Running Twice A Day: Everything You Need to Know
Exercising twice daily is an outstanding method to improve your endurance. Increasing the distance run and having a second session increases the chance of getting hurt.
It is essential to assess how ready you are to avoid any injuries.
Engaging in a jog twice a day can be beneficial to a workout regimen as long as it is done safely and deliberately. Contrary to what many people think, running twice daily does not have to be restricted to professional athletes or runners. Both experienced and inexperienced runners can make use of doubling up on runs to enhance their running capabilities.
In this piece, we will be examining the pros and cons of running twice daily, exploring the potential advantages and disadvantages of doing so. Additionally, we will be delving into various aspects of the practice.
Is it bad to run twice a day?
Well, everything has its pros and cons. It is entirely up to you if you choose to discover the positives or negatives of something.
As you grow accustomed to jogging twice a day, your body can become more efficient. However, the odds of overtraining and suffering an injury also rise.
Aspects to Consider Before Planning to Run Twice a Day
1. Running Twice a Day Totally Depends on You
The amount of times a runner goes for a jog each day will vary from person to person. This type of workout should be taken on by veteran runners who are accustomed to logging a larger amount of mileage regularly.
It can be tough for a novice to recover after performing running exercises twice daily.
The repeated strain put on the body while running can result in injury if the body is not given an adequate amount of time to rest and recover from the exertion. Research has indicated that overtraining is a major contributing factor to this.
The body astounds with its ability to adjust to outside requirements, and reiterating the same run, especially during the day will enhance a runner’s capability to replenish their energy.
It is difficult for those who wish to exercise twice daily to make sure they have enough time. Many individuals struggle to find the time to go jogging daily. Considering going on a double run each day? Doing one in the morning and one in the evening would provide enough time to relax in between.
It largely varies depending on a person’s skills and qualifications, however, the general recommendation is to wait at least six hours between runs as an initial guideline.
2. Give Your Body Proper Time to Recover
If you are going to run two times in a single day, you should make sure there is a gap of at least six hours in between. Consume meals and drink lots of water in the breaks in between your running sets.
Many runners would engage in an intense exercise session in the morning, followed by a few easy runs in the evening. Be aware that you may experience extreme fatigue and discomfort during your second exercise session if you decide to start running.
It won’t take very long, and then your body will get used to it; eventually, you will be at ease. The pace isn’t a problem for these miles. Run slowly and easily.
3. Remind Yourself Why You Want to do Running Twice a Day
Taking two jogs daily is beneficial, however, it is essential to consider the reasoning behind it. Do you have a fitness coach that is assigning you exercises, are you feeling bored and wanting to jog, or are you aiming for a certain objective?
The advantage of doing multiple exercise sessions over a few days is that it helps your body become accustomed to recovering in between each run. Making short sprints during a running activity can heighten your metabolic rate, helping the body to burn more fat while also improving mitochondrial performance.
It’s also an excellent way to maximize the mileage. Be certain to allow a day of rest during the week. If you have already done an intense or difficult run earlier in the day, it is a good idea to use your second run of the day to flush out the lactic acid and get a massage for your muscles.
Shut down your timepiece, and do not worry about how fast you are going. It is important to pay attention to the body. If you intend to practice two running sessions per day, begin cautiously and take note of your body’s response. Avoid undertaking consecutive intensive exercise sessions.
If you think you have what it takes, focus on getting healthy and on achieving your long-term goals.
4. Timing
According to most professionals, there is no exact timeline when it comes to doing multiple runs; however, it is usually wise to wait five hours between sessions. For the utmost results, the optimal time to leave between runs is between 7 to 9 hours.
Leaving too little time between runs doesn’t give your body enough time to rest and heal before the second run while leaving too much time between runs diminishes the advantages of doing two runs.
5. Fuel and Sleep
Doing two runs in one day can be exhausting, so if you’re thinking of giving double runs a go, make sure you are eating enough to provide energy for your runs and getting enough sleep to let your body recover.
Without adequate nutrition and rest, running back-to-back can cause you to become more depleted than it will help you develop.
6. 10% Rule
It is commonly recommended for runners to not increase their mileage by more than ten per cent each week, and this applies the same when two runs are added in.
Hence, even though fitting in a second workout in a single day will help to build up your mileage, it is always essential to make the progression mild to fend off the risks of harm or overexertion.
7. Warm-ups and Cool Downs
When adding second runs to your routine, it becomes even more important to include a warm-up before every run and at least a short cool-down after every run to avoid injuries and minimize muscle soreness.
8. Be Flexible and Cut Back if Necessary
If attempting double runs is something you want to try, do not hesitate to make adjustments if you are having trouble keeping up with your pace or feeling tired or sluggish.
It might be a good idea to either stop doing two runs in a row or make the second one shorter or less intense. Once your health has improved, you may attempt a second run again; however, if you observe that your efforts are no longer bearing fruit, be willing to make changes.
