How to Not Get Tired When Running

Tired When Running

Getting tired when running is part of the process. However, it can be really frustrating when it feels that no matter how much your train you are always winded and completely drained.

Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to help you.

Fix Your Running Form

Getting tired when running is inevitable; however, the best thing that you can do to help prevent getting tired when running too quickly is to focus on proper running form.

In fact, according to Michael Fredericson, MD, professor and director of physical medicine and sports medicine at Stanford University, “The more efficient your running gait is, the less energy you’re going to need to use, and the less fatigued you’re going to get”.^[1]Popsugar – Ready to Start Running Longer? Here’s How to Conquer Any Distance and Feel Good Doing It

For many people this sounds harder than it actually is. However, the easiest way to go about this is by focusing on relaxing your muscles. The more tensed your muscles are the more energy you are wasting. In addition, by tensing your muscles, you actually increase the impact force on your body when you run.

A few other running form issues that you should pay attention to are:

Bouncing up and down too much. While it is normal to bounce when you are running, if you bounce too much you are wasting energy going up and down instead of forward.
Crossing your feet. When running, your feet should be going forward. Similar to the above running issue, you should focus as much of your energy to propel yourself forward, not side to side.
Overstriding. Also, known as heel striking, this is when you reach too far forward with your legs and hit the ground with your heels rather than the bottom of your feet. To help with this, focus on landing with your feet underneath your knees when running.

Take Smaller Strides and Increase Your Cadence

One of the best ways to not get tired when running is to take smaller steps and increase your running cadence.

By taking larger strides and not turning over your legs as quickly, you are actually causing more harm than good. This increases the stress on your body, which not only tires you out quicker, but also increases the risk for injury.

Ideally, you should focus on running around 180 steps per minute.

In fact, just like cars, running at a higher cadence (rpm) at a lower gear (shorter stride length) is more efficient.^[2]Medium – How To Run Longer Without Getting Tired

An easy way to figure out your cadence is to time yourself for 60 seconds when you are running and count the number of times your right foot hits the ground. Once you get this number, double it to get your cadence.

If that is too difficult, there are a lot of running watches such as this one, that can help monitor your cadence in real time.

Warm Up Thoroughly

When running, many people don’t properly warm up. However, in order to not get tired when running, it is important to incorporate warming up into your running workouts.

A good warm up helps activate your circulatory and cardiovascular system. This helps get oxygen to your muscles, which in turn helps you run longer before getting tired.

If you don’t have a lot of time to warm up before running, an easy way to incorporate it into your workout out is by starting out the first 5 to 10 minutes of each run at an easy jogging pace.^[3]Chron – FitnessHow to Run Without Getting Tired or Breathing Heavily How to Run Without Getting Tired or Breathing Heavily

Stretch Before and After Running

Stretching before running is very important. Not only does it help loosen up your muscles, but it can also help keep you from getting as tired from running.

In addition, it is also important to stretch after your run. This will help you release any tension that you have built up from your run so that you won’t carry it into your next training session.^[4]Best Play Gear – How to run long distance fast without getting tired?

If you would like to learn some good running stretches, check out

Get Proper Running Shoes

One of the biggest mistakes that many beginner runners make is not getting proper running shoes.

They tend to think that any pair of sneakers will do. Needless to say, they are quite wrong. In fact, if you don’t get the proper running shoes, not only will you get more tired when running, you also greatly increase the risk of injury!

An important thing to know when getting new running shoes is to understand that every runner is different. Therefore, there is no one size fits all approach to buying running shoes.

It is important to find the proper running shoes for your feet. A great way to go about this is to go to a running store and talk with a running shoe expert to get professionally fitted.

Ideally, a good pair of running shoes should fit your feet perfectly without being too loose or too tight, help absorb the impact of running, and help propel your forward.^[5]SportsRec – How to Go Jogging Without Getting Tired

The right pair of running shoes will help you be the most efficient you can be; therefore, not making you as tired when you run.

