10 Reasons You’re Not Getting Faster at Running (and How to Fix Them)
At 49 years old, I’m still setting personal records in running — and what’s interesting is that my most significant gains have come in the last few years, not when I was younger. That tells me one thing: it’s never too late to improve.
If you’ve been training consistently but your race times have plateaued, the problem isn’t your age or your talent. More often than not, it’s because one or more of the key pillars of training are missing. Here are 10 reasons you might not be getting faster as a runner — and what you can do about it.
1. Not Enough Aerobic Volume
Long-distance speed is built on aerobic capacity. Without a strong aerobic base, you don’t have the endurance to maintain pace deep into a half or full marathon. Easy, steady miles grow your “engine,” allowing your body to use oxygen more efficiently.
Fix it: Add more truly easy running to your weekly volume. Build gradually and aim for consistency, not sudden mileage jumps.
2. Too Many Gray Zone Miles
One of the biggest mistakes runners make is spending too much time in the “gray zone” — running at a medium-hard pace that isn’t easy enough for recovery, but not hard enough to build speed. It leaves you tired, but not fitter.
Fix it: Polarize your training. Keep your easy runs easy, and make your workouts intentional — either threshold, tempo, or interval-focused.
3. Skipping Quality Workouts
Logging miles alone won’t make you faster. To break through, you need workouts that stress your aerobic and anaerobic systems — tempo runs, threshold intervals, hill repeats, and marathon-pace efforts. These are the workouts that sharpen endurance into speed.
Fix it: Add 1–2 quality sessions per week, tailored to your goal race distance.
4. Poor Pacing Strategy
How many times have you gone out too fast, only to suffer in the final miles? It’s one of the most common mistakes in long-distance racing. Running fast early feels good, but it comes at a cost. The strongest performances almost always come from controlled starts and strong finishes.
Fix it: Train yourself to negative split. Practice holding back in the first half of long runs, then picking it up in the second half.
5. Inconsistent Long Runs
The long run is the single most important workout for half and full marathon prep. Skipping or cutting them short leaves your endurance underdeveloped, which is why many runners hit the wall late in races.
Fix it: Make the long run non-negotiable. Build them up gradually, and use them to practice fueling, hydration, and pacing.
6. Weakness in Strength & Mobility
Weak glutes, hips, and core muscles lead to inefficiency, poor running economy, and higher injury risk. Between 13 and 26 miles, those weaknesses become exposed. Strength training isn’t just for sprinters — it’s a durability tool for distance runners.
Fix it: Incorporate two strength sessions a week focused on the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings), core stability, and single-leg strength.
7. Neglecting Recovery
You don’t get stronger during the workout — you get stronger when you recover from it. Skimping on sleep, nutrition, or easy days leaves you flat and can even push you into overtraining.
Fix it: Prioritize 7–9 hours of sleep, eat balanced meals with protein and carbs post-run, and respect easy days as part of your training.
8. Fueling & Hydration Mistakes
Many runners under-fuel both in training and racing. That leads to bonks, stomach issues, and sluggish recovery. Your body needs glycogen and fluids to sustain pace over long distances.
Fix it: Practice your race fueling in long runs. Aim for 30–60g carbs per hour for half marathons and 60–90g/hour for full marathons, along with consistent hydration.
9. No Specificity in Training
Running flat loops every week won’t prepare you for a hilly marathon. Likewise, only running slowly won’t prepare you for marathon pace. The best runners mimic race conditions in training — terrain, pacing, and even timing.
Fix it: Make your training match your race. If your marathon is hilly, run hills. If it’s hot, practice in the heat. If it’s flat and fast, run at race pace.
10. Mindset & Mental Toughness
Here’s the truth: distance racing hurts. Improvement comes from leaning into discomfort, not backing away. Many runners plateau because they confuse suffering with a limit. The ability to push through when the mind screams “stop” is often what separates breakthrough performances from average ones.
Fix it: Train your mental game. Use mantras, visualization, and practice running strong when you’re tired. Learn to embrace discomfort as part of the process.
Bonus: Weight Loss
This one can be sensitive, but it matters. Weight loss can improve running speed when it comes from reducing body fat, not muscle.
A roughly 1% reduction in body fat ≈ is equivalent to a 1% faster race time.
On average, 1 lb less fat = 1–1.5 seconds faster per mile.
The key is to not sacrifice strength, health, or recovery for the scale. Sustainable performance gains come from smart body composition changes, not crash diets.
Final Thoughts
Runners don’t plateau because they lack talent. They plateau because they’re missing one or more pillars: base volume, quality work, pacing, long runs, strength, recovery, fueling, specificity, or mindset. Nail these, and your ceiling rises — no matter your age.