How to Build Stamina and Why It Matters for Runners

Becoming a better, stronger runner isn’t just about upping your mileage. In fact, logging too many miles can be counterproductive. A more strategic approach is to dial in your efforts—and that’s where stamina training comes into play. Building your stamina can provide a number of benefits for all types of runners, whether you’re a tried-and-true sprinter, a casual beginner, or a trail marathoner looking to nab a new PR.

Here, with the help of two experts, we get clear on what stamina is, why it’s important for runners, and how to build stamina today.

What is stamina and how does it differ from endurance?

Put simply, stamina is your ability to do prolonged or repeated bouts of exercise at maximum intensity, exercise physiologist DeAnne Davis Brooks, Ed.D., associate professor and graduate program director in the department of kinesiology at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and USATF level 1 track coach tell Runner’s World.

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Now, “people use the terms endurance and stamina really interchangeably,” says Brooks. But they’re actually not the same. While stamina is all about how long you can sustain or repeat high-intensity efforts, endurance is about how long you can sustain lower-intensity efforts.

In other words, the key difference between stamina and endurance is how hard you’re working, says Frank Baptiste, C.S.C.S., strength coach and founder of Frankly Fitness.

Think of it this way: Running an ultramarathon requires endurance, because the goal is to maintain a steady pace for hours on end, whereas tackling 100-meter repeats at full-speed demands stamina, because the focus is sprinting at max effort and repeating that multiple times.

That said, stamina doesn’t just come into play during super-short workouts or races. You may also need stamina at different points during endurance running. For example, if you’re out for a long, hilly run in your neighborhood, you’d need stamina to hoof it to the top of each incline, says Brooks. Or, if you’re competing in a race, you’d want stamina to repeatedly surge and hold off competitors, she adds.

Why is stamina so important for runners?

Here’s the thing: A lot of the recommendations around health-related physical activity are centered on cardiovascular endurance training, says Brooks. For example, you may hear the advice to jog for 30 minutes five days a week, or go for regular brisk walks. And while this type of aerobic training is definitely worth your while, “there are so many benefits of being able to repeatedly exercise at that maximal intensity, which is stamina,” says Brooks.

For runners specifically, these benefits can be a boon during both racing and training.

Obviously if you compete in races that demand sustained high-intensity effort—like the 800 meters, for example—then stamina training is a must. More generally speaking though, having the ability to pick up the pace at various points during any competition can help you respond to and hold off fellow participants, says Brooks. Stamina can also help you quickly and adeptly navigate obstacles during rugged trail races—think: hopping across logs, jumping over puddles, and scrambling over rocks.

Not a competitive runner? Stamina is still important, because you want to be able to crank up the intensity when it matters. Say you’re casually running and realize the sun is setting fast, stamina could help you accelerate and hold that speed until you safely get back to your car. Or perhaps you’re trying a new route that you didn’t realize was so hilly; stamina could help you tackle the inclines swiftly without adding a ton of extra time to your workout.

Bottom line: No matter what type of runner you are, “you don’t want to only be able to go for a long distance at a slow pace,” says Brooks. There are loads of situations—both in competition and training–in which having solid stamina can come as a major plus.

How do you build stamina?

Most importantly, you’ll want to incorporate high-intensity training into your routine. In terms of frequency, if you’re currently running two to three times a week, then training for stamina once a week is good, says Baptiste. If you’re running four to six times a week, then aim for two stamina workouts per week, he says. Just be sure to schedule at least one day in between stamina-focused workouts so that your muscles have enough time to recover from the high-intensity efforts, says Brooks.

Also important: Before any stamina workout, make sure you thoroughly warm up so your muscles and joints are prepared to move at a fast speed. Try our 5-minute prerun warmup before any of your high-intensity workouts.

With that, here are five expert-backed tips on how to build stamina.

1. Start with tempo runs

For folks who are new to stamina training, Baptiste suggests starting with 30-minute tempo runs that have one max effort interval built-in as a way to gently introduce your body to working at a high intensity.

