How to run faster and longer: The ultimate guide

The first concern of the most runners is how to run faster and longer that depends on many factors. To build up your endurance and increase your speed as fast as possible, you should not only learn how to train your body to get used to with the long distance but also choose to wear the right type of running shoes. Follow the steps below, you can do it better than ever before!

1. Creating the first comforts.

• What time do you usually run every day? At 5 am or 5 pm or any time of day that you feel suitable for your body, it means you don’t feel hungry or tired and make sure that your body can work best and gradually increase distance and speed.

• Listening favorite songs is also a good way to bring the first comfort to you before and while running and it will help you learn how to run faster and longer. Make a playlist that has varied music that can help you know when to speed up and when to jog. Listening to music and running at the same time can help you reduce tired feeling because sometimes you only pay attention to listening to music, your foot like dancing to the music and forget how far you’ve run. This is probably one of the assistance to improve the length of your running road. However, for some runners who do not like listening to music when acting, they will run without the music and focus on their breath and listen to the sound of their body working.

• For every activity, wearing comfortable clothes is very important. While some people are really interested in the heavy feel of a sweatshirt that makes them sweat it out, others prefer lightweight shorts and sweat-reducing material. I think runners should choose breathable, lightweight clothes that never weighs you down on the go. But the most important is that you wear clothes which make you feel most comfortable in and it will help you run faster and longer.

2. Choose the suitable shoes.

Running shoes come in very specific fits that are tailored to the length and width of your foot and are made for specific types of running. The features of a good running shoe include flexibility, cushioning, control and stability in the heel counter area, as well as extremely lightness and good traction. You can injure your feet by wearing improper footwear, so make sure to get your feet fitted with the following suggestions:

• If you run on concrete or man-made surfaces, road running shoes are the best choice. These shoes with the maximum level of cushioning and can help you to avoid landing with too much force.

• If you are going to run on trails that traverse terrain ranging from forest, beaches, and desert to mountains or old dirt roads, and more, trail running shoes are what you should choose to wear. Trail running shoes are made to stand up to the elements of all surfaces while keeping your feet and body happy and healthy. They also add more complex tread designs, bulkier uppers,  protective foot materials,  and wider toe boxes.

Know if you have a high-arch, a neutral arch, a low arch or a flat arch. The arch of your foot will determine how your foot moves as you run:

• If you have a high arch, means only the heel and the front of the foot make contact with the ground, let choose a pair of shoe with high-arch structure and it will support the arches of your foot. Yet, sometimes having an arch that’s too high for your foot shape can cause blisters, so remember to test out a new pair on a short run before you take it.
• If you have a low arch means most of the sole of the feet is in contact with the ground and it tends to cause to feet to roll inward and over-pronate (your big toe and the second toe do most of the pushing off when you run), you should choose a shoe for stability or motion
• If you have a flat arch, means the entire sole of the foot is in contact with the ground which often results in poor running form and a lack of natural shock absorption.

Besides, the width of your feet is also an important factor for choosing a suitable pair of shoes:

• If you have narrow and slimmer foot, it is difficult to find find a tight fitting and sliding and shifting in your sneaker while you run (even though it might not cause pain) is still a not-small problem for you to run faster and longer.
• If you have wide feet and feel your shoes biting into the sides of your feet or stretching out over time. You should find the shoe that has the speed lacing system supports to create the arch aligns with the curves of your feet for ample support and secure fit for a wide foot with higher insteps. Additionally, a performance rubber outsole supplies maximum grip and protection without increasing weight, so your feet will be protected all-around and be able to run faster and longer.

