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Run training 2x a day, ok or not?
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 2004-12-08 12:06 AM |
Veteran  300  Peoria AZ |  Subject: Run training 2x a day, ok or not?Ok guys, here's the deal. I set a certain energy output goal for the month for myself. If I can achieve it, I will have trained about 40% harder than any other month to date. Keeping in mind that I'm trying for speed (or high energy output) and I must run at least 5 miles on my run days in or about 7:30 per mile...is it unreasonable to split my workouts into 2-2.5 mile sessions? The problem is that I only have enough time on my breaks to run 3 miles comfortably and still have time to eat something. By splitting my workout between my breaks I get my mileage in plus plenty of time to eat something after the workout. Otherwise, I run 5 miles at 80-90% MHR and don't get anything to eat for 4 hours after that....just not acceptable in my book. Being the off season I feel the long (for me) 5 mile run 3-4 times a week isn't as important as long as I get back to that a month or two before the next season starts. Plus in future months I can increase the distance on my two runs so that I'm running 8 miles a day in 2-4 mile segments. Does all this sound reasonable? |
| 2004-12-08 6:02 AM in reply to: #90355 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290  The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? Unless I misread your posts, your goals and your methodology are a little strange. If you run at 80-90% every time out, you're not going to get fast, you're going to get hurt. Increasing your training 40% from one month to the other also increases your risk of injury. Going to two-a-days magnifies that risk even more.If you're looking to build speed, first build up your mileage and strength, then do speed specific training (intervals, for example) maybe once or twice a week. How long have you been running, how many miles per week currently and what is your longest run in the last month? |
| 2004-12-08 7:13 AM in reply to: #90355 |
| | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? Casey I couldn't agree with bear more. The only time that I ran doubles was in college and that was only to ensure that we would peak for nationals. Running twice a day in the off season is not a particularly good idea, and as bear mentioned you really shouldn't increase you weekly milage by more than 10% a week. You might want to consider doing a run and then a bike ride during your breaks, you could keep your activity and heart rate where you want it and train for two disciplines in the same day. Remember it is the off season, a time to let your body rejuvinate and enjoy. |
| 2004-12-08 7:29 AM in reply to: #90385 |
Veteran 300 Peoria AZ | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? This month is about increasing energy output not distance...in past months, running 4-5 miles a day was not uncommon. Now I'm going the same distances as before but just pushing as hard as my body can go. I actually didn't know much about zone training before reading some of the posts on here. So I spent the first 6 months of my training doing all out workouts without ever getting injured and I decreased my mile time from 9:30 miles to 7:30 miles. Then I tried slowing things down for a few months and I now feel that my base workout times aren't dropping any so I'm going back to fast pace, same distance, high impact workouts for 1 month. The distance isn't changing except for the fact that I'm asking if splitting the distance into 2 sessions with a higher impact would be benificial at all? Meaning will it affect my ability to run the total 5 mile distance if I'm doing this for 1 month only. |
| 2004-12-08 1:41 PM in reply to: #90390 |
| Veteran 294 MO | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? You might want to consider alternating your two-a-day workouts with single longer runs. So, do 2 x 2.5 on Monday, 1 x 5 on Wednesday, 2 x 2.5 on Friday. Doing the same workout day after day after day isn't going to benefit you as much as a varied training program with varying intensities; and as Bear and Keith already pointed out, you're increasing your chance of injury. Or, instead of trying to squish your runs into your breaks, could you run before or after work, instead? |
| 2004-12-08 6:05 PM in reply to: #90355 |
| | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? Casey it sounds like you are making some seriously good improvements in your running. If you feel that two times a day would benefit you by all means try it, a while back Runner's World said that doing double increases your post workout calorie burn. Instead of burning for 4 hours after a 5 mile, you'd end up with an afterburn of 3 hours after each 2.5 mile workout. Let us know how you make out. K |
| 2004-12-08 11:17 PM in reply to: #90355 |
Expert 1535  Coeur D'alene, ID | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? Casey, you've gotten some good advice here. I'll try to add a little bit from my personal experience. I run the Hood to Coast Relay every year and that ends up being 3 runs somewhere between 4 and 7.5 miles in length in the space of about 20 hours. So to train for that I end up doing two-a-days, 2 or 3 times a week for the last month before the race. The key is though, I make absolutely sure that I've got a very good base before I do that. I usually have at least 4-5 months of building my mileage base and then a month of interval speed work before I do any two-a-days at all. So far that's kept me from injury. Having said all that, the two-a-days should help you to an impressive improvement in your times. Just don't go into them too fast and furious or you'll end up injuring yourself. Good luck and let us know how the training goes for you. |
| 2004-12-09 12:23 AM in reply to: #90613 |
Veteran 300 Peoria AZ | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? k23rog - 2004-12-08 3:05 PM Runner's World said that doing double increases your post workout calorie burn. I'm into my second day of two-a-days and have already noticed the changes in my body. I couldn't stop my stomach from rumbling today. I burned through my lunch and dinner today so fast that you'd think I hadn't eaten in a week. My water consumption went up too...nomally a 5 mile run (all together) would have me drinking about 4-6 cups of water afterwards. Now, after EACH 2.5 mile workout I'm drinking 6-8. Time improvements already too...while keeping the heart rate avg. at or below yesterdays run. Tomorrow is a bike focused workout with a short brick run and my next run after that isn't until Sunday...can't wait to see my results. Again, this is only something I'm going to try for 1 month to shock my muscles back into speed. Next month will be back to base training and hopefully lower HR avg's with faster mile times. |
| 2004-12-10 2:46 PM in reply to: #90355 |
| Extreme Veteran 511 Minneapolis, MN | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? I don't know if this will help any, but it addresses issues with 2 a day training sessions: http://www.gssiweb.com/reflib/refs/75/d0000000200000262.cfm?pid=38 |
| 2004-12-12 11:36 PM in reply to: #90355 |
Veteran 300 Peoria AZ | Subject: RE: Run training 2x a day, ok or not? Very interesting read Gatsby.... Today was my first day doing a 3-a-day workout. I have one of these days every Sunday this month. I really feel good and I'm noticing my weight drop even though my drinking and eating levels have increased. Not that you all care but I did notice from my bathroom visit first thing today that I need to be drinking even more. I can't wait to get our water consumption logs on here!!! |
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