Build endurance {without burning out}

What would you say if we told you that building endurance is about running really slowly? Hard to believe? Well, it’s true; most gains come from dialling down your speed a notch or 10. Now we’ve got your attention, let’s learn more about building endurance safely and happily

Words: Anna Harding

When you start running, maybe with the Couch to 5K app, you’re building endurance straightaway, but how do you keep pushing, without getting injured?

If you have recently taken up running, or you’re coming back to it after a long break, you might be thinking about how to approach running further or faster. Now is a great time to start a training plan for an autumn race, such as a half marathon or marathon. However, as the miles add up and your goals shift from ‘just finishing’ to perhaps ‘getting faster’ or ‘running further’, the risk of burnout can become an issue.

So how do you build endurance without losing your mojo or injuring yourself along the way? This guide is all about helping you go longer and stronger, and stay healthy doing it.

What’s endurance?

When we hear the word ‘endurance’, we often think of marathons or ultrarunners clocking endless miles. But in reality, endurance is simply your body’s ability to sustain physical activity over time, and this looks different for everyone. For some, it might be running continuously for 30 minutes without stopping. For others, it could mean completing a 10K, half marathon or building up to a consistent weekly routine without fatigue taking over. Whatever your starting point, endurance is about gradually increasing your body’s capacity to go further for longer, while staying strong and injury-free.

But here’s the important part: endurance isn’t just physical. It’s mental and emotional, too. It’s the grit that keeps you going on the days when you’d rather stay in bed. It’s the focus you maintain during long runs, the motivation you draw on when progress feels slow and the resilience to keep training through life’s ups and downs. So many of us are juggling careers, families and self-care, and building endurance often means creating space in your life to prioritise yourself, without guilt.

So, endurance is more than miles. It’s about consistency and showing up again and again. No matter your pace or distance, developing endurance is a powerful skill that translates far beyond the road or trail.

Slow and steady

Although you may not be looking to win the race, metaphorically speaking, this phrase is an important one to remember for any running training. It can be so tempting to want quick results, but rushing the process often leads to overtraining, injury and frustration. Here’s the secret: most endurance gains come from running slowly. Really slowly.

In this case, we’re talking about moving at a proper conversational pace, where you could chat with a friend without gasping for breath. It might even feel too easy, but these low-intensity runs build aerobic capacity, which is the engine inside our body that powers all endurance activities. Your heart, lungs and muscles get better at using oxygen, which is essential for long-distance running. Slower running can also cut your injury risk, because it is kinder on joints and muscles, giving your body time to adapt to the demands of training.