How to Add Double Runs Into Your Routine
Double runs are more suitable for experienced runners who have been regularly running 50 miles a week for a few years, but those who have less practice can still add an extra session in a week by following the protocols.
If you find the idea of double runs attractive, continue perusing to discover how to include them in your established running practice.
Generally, experienced runners who have been running approximately 50 miles a week over a long period are best suited for double runs, yet novice runners can attempt to incorporate an extra jog into their routine every week if they observe the appropriate rules.
If you find the idea of running twice in a row exciting, keep on reading to find out how to include these sessions in your running schedule.
For less experienced runners
Newer runners can still perform a double run, however, they should not exceed one double run per week. Alternatively, merely extending an existing training session with a short, moderate jog (of about 20-30 minutes) or splitting a middle-of-the-week medium-length run, would be more suitable.
These athletes need to keep up their weekly extended jog as well as any other essential workouts like tempo runs or speed drills. Doing these exercises is required for increased strength and swiftness.
The Pros And Cons Of Double Runs
Pros
1. Help Increase Your Mileage
If you want to enhance the number of kilometres you run in a week, consider having two runs over one or two days; this way, you can add mileage without needing to extend the length of your long runs.
It’s alluring to seek out alternate paths that would boost endurance, yet there’s no way around putting in the work; double running lets you do just that devoid of sacrificing a break day.
2. Promote Delayed Fatigue And More Efficient Recovery
Frequently jogging twice in succession requires your body to modify and be able to make use of your glycogen resources more productively, which, after doing it on an ongoing basis, will cause exhaustion that is postponed.
Doing the exercise a second time will also promote more blood flow to the muscles, resulting in the muscles healing quicker.
The end result of these adjustments can lead to a better level of fitness for running.
3. Allow a Faster Pace
Dividing the distance that you are running into two shorter distances will enable you to go at a swifter rate. The speed at which you would run a 6-mile route is likely to be more sluggish than you would be able to manage if you were running 2 separate 3-mile routes.
In conclusion, increasing speed could be accomplished by doing two shorter sprints instead of one long run.
4. Help You Learn to Run on Tired Legs
Your limbs will be aching after the second jog of the day, making your body adjust to running while not completely revitalized and rested. You could also become drained in terms of your mental energy and need to come up with ways to maintain concentration and enthusiasm for when it’s your turn to run again.
The abilities and proficiency developed through practice will be advantageous when competing, especially in the last leg of the race when you are both physically and emotionally drained.
5. May Be Easier to Schedule
It may be hard to fit long runs into your schedule due to their lengthy duration, but shorter runs are a better bet if you have limited time.
Making two hours for a run may seem unrealistic, so one hour before work and another after might be a more feasible option.
6. May Be Easier to Manage Mentally
It might not be difficult to plan a lengthy run, but you probably don’t have much enthusiasm for it and maybe even feel some anxiety about trying it. Splitting a longer run into two shorter runs may help to make the journey seem less tiresome and difficult in this case.
This strategy may increase the chances that you will go on your jogs and also make them more fun.
Cons
1. May Not Promote Endurance for Newer Runners
For fledgling joggers striving to enhance their cardiovascular endurance, there is no replacement for including an increasingly longer protracted distance jog every seven days.
To improve your stamina, you need to run for longer distances and this will be more beneficial in improving your aerobic fitness than replacing it with two shorter runs.
2. May Hinder Recovery
Doing a double run may have the benefit of reducing rest time, however, it can also exact a toll on energy levels, making it hard to sustain the speed and distance for each subsequent run.
In this instance, engaging in multiple runs might actually cause a reduction in your speed or stamina.
3. May Lead to Burn Out
Joggers may discover that going for a jog twice in one day is mentally exhausting.
Instead of basking in the satisfaction that comes from finishing a morning jog, a runner may be so concerned about the next run that some of the positive mental impacts of running could be missed.
Doing exercise twice a day can be cumbersome, which can affect the pleasure experienced from running and even cause one to do too much.
4. May Lead to Injury
It seems reasonable to assume that running more often or more vigorously can lead to injuries, or make an existing injury worse. Therefore, having two of the same runs may create complications in this situation.
5. May be Difficult to Schedule
Some athletes may prefer breaking up a long run into two shorter ones, but for others, it might be hard to plan for two runs on the same day regardless of their length.
The negative effects of attempting to include a second run in this circumstance may exceed the advantages.
Final Thoughts
Exercising twice daily may increase your chances of suffering from an injury due to overexertion. This may cause an unbalance of the muscles and hasten the deterioration of the joints.
If you need to train to improve your stamina, running twice per day would be beneficial. Try switching up your workout routine and doing a combination of exercises, such as running for some time and then cycling, swimming, or performing any other cardiovascular activity.
If you make it a habit of running twice a day, investigate hiring a trainer to establish if any discrepancies may influence your running style. Ensure you are incorporating activities from different disciplines in addition to rehabilitation exercises.
It would be advantageous to collaborate with a tutor to assess and more accurately determine how to achieve your running objectives.