3. Training process

• Boot before running. before stretching joints and muscles, you should warm up them by slowly jogging half of a mile, that helps to prevent injury. Be sure to perform dynamic stretches that include motion such as:
• Leg lifts. Swinging one leg out to the side as far as you can, and then swing it back across your body in front of your standing leg, as far as possible. Redo this stretch at least ten times on each leg.
• Cheerleader Kicks. Keep your knees and back straight, and walking forward, lift your legs straight out in front as in an exaggerated march, and bend your toes towards you.
• Butt kicks. Performing an exaggerated running-in-place motion while standing to loosen up your knees, hamstrings, and quads.
• Walking lunges. Squat into a wide lunge with one foot dramatically out in front of the other, and continue to switch between legs as you slowly progress forward.
• Shoulder stretches. cramping during run is the concern of many runners, therefore, don’t forget to stretch your torso and shoulders to prevent it. You use your arms to propel you forward when you sprint, so you’ll need to be loose and limber. Pull one arm straight across your chest and hug it in with the forearm of your other arm. Switch sides and stretch the other arm.
• Setting baseline: you should use a stopwatch to log yourself for various mileages in order to track your progress.
• Building endurance and speed. Incorporate hills into your runs two to three times per week to push your boundaries and condition your body.

Try following this example weekly routine:

Day 1:  10-20-10. Jog for 10 minutes, run briskly for 20 minutes (80% effort), and then jog for another 10 minutes.

Day 2:  Sprint training. Head to a track and practice sprints. Jog 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km), then run another mile, sprinting the straightaways and jogging the turns. Start out with just the mile and a half, and gradually increase your distance.

Day 3: Rest.

Day 4: Long 60-90 minute run. Run at a pace that is comfortable enough to keep going.

Day 5: 10-20-10. Jog for 10 minutes, run quickly for 20 minutes (80% effort), and then jog for another 10 minutes.

Day 6: Rest.

Day 7: Sprint training. Head to a track and practice sprints. Jog 1⁄2 mile (0.8 km), then run another mile, sprinting the straight aways and jogging the turns. Start out with just the mile and a half, and gradually increase your distance.

• Increasing your distance gradually and be able to run faster and longer. Being patient with yourself is one of the most important factors for building endurance. Until you have become comfortable with a gradual distance increase you should not push yourself to run too far. Start out with one mile, then build up to a mile and a half, then two miles, and increase miles gradually and be able to run faster and longer.
• Pay attention to your breathing patterns. Your breath has a big impact on your ability to run a long distance. Make sure you are breathing in and out of your nose, or in through your nose and out through your mouth, depending on your preference. A steady breath means a steady heart rate and a higher lung capacity.

4. Learning the Technique for Speed

• Pay attention to your posture. You want to run with the same poise as when you walk. Don’t bend or hunch your back as you run, keep your spine as straight as possible
• 2 – Practice your plantar flexion and dorsiflexion. Plantar flexion occurs when you push off the ground by flexing your ankle joint. Dorsiflexion is the process of pulling your knee up off of the ground at a 90-degree angle. This reloads your ankle for forwarding push-off.
• Develop your hip joint so that it assists forward motion. The lower back and hip flexor must flex as you run to hold your back straight and support the forward motion. Make sure you are cycling the legs forward, not recovering the legs behind your body.

• Use your arms to propel you forward. As you run, alternate driving your elbows back and forward in an exaggerated motion. As your elbow drives back, your opposite knee should lift up. Your elbows should also be bent at about 90-degree angles.

• Lengthening your stride. The longer your stride, the more effective your forward motions will be. To create longer strides, you should use your legs to push rather than pull you forward. This means the most of the power when you run should come from whichever leg is behind during the push-off.
• Increasing your stride frequency. Once you have the basic technique down, you can begin to decrease the interval between each stride, meaning you will pick up the pace. Try not to compromise your stride length as you increase your speed.
• Beginning to combine short bursts of speed training into your longer runs. To develop speed over long distances, first, incorporate intervals of 30-second or one-minute sprints into your runs.

