How To Build Stamina And Endurance For Running

A quick guide to building stamina and endurance for running: 

• Running stamina and endurance are closely linked, but they describe different aspects of your body's ability to sustain exercise.
• Building endurance starts with a consistent aerobic base before gradually introducing more challenging sessions.
• Nutrition, hydration, sleep and recovery all play an important role in supporting your running performance alongside training.
• Improving running stamina takes time, with consistent habits helping you build endurance progressively.

A few kilometres in, the legs get heavier, and the breathing gets harder. Most runners know that moment all too well. 

Hitting a wall during a marathon is sometimes unavoidable, but your training can make a real impact. Endurance training can help build your stamina, helping you to sustain effort over longer distances1. Nutrition and recovery strategies can also influence your performance2 3. 

This guide covers how to increase your stamina for running, what it actually means, and how nutrition and recovery can support your next marathon. 

What is running stamina, really?

While stamina and endurance are often used interchangeably, they refer to slightly different things. Stamina is the mental and physical capacity to sustain an activity over time and is often associated with feeling energised while doing it4. Endurance, on the other hand, refers to the body's physical capacity to sustain this exercise4. It’s often made up of cardiovascular endurance, meaning how effectively the heart and lungs supply oxygen to the body. The second part is muscular endurance, which refers to how long the muscles can work before fatiguing4.

While endurance can be built, genetic factors also contribute to a person's baseline capacity5.

How to build stamina for running

Whether you’re training for a big event like the Voltaren City2Surf, a fun run or simply to improve your pace, there are two key steps in building your running stamina. First, build a consistent aerobic base through regular walking, jogging, running or other aerobic activities. Once that foundation is in place, then you can gradually add more variety6. 

Start with the foundations

Consistency matters more than occasional big efforts when building a solid foundation. It’s typically advised to increase your weekly distance by no more than 10% at a time7. This gives your body time to adjust while helping reduce the risk of injury7. Aim to build a routine you can maintain week after week, rather than trying to make up for missed sessions with longer or harder runs.

Add variety to go further

Once you’ve established a base, it’s time to add more variety. This might include long runs, tempo runs, interval sessions or hill training alongside your regular run. Mixing different types of training can help improve your endurance more effectively than simply running further 6 8. Research shows that combining easy runs with more challenging sessions, while gradually increasing intensity over time, can help improve running performance9 ¹⁰. 

Fuelling stamina with nutrition and hydration

It’s no surprise that nutrition and hydration can support your stamina before, during and after a run. The right food can help your body meet the energy demands of regular running, while hydration supports performance throughout longer sessions. 

Carbohydrates are a key source of energy, especially for longer runs. While protein can help support muscle repair and recovery 11 12. Iron also plays an important role in oxygen transport and muscle function, both of which support endurance performance13. Staying hydrated is also important, with fluid and electrolyte needs varying from person to person14. 

Improving your running endurance beyond training

There are other factors that are just as important when building stamina for running.

Sleep is a big factor, affecting your reaction time and energy levels15. Other training types like strength training have been shown to also benefit running, helping to improve run times and overall performance16.

The way you recover is also a key part of building your stamina. Exercising too much without rest can lead to overtraining syndrome. This can undo progress rather than add to it17. Exercise recovery doesn't always mean complete rest. Easy recovery runs, walking, or gentle mobility work can all be part of a balanced training plan, alongside rest days that give your body time to recover. 

Putting it all together for your next run

Stamina and endurance for running are built over time, through consistent training, recovery, and supportive nutrition. Here are the quick tips:

• Build your running distance gradually.
• Include mostly easy runs, with one or two harder sessions each week.
• Fuel longer runs with adequate nutrition and stay hydrated.
• Prioritise sleep and recovery between sessions.
• Add strength training to support your running.

Building stamina isn't about making every run harder. It's about training consistently, increasing the challenge slowly, supporting your body with good nutrition and recovery, and giving those adaptations time to develop. 

