How to Increase Your Running Distance Without Getting Hurt

One of the many benefits of running? It’s simple. It doesn’t require special gear or complicated group fitness choreography — all you need to do is lace up your sneakers and head out the door when your schedule allows. 

But at some point, you might start thinking about making a bigger commitment to running. Maybe you want to try moving up from a 5K to a 10K. Maybe you want to challenge yourself with a half marathon. Maybe you want to cross “running a marathon” off your bucket list. Or maybe this is the year you’ll do your first ultra-distance event. And with the warm weather — and the UW Medicine Seattle Marathon four months away — it’s the perfect time to start working toward your running goals. 

But what does it take to train for a longer distance event? And how can you increase your running distance without getting hurt? Here are some tips on how to level up to a longer distance running event.

Prep your body 

Running longer distances isn’t just about mileage. You need to think about how you’re preparing your body to tackle longer distances. That means fueling and hydrating before, during and after your training sessions. 

“One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is that they increase their training volume, but they don’t make any changes or adjustments to their nutrition,” says Dr. Andrea Kussman, a sports medicine and family medicine doctor, team physician for UW’s running teams and a former collegiate runner. “If you're doing more or asking more of your body, you need to provide your body with the resources it needs to do those things. If you have a significant increase in the amount of energy you're expending over the course of the day, then you need to make sure that you're fueling for that.”

That doesn’t necessarily imply giant pasta dinners every night, but it does mean getting enough carbs before big training runs and races, and incorporating protein and complex starches, like whole grains, in your post-workout meal.

Ramp it up slowly  

When you have a new goal, it’s easy to get excited and you may want to start running longer distances right away. But it’s one of the biggest pitfalls Kussman sees among her patients and it can be a recipe for injury.   

“When you're training, you’re demanding more of your muscles and bones and you’re pushing your body to make physiologic adaptations,” Kussman says. Your body needs to adjust to running more mileage or for a longer period of time.   

Instead, if you want to get to the starting line healthy and injury-free, gradually increase the length and distance of your runs. As a general rule of thumb, Kussman recommends increasing your running mileage no more than 10% from one week to the next. And if you’re incorporating higher intensity workouts like speed work into your training schedule, don’t boost both distance and intensity on the same day. Stick with one.  

Finally don’t forget about recovery days. “Your body needs to be able to remodel and adjust to the stress after a workout. That’s how you become stronger over time,” she says. “If you don't build in that time, then you're going to slowly wear yourself down.” So, take care of your body when you return from a run and schedule at least one day a week off. It’s all part of a good training routine. 

Be flexible 

A good training plan, one that fits your goals and lifestyle, can help you build your mileage progressively and safely. However, sometimes you may need to deviate from your schedule — you may get sick or may start to feel a nagging pain in your knee or hip. Rather than continuing to push through and risk further sickness or injury, it’s OK to take time off. 

“Sometimes runners get stuck on very rigid training plans. It can be helpful to give our bodies some grace and allow ourselves to adjust to the circumstances as we meet them, especially as we're trying to jump up in distances,” Kussman says. She suggests stepping back for a week or two and then ramping up your training again.    

Get creative 

As you increase your running mileage, you may notice sore muscles or tenderness in your shins or feet. You may think that higher mileage doesn’t agree with your body, but it doesn’t mean you can’t run longer distances. It just means you may have to change how you approach your training.   

For her patients who experience more pains and niggles or tend to get injured at higher mileage, Kussman recommends swapping in another type of cardiovascular exercise — like swimming or cycling — for a few workouts a week. That way, you’re still gaining the cardiovascular benefits without the same impact on the body.   

It can also help to mix up the surfaces you run on, especially if you’re struggling with shin splints or are returning from an injury. If you always run on pavement, try hitting the trails or jogging on grass. It’s another way to help reduce the impact and load on the body.   

Don’t forget about strength training 

When given the choice, runners will always run, but don’t overlook the benefits of strength training. Resistance training can help prevent common running injuries, like a hamstring strain, tendinitis or patellofemoral pain (aka “runner’s knee”), which causes pain in the front of the knee. Kussman says that many of these injuries are a result of muscle imbalances or weaknesses coupled with the repetitive impact of running.

“Strength training makes you a better runner and increases your longevity, because you're building a lot of those muscles that will help prevent injuries,” she says. Focus on lower body muscle groups —glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves — which not only improves muscular endurance, power and strength, it also helps with running efficiency. Developing core strength can help improve your running form. 

The bottom line 

Anyone can boost their running distance, no matter your age or pace, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just keep a few basic principles in mind — keep it slow and steady, fuel your body and make time for recovery. Ready to run?