How to increase your running mileage without getting injured (whether you’re a beginner or training for a marathon)

Woman running along the road

Credit: Getty

Strong Women


How to increase your running mileage without getting injured (whether you’re a beginner or training for a marathon)

By Katie Yockey

6 months ago

6 min read

Whether you’re new to running or an old hand, this guide to running for longer should see your miles increase rather than your risk of injury.


Training for a race or getting more serious about running often means upping the miles. If you’ve caught the bug, you might be keen to simply run as much as you possibly can – and that way lies injury. For newbies, the idea of increasing mileage can feel overwhelming. If you’ve only just become comfortable with running 10K, doubling that might seem like an insurmountable challenge.

Running longer distances boasts a load of benefits. It can increase your aerobic capacity (how fit you are), improve your running economy (how efficiently you run), and strengthen your musculoskeletal system (your bones, muscles, and joints). But you’ll only reap these benefits if you can stay injury-free — and that means taking it slow and steady.

“Increasing mileage should be a slow and gradual build,” says PT Lauren DeLuca Zermeño. “Overtraining can manifest physically, mentally, and in performance.”

Keeping things conservative when increasing your mileage is key to staying healthy, and that’ll help you put together consistent weeks and months of training.

Ready to up your distance and make a training plan? Let’s break down how to go about safely and effectively increasing your mileage.

Start with the 10% rule 

The 10% rule means increasing your weekly mileage by no more than 10% each week, even if you’re feeling good. Imagine you’re starting out training for your first-ever half marathon, having usually done two 5Ks a week. That first week might see you do one 5K and one 6K. The following week, you might do one 5K and one 7K, etc.

While the 10% rule is a good starting point, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. If you’re newer to running or only running one or two days a week, adding 10% might feel like too much. Focus on allowing your body to get used to the added time on your feet, and dial it back if you need to. You might find it feels better to keep your mileage about the same for a couple of weeks then add a little bit more and see how you feel.

However, if you have years of running behind you, the 10% rule could be a good place to start. And as tempting as it is to tack on a few more miles or an extra run when you’re feeling motivated, be firm in sticking to your plan. One study on distance runners found that those who increased their weekly mileage by 20–60% had significantly higher injury rates than those who increased by less than 20%.

A woman running with yellow headphones on

Credit: Getty

Keep an eye on intensity and form  

“When upping mileage, it’s important to consider three things: form, consistency, and experience,” says DeLuca Zermeño.

Form is super important, given the role it plays in injury prevention. On your slow, easy runs, think about staying tall, looking forward (not at the ground), and having a slight lean forward from your hips. You don’t need to obsess over perfect form though — everyone runs slightly differently, and your natural form is likely the most efficient and healthy for you.

It’s also vital not to ramp up the intensity too much when increasing distance. PT Gregor Parella recommends keeping your pace easy, comfortable, and conversational to avoid putting too much strain on your body. If adding volume adds stress, and running that extra volume faster is going to increase that stress even more, making you vulnerable to injury. 

Add in de-load weeks 

Rest days are where fitness gains are made, so build them into your plan. Parella recommends at least one full day off per week, but you can take more if your body’s telling you it needs them.

And in addition to rest days, you should add in rest weeks. Also called de-load weeks, these are weeks where you reduce your mileage and give your body a chance to recover. There’s no hard and fast rule here, but a good rule of thumb is to take a de-load week every three weeks or so.

It might feel uncomfortable to cut back on running when you’re feeling the momentum of your increasing fitness, but these weeks are essential to keeping you physically and mentally healthy. In addition to giving your body a chance to repair and make the most of your adaptations, these rest periods also allow you to mentally recover from tough training. You’ll come back feeling fresher, rejuvenated, and extra motivated to work hard.

Keep your pace easy, comfortable and conversational

Watch out for signs of overtraining and injuries 

Running more than you were before means you’re at risk of getting injured, so it becomes more important than ever to watch out for warning signs that you might be overdoing it.

“Physically, you might experience weight loss, more colds or illnesses, or frequent small injuries like sprains or chronic pain,” says DeLuca Zermeño. “In your performance, you might notice a decline in speed, unusually sore muscles, or legs that feel like lead.”

Overtraining can also cause a slew of other issues like fatigue, low motivation, irritability, and problems with sleeping and concentration.

Keeping your mileage increases conservative should help you avoid overtraining, but it’s important to be aware of the signs. And if you feel like you’re doing that but still having overtraining symptoms, you might be underfuelling. Luckily, this can be remedied with extra snacks and bigger portions.

Even if you feel like you’re doing everything right, you can still get injured — and unfortunately, if you’re a runner, you’ll likely experience this at some point. If you’ve had an injury before, you’re at higher risk of developing another one, so make sure you’re paying attention to any niggles. Knowing the warning signs of injuries can help you stop them before they get worse, so take some time to learn about common running injuries and what they feel like.

Prioritise recovery, nutrition and self-care 

We’ve all heard it before: the real fitness and strength gains happen when you’re not training. While this can be hard to stick to, if you’re increasing your miles then now is the time to really put it into practice.

You can fall down a rabbit hole of all the tips, tricks, supplements, and “perfect” ways to optimise recovery, but let’s keep it simple: sleeping and eating. In addition to getting your eight hours per night, focus on making it the best sleep possible. “Sleep hygiene is crucial,” says Parella. “I advise limiting your caffeine intake before bedtime and staying away from the computer and phone screens for at least two hours before you sleep.”

And of course, food. More training means more fuelling, so you’ll need to get comfortable with eating a bit more than you’re used to and potentially adding in nutrition during workouts. “If you’re exercising for more than one hour, consider adding an intra-workout carb source,” says DeLuca Zermeño. “Aim for 30 to 60g of carbs for every additional hour.” You can try pre-packaged sports drinks or gels, or you can opt for any easily digestible carbs like raisins or gummy sweets.

The bottom line? If you’re upping the miles, you also need to up your TLC regimen. As much as the fitness gains are made on the pavement, they’re also made with a foam roller, a pile of snacks, and an evening on the sofa.


Images: Getty

Share this article

Sign up for workouts, nutritious recipes and expert tips, plus receive our 8-week beginner’s guide to strength training.

By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy

Thank you!

You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.