Ready to put this into practice ahead of Voltaren City2Surf? Explore more articles like your Voltaren City2Surf training guide and how to prepare for your next workout on the Swisse Wellness Hub. 

References:

1. Jones, A. M., & Carter, H. (2000). The effect of endurance training on parameters of aerobic fitness. Sports Medicine, 29(6), 373–386. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200029060-00001 
2. Beck KL, Thomson JS, Swift RJ, von Hurst PR. Role of nutrition in performance enhancement and postexercise recovery. Open Access J Sports Med. 2015 Aug 11;6:259-67. doi: 10.2147/OAJSM.S33605. PMID: 26316828; PMCID: PMC4540168. 
3. Li S, Kempe M, Brink M, Lemmink K. Effectiveness of Recovery Strategies After Training and Competition in Endurance Athletes: An Umbrella Review. Sports Med Open. 2024 May 16;10(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s40798-024-00724-6. PMID: 38753045; PMCID: PMC11098991. 
4. Yetman, D. (2020). Endurance vs. stamina: Differences and tips to improve both. Healthline. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/endurance-vs-stamina. 
5. Radák, Z. Chapter 5 - Fundamentals of Endurance Training. The Physiology of Physical Training, Academic Press, 2018, pp. 81-109. ISBN 9780128151372. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815137-2.00005-X 
6. Nøst, H. L., Aune, M. A., & van den Tillaar, R. (2024). The effect of polarized training intensity distribution on maximal oxygen uptake and work economy among endurance athletes: A systematic review. Sports, 12(12), 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12120326 
7. Nielsen, R. O., Buist, I., Sørensen, H., Lind, M., & Rasmussen, S. (2012). Training errors and running-related injuries: A systematic review. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 7(1), 58–75. 
8. Subbarayalu, A. V., Chinnusamy, S., Purushothaman, V. K., Chittode Krishnasamy, K., Krishnan Vasanthi, R., Karuppaiyan, R. K., Mani, P., Prabaharan, S., Ameer A, M., & Udhaya Kumar A. A. (2024). Lactate threshold training to improve long-distance running performance: A narrative review. Montenegrin Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 13(1), 19–29. https://doi.org/10.26773/mjssm.240303 
9. García-Pinillos, F., Soto-Hermoso, V. M., & Latorre-Román, P. A. (2017). How does high-intensity intermittent training affect recreational endurance runners? Acute and chronic adaptations: A systematic review. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 6(1), 54–67. 
10. McNicol, A. J., O'Brien, B. J., Paton, C. D., & Knez, W. L. (2009). The effects of increased absolute training intensity on adaptations to endurance exercise training. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 12(4), 485–489. 
11. Cao, W., He, Y., Fu, R., Chen, Y., Yu, J., & He, Z. (2025). A review of carbohydrate supplementation approaches and strategies for optimizing performance in elite long-distance endurance. Nutrients, 17(5), 918. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17050918 
12. Phillips, S. M., & Van Loon, L. J. C. (2011). Dietary protein for athletes: From requirements to optimum adaptation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(Suppl 1), S29–S38. 
13. Solberg, A., & Reikvam, H. (2023). Iron status and physical performance in athletes. Life, 13(10), 2007. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13102007
14. Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377–390. 
    
15. Vitale, K. C., Owens, R., Hopkins, S. R., & Malhotra, A. (2019). Sleep hygiene for optimizing recovery in athletes: Review and recommendations. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 40(8), 535–543 
16. Blagrove, R. C., Howatson, G., & Hayes, P. R. (2018). Effects of strength training on the physiological determinants of middle- and long-distance running performance: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(5), 1117–1149. 
17. Fiala, O., Hanzlova, M., Borska, L., Fiala, Z., & Holmannova, D. (2025). Beyond physical exhaustion: Understanding overtraining syndrome through the lens of molecular mechanisms and clinical manifestation. Sports Medicine and Health Science, 7(4), 237–248.