Seeing yourself improve is one of the great joys of running. For some, improvement means completing a first continuous kilometre. For others, it means setting a personal best over a favourite distance. It could even be as simple as making it to the end of the road without stopping. Whatever your current level, improvement brings a great sense of accomplishment and encouragement.

But what if you're struggling to see that improvement? What if you are always hitting the same times, always stopping at the same distance? How can you push yourself up from that plateau and become a faster runner, or a stronger runner, or cover longer distances?

Here, we'll take a look at all the fundamentals of boosting your running game, from nutrition and tracking to training and timings.

Assess your current running level

The first step to improving your running is getting an accurate baseline. Make honest notes about things like:

• How often you run each week
• Your average weekly distance
• Paces that you can manage easily
• Paces that you struggle with
• Your average performance over a known route or distance

Give yourself extra data to work with by tracking your resting heart rate, keeping a sleep diary, and logging your meals. This can help you to spot patterns in the way your running performance responds to factors like nutrition and tiredness. Starting from an accurate baseline will also help you to notice real progress as you improve.

Build consistency

Consistency is the single biggest driver of improvement. If you can, aim for a weekly routine that you can repeat comfortably for several weeks.

What this training plan looks like will vary from runner to runner. Many beginners find that two to four runs per week is plenty, while more advanced runners benefit from up to five runs per week.

Don't scale up your running schedule too quickly. Gradually increase your runs, and try to avoid sudden spikes in distance or intensity.

Smarter Training Techniques

The phrase 'work smarter, not harder' can apply to running, too. With the right mix of easier runs, targeted intensity, and strength training you can work with your body to reach your optimal running form.

Speed & Endurance Workouts

Speed sessions and endurance workouts are important for improving your stamina and running mechanics. Try things like:

• Strides before sprints. Taking long, controlled strides as a warm-up before a sprint session will improve your neuromuscular coordination, engage fast-twitch muscle fibres, and quickly prime your body for intense exercise. Try running up to ten strides in a controlled way before switching to sprints.
• Hill workouts. Hill training can be exhausting, but it's important for engaging running muscles (like your lower calves and glutes) that might get worked unevenly if you just stick to flat ground. It's also a fantastic way to improve stamina.
• Fartlek. 'Fartlek' is Swedish for 'speed-play'. It's similar to interval training, in that it involves alternating between faster and slower running paces during a continuous session. Many people find it more intuitive than traditional interval training, as fartlek does not specify when you should introduce an interval or a rest period, or how long each should last for.
• Interval and tempo runs. If you prefer more structure, try interval training and tempo runs. Tempo runs involve running at a manageably difficult pace, while interval training involves structured 'intervals' of more intense and less intense running. You can use a metronome app to help you keep to a tempo.

Running Form & Technique

Form is what separates good runners from excellent runners. With good form, your running will become streamlined, efficient, and much better for your body.

Aim for an upright posture, leaning forward slightly from your ankles. Keep your shoulders relaxed, and let your arms swing close to your body (you may find that it helps to bend your elbows). Ideally, your gait should see your feet land beneath your body rather than ahead of you.

Pay attention to your cadence, as this can have a big impact on your form and technique. For example, a slightly faster cadence can build momentum and improve your rhythm, while slower cadences may be less efficient and (counterintuitively!) harder to maintain.

Initially, paying attention to your form can feel difficult and distracting, but as your confidence grows, you'll find that good running technique becomes second nature.

If you’re struggling with your form or naturally find it hard to understand how your body runs, you might benefit from doing Gait Analysis, which will give you insight as to how you run, and any areas for improvement, or even areas that could lead to issues or injury if not addressed.

Fueling, Hydration, & Recovery

Running improvement requires a decent recovery schedule. It's during recovery that your body takes stock of what you've been 'teaching' it, and makes the adaptations you need to in order to improve. So, be sure to schedule recovery days into your training regimen.

Fuel and hydration are also vital for good running performance. If you can, take a bottle of water with you on runs to re-hydrate on the go. As for fuel, you can accomplish most runs on a normal, healthy meal schedule, but longer or harder sessions might benefit from a small carbohydrate and protein snack a couple of hours beforehand.

Sleep is also an important performance aid. Try to be as consistent with your sleep regime as you are with your running. Keep to the same sleep and wake times, and practice good sleep hygiene. At the end of the day, rest is where the real progress happens!

Tailor Your Approach by Level

Make sure that you aren't training on a plateau or pushing yourself too hard too soon. Tailor your approach according to your level and build gradually as you improve.

If you are starting from scratch

Absolute beginners can benefit from three or so short sessions a week, combining brisk walking and easy jogging. Increase the jogging gradually until you find a comfortable medium pace that allows you to jog for longer.

If you are running but stalled

It's common to plateau when you've been doing the same run at the same effort for a long time. To break out of a plateau, try adding some new intensity to your regimen. For example, you might add more miles or introduce some new exercises to your strength training.

If you are looking to race

Ideally, you will need at least twelve to sixteen weeks to get race-ready, depending on your starting level and the length of the race. Start by building up an aerobic base with easy, consistent runs. Add one more intense session per week to boost strength and stamina, and gradually add race-specific work. For example, for a 5k you might add short intervals and controlled speed work, whereas for a marathon you might work on your marathon pace and progression runs.

Track your progress

Improvement in running isn’t always obvious from one session to the next, so the key is to look for trends over time rather than single results. Don’t be discouraged by a tough run or a slower day, as your performance will naturally fluctuate as you train. 

To track your progress:

• Use a running app or GPS watch to record the distance, pace, and heart rate for each run.
• Review weekly or monthly averages rather than one-off results to see real improvement.
• Log how a run feels, including energy levels, perceived effort, and recovery time.
• Keep notes on external factors such as the weather, how well you’ve slept, and what you’ve eaten.
• Set a mini check-in every 4-6 weeks and re-run a route or distance to compare results.