This can happen: after three years of long runs, races and lots of speed work, you find out that you are getting fed up with doing a session 'because it was on the schedule', or because everyone else was doing it. If you already have two disappointing marathons, try considering base-building. It will open up a whole new lease of life for you. Then you will know why you are doing each run, and if you're an inquisitive type, this will give you more pleasure and motivation



Base training doesn't actually have to mean running. You can start your training season doing pretty much any general training (swimming, cycling, rowing, aerobics) then progress to more specific training later on. Its all about building a good cardio-respiratory system which simply requires consistent, chronic exposure to activity.

For long distance running, an increase in mileage is your best bet. Say, if you are used to running 10k for thrice a week, try doing 15k runs twice a week. Then, check your progress in time in 10k after a month. To achieve that with the minimum injury risk, keep the pace slow and comfortable.

To train for base endurance, 1hr a day of running is a good base target to work up to if you are trying to run good times. This may take some time. All increases should be very gradual and if you are not used to daily running then start with less per day than you think you can manage. And always ease back as soon as you feel and discomfort at all. If your are aiming lower then adapt it to run as many days a week as you can manage and perhaps shorter runs, say, 40min 5 days a week. But 1hr a day is best. From there you can start to add long runs and faster pace efforts (stay aerobic though).

An hour of daily running is ideal assuming that a person wants to maximize his/her potential - of course if you are happy to perform less well or do not have the time to commit further down the road it can be adapted.

Daily running is ideal since injuries tend to creep up on you rather than suddenly pounce out from nowhere. Plus with this type of training, if you run at a steady pace, you won't need a recovery day. Do take note of time over distance. An 1hr at a certain effort is the same for all of us no matter how fast or slow we may be.

It is better to forget the long run while adapting to daily running and building up to the hour. For starters, you can start at 20-25min of running per day. Avoid walking in during the timed run. Take about 1 month or so to build up to 45min a day and then the same again to get to the hour. You could probably do it in less, and will certainly feel able to, but remember that it is the muscles/body that will be under pressure not the heart and lungs.

This is what might be defined as a base for base building! It gets you into shape so that you can build a base. So then spend three months adding a long run and some faster aerobic runs.

If you have never trained this way before, take time to do the base for a base - it will prepare you for the mileage ahead. Base for a base is a preparation stage for beginners, running 3 to 4 times a week. From 6 kilometers of fat-burning pace to 15 kilometers each run. Circuit Training in gym will also be helpful as your cross-training. After which, base-building can now be applied.