These tips to increase your endurance will help no matter if you want to finish your first 5K or inspiration to set up your training schedule for a marathon.
1. CONSISTENCY IS KEY
Add a session to your regimen and make it easy and slow. Have a plan to run 3–4 times per week for 30 minutes or more and make one of your weekly runs longer than the others.
2. JUST KEEP RUNNING
Choose between time or distance, whatever works best for you mentally. Either add 5–10 minutes or 500–1000 meters to the longest of your weekly sessions.
3. TEMPO PLAY AND INTERVALS
Besides making running more fun, the main benefit of interval training is to learn your muscles to handle lactic acid better. The key is to raise your threshold minute by minute for 5K or in longer speed training sessions if your goal is to finish a marathon.
4. USE THE RIGHT FUEL
To retrieve energy from the right source is just as important when you eat before a run as when you recover and recharge after a workout.
5. MUSIC AND MIND GAMES
Sometimes it just feels harder to cover the distance you need, whether you’re inside on the treadmill or outside in nature. Use music to change your mood or boost your brain with visualization techniques to get motivated again.