Expert-Backed Tips to Help Beginners Run Longer long run Other Hearst Subscriptions ever had before. I’m not entirely sure what came over me that day to chase after more miles (maybe I was just bored) but I wanted to put my endurance to the test.
I ran competitively in high school and college, so I wasn’t a stranger to running upward of 10 miles in one session. But I didn’t log monstrous mileage even as a collegiate runner. I had never completed more than 13.1 miles on a long run before, and that weekend seemed as good as any to see if I could push my limits.
So, I grabbed a handful of gels–and a package of fruit snacks for good measure–and set out for a full pass of the 10-mile Lady Bird Lake Trail in Austin, Texas. After completing the loop, I felt fresh and ready to tack on more miles, so I set back out on the trail. Once I stopped my watch, I had completed 15 miles, my longest-ever run to date at the time. I didn’t anticipate feeling so strong throughout the run, but starting off conservatively before pushing the pace over the closing miles made for the perfect strategy.
Published: Sep 09, 2025 2:27 PM EDT? Our Run Longer: Break New Barriers program push my limits!
The best part? I didn’t feel like I completely emptied the tank to log 15 miles. Still coming off a runner’s high, I sent my dad a text afterward to share my excitement. “I felt so awesome that I just kept going and going,” I wrote. Simply heading out the door and completing something I had never done before brought me joy and confidence.
Honestly, I didn’t run many more miles than I had on my previous farthest long run. But going just a little bit longer changed my entire perspective on how far I could run, and even convinced me to sign up for my first marathon But you can gradually build your endurance and You Should Be Running Stairs More Often of at least 14 miles, and I’ve gone as far as 21 miles on a run before. I still relish that feeling of accomplishment that hits after completing double-digit mileage on a Saturday morning.
You can raise your ceiling during your running journey, too. Our new Run Longer: Break New Barriers program prepares you for your longest run yet and makes your biggest distance goals approachable. Host Nell Rojas, pro marathon runner for Nike and a run coach, explains that once you begin pushing your limits, you reimagine what’s within your reach as a runner. “When you go longer, it opens up a whole new world of training and racing,” Rojas Published: Sep 09, 2025 2:27 PM EDT.
CA Notice at Collection sign up for a marathon. a few months later. Now, I mental toughness to run longer than you ever have before. Our guide to running longer helps you do that, sharing crucial tips you’ll need to successfully tackle new distances, from fine-tuning fueling to beating boredom.
Take it from Rojas, a multi-time top-10 finisher at the Boston Marathon. Once you check off that first 90-minute run on your training plan, or cross the finish line of your goal distance race, you open yourself up to a whole new realm of opportunity. “Running longer isn’t just about hitting specific distances,” Rojas explains in Run Longer: Break New Barriers. “It’s a process that allows you to redefine your limit.”
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Ashley is Editor of Content Hype at Hearst’s Enthusiast & Wellness Group. She is a former collegiate runner at UNC Asheville where she studied mass communication. Ashley loves all things running; she has raced two marathons, plus has covered some of the sport’s top events in her career, including the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials and multiple World Marathon Majors.
