term limitations to running far that you should be aware of:

In the short-term, the body’s ability to take in air (specifically oxygen) and generate energy to contract the leg muscles will influence when an individual stops running. In my own running training, I named these two types of fatigue “lung tired” and “leg tired”. Knowing which of these is limiting you can help you to improve your endurance when training. The body’s ability to take in, and utilize, oxygen is measured by VO₂ max. Simply put, the more oxygen the body can use during exercise, the less likely an individual is to be “winded” or out of breath — lung tired. Similarly, the body’s ability to take in, and utilize, glucose will impact how long the legs can run before becoming exhausted. Muscles need substrates (sources of energy) in order to create the contractions that lead to body movement. When substrates run out or become extremely low, the muscles will become fatigued and an individual will no longer be able to run. Lastly, when muscles work hard for long periods of time, they start to “burn”. This burning sensation is caused by the chemical byproducts of reactions that create energy for the muscles and is called metabolic acidosis — often incorrectly referred to as lactic acid.

In the long-term, injuries with insidious onsets often halt running careers. The human body is not designed for long-distance running, and pushing yourself too hard can lead to injuries like shin splints (medically named medial tibial stress syndrome), plantar fasciitis, and stress fractures. Note: while several injuries commonly occur as a result of increasing distance too quickly, osteoarthritis is NOT attributed to long-distance running. Additionally, running on hard surfaces like concrete can put extra strain on your joints, making it more difficult to run far, especially if the muscles are not yet strong enough to support the repetitive plyometric pattern of running. Finally, mental fatigue can be a major obstacle to running far, as the monotony of long-distance running can make it easy to lose focus and motivation. This can happen as a result of boredom or decreased glucose availability to the brain. As the body starts to sense the need for energy in the muscles, it sends all available glucose to the muscles that are working, which pulls resources away from the brain. Because the brain relies heavily on glucose to function, runners who train for over an hour can often become delirious — the notorious runner’s high.

Scientific Evidence for How to Run Farther

There are several scientific strategies you can use to improve your endurance and run farther. These tips will offer more or less utility depending on how far you can currently run. If you are unable to run one mile without stopping, the advice will be a lot different than someone who can run 5 miles and is trying to run 10.

Let’s begin with general advice that applies to most people. First, make sure you're getting enough rest and recovery time, as this can help prevent injuries and improve overall performance. Second, incorporate interval training into your workouts, alternating between short bursts of high-intensity exercise and periods of rest. Third, focus on building up your core strength (including all of the core muscles, not just the abs), as a strong core can help you maintain proper running form and reduce the risk of injury.

While increasing your distance capacity from 0-3 miles, increase your weekly volume slowly. Many journal articles recommend increases of no more than 10% per week. That is, if you are currently running 5 miles per week, your volume the following week should not be more than 5.5. Increasing weekly mileage by more than 10% is highly correlated with distance-related injury. On the other hand, while increasing your distance capacity from 3-10 miles, you may have to increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% in order to challenge your muscles. If you are currently running 3 miles as your maximum distance, your weekly mileage is likely in the 5-15 range. Bumping this up between 10-20% would put you in the range of 5.5 and 18 miles per week. As these miles start to add up, your long runs should feel easier and will become your short runs. Lastly, while increasing your distance from 10+ miles, your nutrition and rest become increasingly important. While running these extreme durations, your body burns an incredible amount of fuel. Specifically, your muscles’ glycogen stores will be depleted because the glycogen will be broken down into glucose to create energy. In order to train back-to-back days, these glycogen stores need to be replenished. This can be accomplished through the consumption of high quantities of carbohydrates immediately after training. Without proper nutrition to refuel the muscles, runs will become increasingly difficult and performance will suffer. If you are feeling exceptionally sluggish, it may be best to take a day or two off and recover for your next run to avoid running yourself into the dirt (yay running puns).

Anecdotal Evidence for How to Run Farther

Experienced runners often have their own tips and tricks for running farther. Some recommend focusing on your breathing, inhaling and exhaling in a pattern that matches your stride. Others suggest using visualization techniques, imagining yourself running effortlessly and effortlessly for miles on end. Finally, many runners recommend setting goals and breaking up long runs into smaller, more manageable chunks to help maintain focus and motivation.

Go slower. When trying to increase your distance capacity, speed is unimportant. Many runners suggest running at a ‘conversational pace’. That is, you should only be running as fast as you can while holding a conversation. If you are so out of breath that you can’t talk, you’re going too fast and will reach your respiratory threshold before you can fatigue your muscles — lung tired.

Vary your strides. Different running styles will fatigue different muscles — leg tired. If you typically take short and choppy steps, try taking longer strides to allow your tired muscles to recover briefly. If you typically take long and bounding strides, try taking shorter steps to allow those more powerful muscles to rest a bit. This will allow your muscles to relax momentarily, which can refresh them and allow you to keep pushing for longer distances.

Speaking from personal experience, run-walk cycles can be incredibly helpful. Surprisingly, running and walking burn roughly the same amount of calories, when distance is equal. So, in order to add to your mental and physical endurance, try to run as far as you can without walking, walk until you feel recovered, and then repeat the process until you hit your goal distance. When I started running, I could only run .6 miles without stopping. By adding in run-walk cycles, I could run .6, walk .2, and run .2 to reach my 1-mile goal. Shortly after repeating this training style, I was able to run .8 without stopping and finally 1 mile.

Also from personal experience, try to push yourself just a little bit further than you think you can. While trying to reach my first goal of running 1 mile without stopping, I would begin to feel tired or bored and would want to stop to walk. Before giving myself permission to walk, I would pick an object in the distance (street signs, ends of city blocks, commercial buildings, etc…) that I felt I could run to without stopping. Because I would run the same route every time, I would use my old objects as my new standard. I wouldn’t allow myself to stop before my previous object. Sometimes, I would crush it and I would run a quarter mile past my previous object. Sometimes my body felt awful, and I would only go one step past the object. This new goal created a shift in my mentality: although my body is telling me to slow down or stop, my brain can convince my body to go just a bit further.

Conclusion

Running far requires dedication, patience, and a willingness to push yourself outside of your comfort zone. By incorporating the scientific strategies outlined above, as well as anecdotal tips from experienced runners, you can gradually build up your endurance and achieve your distance goals. Just remember to listen to your body, take breaks when needed, and always prioritize safety and injury prevention. With persistence and hard work, you can become a stronger, more confident runner and tackle even the toughest distance challenges.