5. Choosing the Right Diet

• Adding fluid for the body is very necessary for your run, especially Hydrate with plenty of water. you should make sure to drink the recommended 3 liters of fluid for men and 2.2 liters of fluid for women per day. For runs over an hour long, you will need to drink water during your run. Drink water up to two hours before a long run. During the run, sip water in small sips and frequently to avoid bloating or cramping. After a long run, drink 500mL of water immediately, and then continue to sip water throughout the day to replenish your water supply.]
• Incorporate lean proteins into your diet. Protein is a macronutrient necessary for the proper growth and function of the human body. There is debate over the amount of protein that a person needs to consume per day, the current recommended daily intake (RDI) of protein is 46 grams for women aged from 19 to 70, and 56 grams for men aged from 19 to 70. Any superfluous protein is turned into energy by the body, and it is debatable whether this superfluous protein causes a strain on the liver. A shortage of protein leads to muscle atrophy and challenged the functioning of the human body in general. High protein foods include fish, meat, cheese, beans,  tofu, lentils:
• Salmon is one of the best sources of Omega-3 beneficial fats, which promote a healthy inflammation response. An increase in Omega-3’s in your diet may also help reduce the symptoms of asthma.
• One egg a day will give you 30% your daily value of Vitamin K, which promotes healthy bones. In addition, eggs contain all of the essential amino acids that aid in muscle recovery. After a long run, your body will thank you for replenishing your store of amino acids.
• Avoid a diet high in red meat or processed meat. Both are thought to be the reason for increasing the risk of colorectal cancer, heightening bad cholesterol levels, and contributing to clogged arteries and a higher risk of a heart attack.
• Eating nuts. because nuts are packed with nutrients, eating them on a regular basis can bring the benefits to your health—unless you have allergy with nuts. especially, the almonds which are high in Vitamin E antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids that can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in the body. Vitamin E also prevents body tissue from potential damage from free radicals. Be aware that nuts are high in fat, so you should only consume the recommended serving size daily.
• Eating dark berries, leafy greens, and foods rich in beta-carotene. Dark greens and berries provide healthy antioxidants and greens are extremely rich in fiber which enhances digestive regularity. Foods like sweet carrots and potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, a healthy antioxidant that supports to recover the muscle.
• Choosing whole grains. When you purchase cereal, crackers, bread, and other carbohydrate-based foods, you should choose the whole grain or whole wheat option. because whole grains contain phytonutrients and fiber and that assist healthy digestion.
• Consuming foods high in potassium. you are worried about cramps while you run, Potassium will decrease the likelihood that you will develop cramps, help keep you hydrated, and speeds up muscle recovery. Good sources of potassium include bananas, milk, yogurt, and potatoes.
• Making sure to get enough Vitamin C for your body. Oranges and orange juice are excellent sources supplying Vitamin C, which is said to help aid in muscle soreness and promote a healthy immune system. If you have not gotten enough Vitamin C from your diet, you should consider taking a Vitamin C supplement or multivitamin daily.

Tips

• If you do encounter an injury, take it easy until the injury heals. Running on a hurt ankle will only make it worse.
• Switch up your running route every now and then. The same route can get monotonous and uninspiring.
• Be sure to stretch after warming up and after you complete your run. Failure to stretch after a long run can cause lasting injury.
• Download an exercise app such as RunKeeper or MapMyRun to easily keep track of your distance and speed.
• Running with motivating music helps you to go the extra mile.
• Try running with friends or join a running group to help motivate you.
• If you’re a smoker, avoid smoking for a good amount of time before and after you run. That way your lungs will be cleaner and you will be able to take deeper breaths, which leads to longer runs.
• Take your complex carbohydrates 30-60 minutes before the run, so you’ll have enough energy and get ready to make your run.

6. Beside necessary preparation steps to run longer and faster as above, you can also refer some simple way to do it.

• Taking more steps

Long legs are a great advantage, but a long stride is a disadvantage. As I said before, you should increase your stride frequency. Runners with higher “stride frequency,” or a higher amount of steps taken per minute, are regularly faster, more efficient runners. in another word, short steps are the key to a faster pace. Try counting the number of steps that you take with your right foot in a single minute, then multiply by two. redo this exercise several times, attempting to increase one or two steps to your stride frequency each minute. Increasing your number of steps will help you to do it without focusing specifically on pace.

• Running on the treadmill

Sometimes, I  find the treadmill to be boring, but if you’re trying to increase your pace, the treadmill may be the best support for you. It’s simple: the treadmill forces you to keep up, whereas it’s easier to slack off when you’re setting your own speed. you start out running at your normal pace for 5 minutes and then gradually increase your pace so that you are working outside of your comfort limit. continue to Set a specific time goal, like 15 minutes at the faster speed, and get going. you will feel difficult, but you’ll be surprised at how quickly your legs adjust to the new speed.

