Improve Running Endurance - Increase Lung Capacity To Run Longer

In order to benefit from any cardiovascular exercise, especially running, you need to sustain the activity for more than 20 minutes. That's it. However, not all people can get to this point for one main reason: Lack of stamina. Stamina can make or break you. No doubts. Good stamina can help you get the most of the training session without running the risk of discomfort and premature fatigue. On the other hand, low stamina can make your exercise sessions hard and dull. Not only that, lack of stamina can lead to a myriad of health difficulties and problems.

As a result, increasing your stamina power for both the running exercise and overall health, is critical. For that, here is how to increase your stamina power by adding more miles to your running program.

Add More Miles
Increasing your mileage can boost your athletic performance and send your stamina soaring through the roof. Many fitness enthusiasts make the mistake of sticking to the same running distance only to face a plateau later on. Opting for this constant training load can only lead to boredom and decreased performance. Instead you should be always challenging yourself by gradually adding more miles to your running program.

There is no reason to rush here. If you add too much, you'll risk an injury or a painful burnout. Instead, when it comes to running more, you should stick to the 10% rule. This rule clearly states that you shoulder never increase your running mileage by no more than 10% from one week to the next.

Let's say that your current weekly mileage is at 12 miles (three 4 mile workouts sessions per week). You could aim to get to 13.5 or 14 miles the next week. Keep building on that and take the fourth day for recovery so your body can readjust itself to the training load. During the recovery week, you can either choose to crosstrain, run less or stay off the training wagon totally. Nevertheless, it's always better to do something than just staying sedentary.

All of your training sessions should be within your fitness level. Don't go overboard. One way to make sure of that is to constantly check that you're running at a conversational pace, meaning that you can run and talk at the same time without much trouble. If you find that you can't keep a conversation without huffing and puffing, then you may be running too hard and need to slow it down.

As the training progresses forward, you'll see your stamina and fitness level improve as a result of the constant positive adaptation. Nevertheless, you can't follow the 10% rule for life, otherwise you'll be running 24/7. No one has the time or the energy for that kind of commitment. Therefore, if you run for more than 40 miles per week, then stop increasing your distance and instead opt for other running training strategies such as hill running or interval training.

Adding more miles to your running routine is not about making your workouts a living hell, it's about helping you get into the best shape of your life. Therefore, if your running is making you miserable, then you're doing something wrong. For that, you need to be always listening to your body and adjust your approach accordingly in order to train within your current fitness level.

By David Dack