Is Running Twice A Day A Bad Idea?

[Dodgylungs]

Since I completed one and a half runs the other day, I now have it in my head that doing two 25 minute runs a day is not a bad way to go. I’m thinking about moving on to 10K runs after this. If I give myself a day’s rest in between each run is it a bad idea?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

As far as I can see you have not yet graduated, so please stick to the plan which is one run followed by a rest day before your next run.

When you run, the impact creates microtears in your muscles, which repair and strengthen on your rest days, not while running. Without rest, repair and strengthening are compromised and injury risk increased.

If you want to be the best runner that you can be, then do non impact cross training on your rest days, which will be far more beneficial than running every day. It is not recommended for new runners to run on consecutive days until they have a minimum of six months regular running on their legs.

When you have built gradually after graduation to being able to comfortably run for fifty minutes then it would not make a lot of difference if you did that in one run or two on the same day, but for now give yourself a chance to condition your body before injury strikes and stops you for days, weeks or even months.

We are all capable of doing way more than our bodies are conditioned to do, but not without increasing our injury risk. Sticking to gently progressive training plans is the safest way to push our limits, whilst gently increasing our resistance to injury.

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Ok thank you, that’s clear. I will stick with the programme then.

[Speedy60 Graduate in reply to Dodgylungs]

You've just had some first class advice. If I'm ever tempted to overdo things, I repeat this: you get fitter on your rest days, not your running days.

Good luck 👍

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

That’s a good mantra!

[John_W Graduate Ambassador in reply to Dodgylungs]

SHona Hanson (Australian sports scientist and 'recovery' expert)

"The only training you're benefiting from is the training you're recovering from."

[nowster Graduate in reply to John_W]

Too true! If you don't have any downtime, there's no opportunity for new muscle tissue to grow to meet the increased demands.

[John_W Graduate Ambassador]

" blah.... W5R3 !!! Noooo!!! HELP ME!!! .... blah blah .... MY LUNGS!!!.... blah blah.... THIS IS AWFUL... I CAN'T DO IT! .... blah blah"

2 weeks later...

"Can I run twice a day... say 2x 25 minutes?"

--------------

ANSWER:

NO.

- you'll be able to get away with it, sure. And then you'll think everything's fine. But sure as eggs... it will catch up with you. You've been warned. Ask here again, after you've been running regularly for 6 months.

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to John_W]

😂😂 Luckily I do listen to advice. Which is why Week 7 Run 3 I’m going forward instead of HELP!!! Btw my lungs are improving but I still have days where I struggle, but this running lark is coinciding with improved medication - but even dodgy lungs are no bar to running. I read about a guy who has COPD and 30% lung capacity who does Iron Man events. Human beings are awesome - but I’ll stick to one run a day!

[nowster Graduate in reply to Dodgylungs]

One concession: a 15 second casual sprint for the bus/train doesn't count as a run. Eight weeks ago it probably would have floored you, but probably not now.

On the other hand, doing a Bolt for 100m in under 10s would. 😉

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to nowster]

Yeah my days of 100m running are in the distant past. I was a decent sprinter back then. Once ran 100 metres in 12.1

[acountrycabbage Graduate in reply to John_W]

😂😂