Consistency is Key!

The Importance of Consistent Training for Endurance Running Events

When you decide to take on an endurance running event, whether it's your first 10k, half marathon, or the ultimate marathon challenge, one thing will define your success more than anything else—consistency in training. It’s a message I deliver to every athlete I coach, from beginners to athletes with 10+ years running experience. No quick-fix strategy, no special workout can replace the power of regular, sustained effort.

Here’s why sticking to your plan is key to reaching your goals, feeling strong at the start line, and ultimately achieving that finish-line moment you've been working towards.

Why Consistency Matters

Being completely transparent and honest — endurance running isn’t glamorous every day. There are tough days, mentally and physically. However, the key to improvement is found in showing up, again and again. It’s those small, cumulative gains made over weeks and months that prepare your body to go the distance.

Adaptation Over Time: Your body needs time to adapt to the demands of running. You can't just go out and smash a long run after weeks off; you need to train the body to adapt to mileage increases and sustained effort. By training consistently, your cardiovascular system becomes more efficient, your muscles and tendons strengthen, and your mental toughness develops—critical to pushing through those hard miles in a race.

Injury Prevention: Sporadic training can increase your risk of injury. When you’re inconsistent, your muscles, tendons, and joints don’t have the chance to adapt properly. With consistent training, your body gets used to the impact of running, which makes you less likely to experience those all-too-common overuse injuries. Think of it like building a house — you wouldn’t put up the roof before the foundation is solid, and the same goes for running.

Structured Training Helps Build Momentum

At PGC1-Coaching, we use the principle of progressive overload—gradually increasing your training load to build endurance and strength. But without consistency, this principle breaks down. Imagine missing weeks of training, then trying to jump back in at the same volume or intensity—you're setting yourself up for frustration or even injury.

By following a structured plan with regular runs, recovery sessions, and strength work, you build momentum. You hit key workouts at the right times, improve week on week, and most importantly, stay healthy.

The Mental Game of Consistency

For endurance athletes, mental toughness is just as important as physical conditioning. And like any other skill, it requires practice. By staying consistent, you develop the mental fortitude to push through tough sessions, stay focused on your goals, and resist the temptation to skip workouts when motivation wanes. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself for all those "just get it done" runs when you're deep in a race and need to summon every ounce of resilience to finish strong.

How to Stay Consistent

So, how do you actually stay consistent when life gets busy or motivation dips? Here's what I recommend to my athletes:

1. Set Small, Attainable Goals: Rather than focusing only on your race day goal, break down your training into smaller milestones. Hitting these along the way gives you a sense of accomplishment and keeps you motivated.

2. Train with a Purpose: Understand the purpose of each run in your training plan. Whether it’s an easy recovery run or a key interval session, every workout plays a role in your overall progress. Training with intention will keep you engaged.

3. Accountability: Find ways to hold yourself accountable. Whether it’s a coach, a training group, or simply logging your runs, having something to report back to keeps you consistent.

4. Be Adaptable, Not Sporadic: If life throws a curveball, don’t skip training altogether—adapt it. If you can’t run that long session today, shorten it or move it to the next best day. Flexibility is key, but complete inconsistency will cost you in the long run.

   
   

   

   
   

The Long-Term Payoff

In the grand scheme of endurance training, remember this: it’s the daily work that leads to race-day success. Your body doesn’t care about a few heroic efforts thrown in at the last minute—it cares about the steady, disciplined work you’ve put in over the months. Every mile logged, every strength session completed, every bit of sleep and recovery you've respected—it all adds up.

So, stay the course, be consistent, and trust the process. When you line up at the start of your event, you’ll know you’ve done everything you can to be ready. And when you cross that finish line, you’ll be glad you didn’t skip the hard work along the way.

Joshua Schofield, Head Coach at PGC1-Coaching, writes with a passion for helping athletes of all levels achieve their goals, drawing on his own experience in elite endurance training and coaching. With PGC1-Coaching, Joshua provides science-backed, personalised coaching that takes athletes from where they are now to where they want to be.