Practice Interval Training

If you want to get run longer, get faster, and not be as tired when running, it is important to vary the intensity and types of running workouts in your training.

A great way to do this is through interval training.

A good interval running training session can last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. It will include alternating periods of fast running or sprinting with periods of jogging or slow running.^[6]Run with Caroline – 8 ways to run for longer without getting so tired

This start and stop pattern of running will help get your body used to quickly recovering from hard efforts. In the long run, this will help increase your endurance and ability to not get tired when running.

Fuel Up Or Don’t

If you are feeling tired when running, it might be a good idea to eat before going out on your run.

However, if you are running within an hour of eating, make sure to keep it simple. According to Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D.N., “Eat something easily digestible and drink fluids.”

Make sure to mix electrolytes and sugar. For example some raisins and a banana are a great pre run meal. In fact, according to studies, fruits can fuel you just as well as sports chews and drinks. Just make sure that you are drinking some water as well!

However, if eating before your run doesn’t work for you, don’t worry!

In fact, studies show that running before you eat breakfast can actually boost your running workout. According to the research, this is because you have lower levels of the “fullness” hormone leptin which in turn can increase you stamina when running.

However, if you plan of going for a longer run (10k or more) Heather Hausenblas, Ph.D., recommends eating a little bit as it is how “you’ll get your energy”.^[7]Shape – 4 Ways to Beast Your Morning Run Without Feeling Tired

Control Your Breathing

When running, many people find themselves out of breath because they don’t know how to properly control their breathing pattern. In fact, breathing properly is one of the most important aspects to making sure that you don’t get tired when running!

Fortunately, there are several queues that you can think about on your next run in order to control your breathing.^[8]wikihow – How to Run Without Getting Out of Breath

Breathe deeply through your mouth. This helps you get as much oxygen into your body as possible to fuel your muscles.
Focus on “belly breathing” instead of “chest breathing”. Deep belly breathing allows you to take in more oxygen than shallow chest breathing. An easy way to focus on this is to think about breathing all the way from your stomach first.
Practice rhythmic breathing. This helps you optimize your breathing and oxygen intake for the pace that you are running at. A simple pattern to follow is to breath in for 3 steps and breath out for 2 steps.
Taking walking breaks. If you are out of breath, it usually is a sign that you aren’t breathing properly. Allow yourself to catch your breath while walking. Then use this opportunity to refocus and reset your proper breathing pattern when you start running again.

Listen to Your Body

The most important aspects to running is listening to what your body tells you. One of the biggest traps that pretty much all runners fall into when running is to focus on hitting running paces before starting their run.

However, paces don’t take into account your life. Perhaps you have not been sleeping well or are just very stressed out from a hard day at work. All of these factors can affect your energy levels when running.

Therefore, if you feel tired when running, perhaps you just need to focus on slowing down rather than pushing through every time.

A great way to understand how your body is feeling is by monitoring your heart rate. Running with a heart rate monitor can help familiarize yourself with your effort levels.^[9]asics – COMBATING LEG FATIGUE – 6 WAYS TO FIGHT TIRED LEGS

Incorporate Strength Training

Many runners tend to neglect strength training. However, a proper strength training plan can be a crucial and integral part in a proper running schedule.

In fact, according to sports and exercise scientist Kenji Doma, Ph.D., from James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, “The reason strength training makes you faster is because it lowers the amount of energy required to hit a certain pace”.

Therefore, when running “Your brain alters its neural recruitment pattern, calling up the most fatigue-resistant muscle fibers so you exert less energy.”^[10]Runner’s World – Study Shows How to Best Combine Strength Training and Running

If you would like some guidance of strength training plans for runners, check out:

Parting Words

Getting tired when running is a natural part of the process. However, getting excessively tired or winded right away is not.

Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to help not get as tired when running.

If you would like to learn more, check out How to Avoid Bonking in Your Next Race.

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