How Long Does It Take To Get Better at Running Long Distance?

How do you go from finishing a marathon to hitting a marathon PR?

If your enjoyment of running isn’t dependent on improving your performance and you just enjoy the act of running, we love that! Distance running is a hobby for most runners, and hobbies should be enjoyable.

But if your enjoyment of running is more linked to seeing yourself improving over time, and you’ve been asking yourself:

“How do I get better at long distance running?”

And

“How long does it take to get better at running?”

This post is for you.

In my years of helping people progress in their running, I have found some common themes that have helped runners achieve their goals. Let’s dive into the three pillars of improving as a runner, and how long it takes to see results.

How to get better at long distance running

Consistency

More important than any other factor in progressing as a runner is the practice of running consistently over a long period of time. Dan Cleather in his little black book of training wisdom clarifies this concept by describing the cardinal rule of training:

"Above all else, be consistent."

And its corollary:

"Don't do things that might negatively affect your consistency" (1)

Especially for beginner runners, it can be easy to get distracted by shiny objects (speed workouts, hill training, super shoes, etc), but these things can often get in the way of training consistently.

Let’s say that you’ve been running consistently for two months, averaging two runs per week, and you recently joined a running club that does a track workout once per week. It sounds like a fun way to make running social and progress as a runner, but 4-6 weeks in you develop shin splints.

Why?

Because you hadn’t built up enough consistency in your training to tolerate runs at a higher intensity yet. This story is relatively common, especially if the run club’s track workout is super intense.

If you did a track workout, and were so sore afterwards that you couldn’t run again for two days, then the track workout was too hard.

And as for super shoes, research shows that they can only shave a few minutes off of your marathon time. (2)

Unless you’re just a few minutes away from qualifying for Boston, you’re better off working on yourself!

Stratification of Training

I asked one of my clients who has improved his marathon PR by about 40 minutes in the last two years how he trains differently now compared to when he started. He said:

"I pay more attention to the distribution of training intensity throughout each week rather than just waking up and logging miles."

Doing most runs easy and a few hard is what I mean by stratifying your training.

Once you have built up a tolerance to running consistently for 1+ years and are starting to incorporate some “hot sessions” that are higher intensity, using a pyramidal training distribution can be an effective strategy for improving performance without breaking down.

An example of a pyramidal training distribution where Zone 1 = Easy effort; Zone 2 = Threshold; Zone 3 = Hard effort

Running at a high intensity for as little as 20% of your training runs can help you get faster. Exceeding that percentage might lead to diminishing returns or injuries. Don't forget, anything that gets in the way of consistency of training (injuries) should be avoided. That’s why it’s helpful to have a diverse distribution of training intensities throughout your program.

If you’re still skeptical about this strategy, take a look at my other blog post What Is Zone 2 Cardio?

Non-Running Factors

Running consistently and stratifying your training are all about what your runs look like, but a lot of the improvements that you can make in long distance running come from what you do when you’re NOT running.

Here are some examples of non-running factors that can influence your performance as a runner:

Strength training

There’s good research behind strength training improving running performance and decreasing risk of injury, but if you haven’t been exposed to much strength training it can take a while for your body to adjust. If you’re not sure where to start, we created a 12 week strength training program for runners that you can access on Truecoach by joining Alterra Distance Club.

Nutrition

Nutrition is supremely important for your performance in the marathon distance because your body just can’t store enough energy to have calories readily available through the entire race unless you replenish them during the race. But, believe it or not, fueling properly for a race takes practice. Just ask any marathon runner who has had bathroom nightmares during a race!

Recovery strategies

Having good recovery strategies often requires sacrificing something, because the most effective recovery strategy by far is sleep. Are you ready to stop watching TV until midnight on Friday nights to make sure you get enough sleep before your long run on Saturday? What about cutting out alcohol? Recovering well often requires you to sacrifice things that you enjoy.

Psychology

Discipline and resilience are two essential qualities for long distance runners who want to improve. It can be very easy to get carried away and do too much, and it takes mental and physical resilience to persevere through injuries and disappointing performances.

Equipment

Lastly, figuring out what running shoes work for you is a combination of art and science. I once worked with a runner who was having knee pain, and she was running in shoes that were two years old. I told her that we could work on some of her impairments together, but the first thing she should do is get a new pair of running shoes. Two years of consistent wear is definitely beyond the lifespan of a pair of running shoes, and I had a hunch that getting a fresh pair would solve a lot of her problems. We worked together for a month with minimal progress before she finally bought a new pair of shoes and all of a sudden she started feeling better. Moral of the story, when the problem is the shoes, the solution is the shoes.

How long does it take to get better at running

Getting better at running may not initially take the form of improving your race time. I think the first phase of getting better at running is about being able to do more without consequences.

When my wife was training for her first marathon, she could barely do anything after a long run other than lay in bed. That was just the level of recovery that she needed.

Now, while training for her 8th marathon in 4 years, she can do a 20 mile run and go to my brother’s rehearsal dinner after without too much complaining. She can do more with less recovery time. This makes her better at running because she can train more, and train harder without breaking down.

But that took about two years.

The client I referenced above who started looking at his training in weeks instead of days and has PRed his marathon by 40 minutes? We’ve been working together for 2 years.

So how long does it take to become a faster marathon runner? Probably between 1.5 to 2 years. But how long does it take to become better at running? You're getting better every day.

At Alterra, we specialize in helping runners stay healthy and get better at running (especially long distance). If you're local to Boston's Back Bay area and are looking to dial in your training, we'd love to help! Book a free discovery call to chat with a therapist today.

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Next on your reading list:

1. Is Running Gait Analysis Worth It?

2. What is Zone 2 Cardio?

3. Physical Therapy Treatment for Runners

Sources:

1. Cleather D. The Little Black Book of Training Wisdom: How to train to improve at any sport. Daniel J Cleather; 2018.

2. Hoogkamer, W., Kipp, S., Frank, J.H. et al. A Comparison of the Energetic Cost of Running in Marathon Racing Shoes. Sports Med 48, 1009–1019 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0811-2