Tempo runs involve holding a comfortably hard pace, as Runner’s World previously reported. In this scenario, you’d want to gradually increase your speed, and then about two-thirds of the way through–or about 20 minutes into the run–really crank up the intensity and try to hold as fast a pace you can for three to six minutes. (This doesn’t mean sprinting, by the way. You should be able to maintain your speed for that entire interval.) Then, gently reduce your speed and ease into a cooldown, says Baptiste.

2. Incorporate interval work

Once you’re comfortable with the above tempo-interval workouts, then up the ante by adding high-intensity interval training (HIIT) runs into your schedule. “In and of themselves, intervals will help improve your stamina,” says Baptiste.

Now, there are lots of different ways to structure HIIT runs, but one approach involves a 1:1 ratio of work to rest. That means one minute of hard running, followed by one minute of rest, and then repeating that for a set number of times, says Brooks.

Keep in mind: The higher intensity at which you run, the more rest you will need before repeating that effort, says Brooks. So if you’re running at an all-out speed for 15 to 20 seconds, then you’ll probably need a decent amount of downtime—about 90 seconds—before you could sprint at 100% effort again.

How much rest you need will depend on how hard you run and your current fitness level, but as a general rule of thumb, if you’re going for all-out max effort, “you want to have enough rest and recovery that allows you to then go at full intensity the next time,” Brooks explains.

You can do intervals on flat ground or on hills. Hill workouts are a great way to incorporate stamina training, because your efforts automatically become higher intensity when you start climbing a hill (so long as you don’t significantly slow your pace).

3. Progress your intervals

To improve your stamina over time, you’ll need to consistently progress your interval training, says Brooks. This could mean increasing the total time of your interval workout. For example, start with three sets of intervals at 100% effort and then gradually progress to five sets of intervals at 100% effort.

You could also experiment with shortening your rest interval, says Baptise. For example, say you’re doing intervals of running at a max pace for three minutes and then slow jogging for three minutes. The next week, you may try running at max pace for three minutes and then slow jogging for two-and-a-half minutes. You’d gradually reduce your rest time from there.

Another option, per Baptiste, is to increase your speed during your rest interval. Say you’re running a 6:40-per-mile pace for three minutes and then slow jogging at a 12-minute mile pace for three minutes. The next week you may try slow jogging at an 11:30-minute mile pace before progressing to a 11-minute mile and so on.

4. Consider bodyweight HIIT routines

If you want to have better stamina while running, it’s important to do run-based stamina workouts. But there can also be a place for non-running stamina workouts, such as bodyweight HIIT routines, says Baptiste.

When designing a bodyweight HIIT workout, incorporate exercises that involve movement in planes of motion that are different from running—such as skaters (moving side-to-side) or curtsy lunges (moving diagonally). Training your body to work in all planes of motion (not just forward and backward, as you do when running) can help target more muscles and make you a stronger runner with less risk of injury, as Runner’s World previously reported.

These types of workouts are a “good option” to train for stamina on those days when you need a break from running, says Baptiste.

5. Tap into mental techniques

We won’t sugarcoat it: Stamina training, if done correctly, is not going to feel comfortable. Pushing yourself to the max will inevitably leave you breathless and do a number on your muscles. So having an arsenal of mental techniques to help you embrace that discomfort can help you perform better in your stamina workouts and stay consistent with them.

As Baptiste explains it: “If you're having a tough time, and you’re saying to yourself, I can’t go on or this hurts, or you’re feeling an ache and pain, and that’s what your mind is focused on, you’re just not going to go as long,” compared to a runner who is using beneficial mental strategies.

Baptiste recommends tools like visualization, breathwork, meditation, and a pump-up playlist to get you in the right mindset for effective stamina training. You may also consider inviting friends to join your workouts for extra motivation and friendly competition, he adds. Positive self-talk and working on your mental toughness can also help.