If you’re just getting started with running, then you might be a bit discouraged by your results. Many people decide to give up due to feeling that they lack the proper speed and endurance. You shouldn’t feel down if you are struggling because it is possible to improve your speed and endurance by doing certain things. Take a look at the following tips to help you improve your speed and endurance below.
Try to Increase Your Mileage Every Week
You can’t start out by just running as far as you want to be able to go. Your body isn’t up to the task yet, and you need to ramp things up as you improve slowly. Try to increase your mileage every week little by little. Over time, this is going to increase your endurance.
Know Your Body
Typically, it’s recommended only to increase your mileage 10% each week. If your body seems like it can take a bit more than usual, then you can try to push things a bit further. You need to learn to recognize whether your body is ready to run further or if you need to call it a day. You might be able to push through and improve your endurance faster by ramping things up more than 10% each week.
Add Speed Work to Your Long Runs
Adding speed work to your long runs can help you to build the speed that you’re looking for. This can help to prepare you for the fatigue that you’re going to be battling during real races. If you plan to compete in marathons or other types of races, then this is a good idea. Try to do bursts of speed at specific intervals during your running.
Speed Workouts Should Be Part of Your Routine
Make speed workouts a part of your routine so that you can work on your speed. One good method is to try four half-mile repeats where you do two minutes of easy jogging in between. You can try to do the same workout next week, and you’ll be able to attempt to beat the time that you set. This should help you to improve your speed over time, and you’ll be able to feel like you’re making progress toward your goals.