you can't fire a cannon 💣 from a canoe 🛶

Building Your Base for Optimal Running Performance

When it comes to running, there’s a simple truth: you can’t fire a cannon from a canoe. A solid base is essential if you want to perform well, train safely, and step up to higher levels of performance over time. Without it, your training—no matter how intense or focused—will be unstable, much like trying to fire a powerful cannon from an unsteady canoe. In this article, we’ll explore why building a base is the cornerstone of successful running, why everyone’s base looks different, and how you can optimise yours for maximum performance and safety.

🫡 The Importance of a Base

A strong running base is about more than just racking up miles. It’s about creating a foundation that supports your body’s ability to handle more specific and demanding training. Whether you’re a recreational runner aiming for your first 10k or an elite marathoner, building a base develops your aerobic capacity, strengthens muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and improves your overall efficiency. Most importantly, a solid base reduces the risk of injury, ensuring you’re ready to handle the rigours of advanced training without breaking down. Building a base is also equally important even for experienced runners, who are coming back after injury or a break for a few weeks or months.

🥼The Science Behind Building a Base

Research consistently highlights the importance of an aerobic base for endurance performance and long-term health. A strong aerobic system allows your body to utilise oxygen efficiently, delay fatigue, and recover faster from high-intensity efforts. Studies published in Sports Medicine (Midgley et al., 2007) and Frontiers in Physiology (Barnes & Kilding, 2019) underline the benefits of aerobic adaptations such as increased mitochondrial density, capillarisation, and fat utilisation—all critical for both performance and injury prevention. Importantly these adaptations before a more dedicated training block are important building blocks.

Furthermore, a 2020 review in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance*highlights the link between consistent base training and lower injury rates, noting that gradual increases in workload—supported by a strong foundation—reduce the likelihood of overuse injuries (Damsted et al., 2020).

🥅 Everyone’s Base is Different

One of the most important things to understand about base training is that it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your base should reflect your individual strengths, goals, and current fitness level. For some, it might mean focusing on mileage increases to build endurance, while for others, it could involve prioritising strength and / or speed work. The most important base phase for you will be highly individualised and can be a mix of doubling down on strengths and gradually improving weaknesses

🦊 Mat Fox’s Marathon Preparation

In this past year or so, one of my favourite runners to follow across podcasts and blogs has been Mat Fox from Sweat Elite. - worth a follow - I was really interested when following his build for the 2024 Chicago Marathon, he chose to focus on sharpening his 3k and 5k speed ahead of his marathon training block. Why? Because speed is one of his core strengths, and by refining it, improving it he can build a stronger foundation for marathon-specific work, which will operate at largely slower speeds. Instead of blindly chasing mileage, Mat is optimising his base to suit his physiology and goals, adding the marathon training as the endurance layer to his improved lightning speed. This worked for him with his first sub 2:20 marathon.

This approach aligns with findings from the Journal of Sports Sciences, which show that incorporating speed work during base training can improve running economy and neuromuscular efficiency, key factors for long-distance success (Fletcher et al., 2013). Additionally, it reinforces the principle that your base should be tailored to your unique attributes and race goals. I think this is an important example as most people (including myself previously) I would guess would assume that 'base-building' would typically revolve around increasing base mileage and endurance, perhaps at lower intensities.

🧱 Building a Base to Train Safely

Beyond performance, a well-built base is essential for safe training. Ramping up training without a solid foundation can lead to overtraining, burnout, or injury. A 2018 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that rapid increases in training load were a leading cause of running-related injuries, underscoring the importance of gradual, well-structured base building (Hulin et al., 2018).

Developing a strong base ensures your body is resilient and adaptable. It strengthens tendons, ligaments, and bones, preparing them for the impact and stress of harder sessions. It works on the plumbing too (the cardiovascular, energy and lactate systems). Moreover, it gets you used to some mental toughness and discipline, essential as you approach training with consistency and focus.

🧪 Optimising Your Base

If your base isn’t just about mileage, what should it include? Here are some elements to consider, remembering that you are unique and that you need to be aware of what you may need:

1. Aerobic Mileage: Yes, mileage matters, but it’s about quality, not just quantity. Easy runs at a conversational pace build your aerobic engine without overloading your body. Gradually increasing weekly mileage by no more than 10% can help you avoid injury.

2. Strength and Stability: Core strength and stability exercises help you run efficiently and reduce the risk of injury. Think squats, planks, and balance drills. A 2016 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that strength training improves running economy and decreases overuse injuries (Yamamoto et al., 2016).

3. Speed Development: Short intervals or strides, and short races can maintain neuromuscular sharpness, even in a base phase. These sessions improve your coordination and running economy, ensuring you’re ready for more intense training later. Experienced marathoners. Maybe work towards a 1 mile or 3k race before hitting your next marathon block?

4. Cross-Training: Cycling, swimming, or even yoga can complement your base training by building endurance without adding extra impact. This can be especially beneficial for runners prone to injury.

5. Rest and Recovery: Base building isn’t about grinding every day, you may not get as much rest when training and if you are smart, you'll give the body time to adjust. So maybe leave the double-threshold days until your training block starts! ;-) Rest days and active recovery allow your body to adapt and grow stronger. A balanced approach prevents burnout and promotes long-term consistency.

👂Listening to Your Body

As you build your base, it’s vital to listen to your body. Some runners thrive on higher mileage, while others perform better with a mix of cross-training and lower-volume weeks. Don’t compare your training to others; instead, focus on what makes you stronger. Tools like heart rate monitoring or perceived effort can help ensure your base work stays within the right intensity zones. If your base involves strength work and / or some speed work look at your 3k or 5k speed, cadence, stride rate etc or your leg press loads; at this stage you can still measure your progress!!!

🎁 Wrapping It Up

Building a running base is about creating a stable, powerful foundation that supports your goals and keeps you healthy. Whether you’re gearing up for a marathon or aiming for a faster parkrun, your base phase is where you lay the groundwork for success - think of it as the training, before the training. By tailoring your training to your strengths and future needs, you can prepare not just to race but to train safely and effectively.

So, the next time you head out for a run, ask yourself: am I building a stable foundation (foundational base work), am I loading the cannon (training with purpose) or am I trying to fire a cannon from a canoe (unsustainable training)? With the right approach, you’ll be ready to fire yourself to new heights—both safely and successfully.