Everything You Need to Know to Master the Base Run

By Marnie Kunz, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

The base run is to running what the dribble is to basketball — essential. Base runs are those relaxed pace, easy runs that help build your endurance and fitness. As runners, we do more base runs than any other type of running workout. The workout, true to its name, helps you build a fitness base or foundation. Once you have achieved enough fitness benefits from your base runs, you can start adding speed workouts and long runs, and other high-intensity workouts to your running program. Even as you progress in your running training, these staple runs will remain a core part of your training.

Before adding speed workouts and long runs to your running program, you must master the base run. Here is everything you need to know to slay your base runs:

What Is A Base Run?

A base run is a short to medium-length run at your relaxed, natural pace. Whether you’re a beginning runner or a seasoned marathoner, your base training will be your most common running workout. Over time, your base runs add up to big improvements in your aerobic capacity, endurance, and running efficiency.

For beginning runners and runners who are preparing to embark on a new training program, it is important to have at least six weeks of base training before adding any speed workouts or long runs. Six weeks of base runs help build your aerobic strength and fitness level so you are ready for more intense training. After at least six weeks of base training, you'll be ready to tackle tempo runs, fartleks, strides, and other speedwork.

Benefits of Base Running

Base building runs offer many benefits, from improving your stamina to improving your running for race-specific training.

Here are some of the benefits of base training:

Improved cardiovascular endurance.
Better running and oxygen efficiency.
Prepares your body and mind for more intense running workouts.
Reduces your chances of injury.

For clients I coach, I recommend doing a training cycle with base training runs for at least six weeks before beginning a race training program. Once you have a solid base training program under your belt, you’ll be better able to meet your speed, pacing, and long-distance running goals.

Even as you advance to speed training and endurance-building long runs, the base run will remain a key element in your running program, offering “easy run” days sandwiched between hard workouts. The base training run is key to maintaining your aerobic fitness level while allowing your muscles to recover from hard training days.

How To Do A Base Run

The base training run pace and distance that is best for you will be different from someone else’s base run, as your fitness level, running goals and natural running pace will vary. A good general guideline for your base run pace is to run at a comfortable pace, one at which you could keep up a conversation and chat easily.

On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being your hardest effort, your base runs should be in the 4 to 5 range. If you are doing heart rate training, your base run should be at 65-70 percent of max heart rate.

Base Running Pace

Your base run pace should be a conversational pace so you would be able to carry on a conversation at this pace. If you are doing heart rate training, your base run should be at 65-70 percent of max heart rate.

For your base running pace, you can go by feel and use your perceived exertion level of 4 to 5 or run at what feels like your comfortable, natural pace. If you know your 10K race pace and want a more precise measurement, add two minutes to your 10K race pace to get your base run pace. So if you run a 10K at an 8-minute mile pace, your base run pace will be a 10-minute mile pace.

Related Post: How to Train for a 10K

Base Run Distance

Your base run distance will vary, depending on your fitness level and goals. If you are a new runner or just getting back into running post-injury, your base runs will most likely be in the 2- to 3-mile range, or 20-30 minutes. For beginners and 5K training, a 2- to 3-mile base run is usually a good amount.

If you are farther along in your running program and training for a long-distance race such as a half marathon or marathon, your base runs will be longer, ranging from 3 to 8 miles. For marathon training, your schedule may include base runs in this range, with many runs in the 4- to 6-mile range.

When to Do Base Runs

Whether you’re a beginner runner or are more experienced, base runs are important for building a mileage base as well as for maintaining your fitness level. If you are just beginning to run or coming back from injury, do six weeks of base runs before adding any speed work or long runs to your workout program.

Base training runs are important for all runners to maintain fitness and have “easy run” days between hard workouts. Following the easy-hard principle of training, you should do your base runs between hard workouts. You never want to do two intense workouts in a row. For instance, if you have an interval workout and a long run in your weekly training plan, you do not want to do those hard workouts two days in a row. Instead, you should do a minimum of one base run between those workouts.

Although base runs are easy, they are not rest days so you also need to build rest and recovery days into your running program. For a personalized running training plan designed by a certified run coach, check out the Runstreet Training Center.

Base Run Training Tips

Check out these training tips to help you master your base training runs:

Your base runs should never feel difficult. Keep your pace relaxed. You should be able to comfortably talk throughout the run.
When in doubt, go slower than you think you should. Many runners push too hard on base training runs and risk injury and impeding progress.
Run with a friend and enjoy the convo. This allows you to catch up on social time while also keeping your pace relaxed.
Take rest days. Even if you are in a base training phase and have no speed workouts or long runs, your body still needs rest. Make rest days a regular part of your running program.
Intermediate runners need base runs too. Sometimes runners think at a certain level, all their workouts should be fast or long but this is not the case. All levels of runners need a relaxed pace base phase of training to prepare for harder workouts. And during hard training cycles, base runs are still crucial to maintain fitness and give your body a break from high-intensity training days.
Create a soundtrack for your runs to keep yourself motivated. Or, listen to your favorite podcasts or audiobooks.
Track your mileage so you can see your training progress as you build endurance and consistency.

How often do you do base training runs? What keeps you motivated to do them? Comment with your base run tips below, and tag Runstreet on Instagram to get cheered on in your training.👋

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.

How To Do A Base Run: Complete Guide