• Using your friends

If you don’t have a treadmill in your house or Gym room, try to take advantage of your friends who achieve this better than you or combine with a running group. they set the pace so that all you have to keep up with them. A friendly chatting or simply the presence of another person can help distract you from the discomfort and fatigue of running at a faster pace. running with another person will also help hold or remind you in case you don’t focus on your training. You’ll run much faster and much longer with a friend encouraging and supporting you along the way.

• Pumping those arms

When running, your arms counter the motion of your legs. Use this to your advantage: you should focus on pumping your arms faster  Instead of focusing on sprinting more quickly. In addition to pumping more quickly,  make sure you’re driving your elbows directly behind you instead of out to the side, that means you are using your arms effectively. Your legs will follow suit and run in a straighter line.

• Trying Intervals

Instead of running at a faster speed for your entire workout, let try interval training.  Try running at a slightly faster pace for 30 seconds after a 5-minute warm up. After the 30 seconds is up, run with your normal pace for 2 minutes. redo this pattern for the duration of your run. Continue to increase your faster pace increments until it passes over your pace limit.

• Differentiate your workouts

Train hard and train easily are very important When training to increase your speed. it is important to give your body time to rest and heal. Designate days when you will really push yourself, while also allowing yourself to run very easy or to rest completely. The most important is to train to your highest potential.

7. In addition, there are also some tricks to increase running endurance that you can refer to:

The runners need the endurance to get them through a long run, but it takes time and effort to build this crucial element. There are a few steps you can take to boost your stamina even more and help you power through that extra mile. By combining one or more of these tricks, you can enhance your endurance and fight off exhaustion during the long run.

• Start Slowly

the running endurance should be built by doing it gradually. Beginners should use different plans for running every week, with several minutes of brisk walking at the beginning and end of each run. Try a six-week plan that starts with only five minutes of running. step in weeks one and two, add one minute to each run that means you are running for 12 minutes going into week three. In week three, tack on two more minutes to each run, and continue to add three minutes to your runs during week four. in weeks five and six add four minutes for every run. At the end of the plan, you will have increased your endurance from 5 minutes to 64 minutes.

• Run Hills

You should add some incline to your running workout to help promote your endurance Instead of running on a flat surface. Like any changing your regular routine, you should incorporate hill running gradually and you should not do too much too soon. making familiar with these by adding a half-mile to one mile at a moderately steep incline to your run every two to three weeks. Try to keep the pace comfortable so you don’t burn out, and gradually increase the distance among the hill segments.

• Incorporate Plyometrics

Plyometrics, or jump training, it is said that the quick reactions and explosive movements can improve overall athleticism, including stamina. Activities such as skipping, jumping,  and high-knee sprints can make your feet familiar with spending less time on the ground, improving your stride and importantly boosting your endurance. Incorporating plyometric training once or twice time per week through practicing fast feet runs, where you can sprint 15 to 20 yards with a short, quick stride. You can also try with five-minute segments of single- or double-leg hops or skipping which will help you run faster and longer.

• Other Tricks

In addition to physical training, there are also a couple of other unconventional tricks for boosting endurance that mentioned. One of these done during hot, summer months is pre-cooling, which involves reducing your body’s temperature prior to exercise.  according to some researches that show an average 3.7 percent increase in endurance thanks to pre-cooling, which can be simply achieved by sitting in an air-conditioned room for 25 minutes and sipping a cold drink and before exercising. Another trick is to down beet juice shots packed with inorganic nitrate, which can improve your stamina and get ready to run faster and longer.

In conclusion, I hope  through my contribution and experience that i shared, you can get some useful things in order to run faster and longer. Good luck!

 Searches related to how to achieve this on my site

• how to do the 40-yard dash
• how to increase performance
• speed training
• how to run a faster mile
• running techniques
• tips on how to do it
• how to exercises
• how to run longer