SEPTEMBER 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 071TRAINING
TWICE AS NICE
Adding the odd double-run day
to your schedule just might be the
training boost you needMOST OF US DON’T run twice a day – we
don’t have time or there’s too much
injury risk. But if you want to push
your running to the next level, it may be
time to reconsider. ‘There’s a misconception that
doubles are something only elite runners do,’ says
Steve Magness, an exercise physiologist and
cross-country coach at the University of Houston,
US. ‘But a lot of runners can benefit from them.’
Doubling up and running in a depleted state can
boost fat-burning, train the body to use glycogen
more efficiently and stimulate mitochondria
production (more mitochondria can delay fatigue).
‘By shortening the time between runs, you are
challenging your body to recover faster,’ says
exercise physiologist Greg McMillan.When and how to double up
‘Cumulative mileage matters – no
matter how you do it,’ says Brad
Hudson, author of Run Faster from
the 5K to the Marathon (Broadway
Books). You can boost your total
miles by doubling once a week –
and still keep that crucial rest day.
Four to 10 hours after a key workout
such as an interval session or a tempo
run, go for an easy run of between
20 and 45 minutes, and don’t fret
about pace. This will boost your
mileage and also aid recovery from
the first workout by increasing blood
flow to the muscles and flushing out
lactic acid and other metabolic waste
products. The – somewhat surprising- result? Fresher legs for your next
run. On those days you can’t bear
the thought of lacing up again, try
pool-running, cycling or the elliptical
cross-trainer machine. Such options
offer similar recovery benefits without
the pounding, says Hudson.
Logging two 40-minute runs rather
than one 80-minute session delivers
a double boost of human growth
hormone (production peaks about
40 minutes into a run), which helps
build and repair muscle. However,
there’s still no substitute for the
weekly long run when it comes to
building your overall endurance,
muscle strength and mental readiness,
particularly if you have a half or full
marathon in sight. Therefore, you
should maintain your long run and key
workouts and only split mid-length
runs, advises Magness.Double days for a PB
Seasoned runners with a solid aerobic
base and an ambitious time goal can
increase their strength and speed
with a regime of two daily targeted
workouts. ‘This approach is for people
who have pushed their training as far
as they can and are looking for an
extra boost,’ says Magness.
To your quality days, add a second,
shorter intense workout (half to
three-quarters of the length of your
first run) tailored to your race goal.
So if you’re trying to improve your
speed over distance for a half or full
marathon, follow a morning tempo run
with an afternoon endurance-building
session of, say, 3 × 1-mile repeats at
slightly faster than tempo pace.
If you’re targeting a PB in a 5K or
10K, do your usual speedwork in the
morning and add shorter, faster hill
repeats or intervals in the evening,
says Hudson. For example, 4 × 2km
repeats at 10K pace with 3 minutes’
recovery, followed by 4 × 400m at
3km pace with 1-minute recovery.
‘With most workouts you come in
pretty fresh,’ says Magness. ‘With
these blocks, you’re coming in tired.
You have to use muscle fibres you
don’t typically use, so your body has
to develop a different strategy to
dig a little deeper.’
Such efforts make recovery even
more critical than it normally is. On
rest days, really rest: take the day
completely off. ‘It can actually make
people smarter about their training to
know these double days are coming
up,’ says Hudson.‘YOUR BODY HAS TO DEVELOP
A DIFFERENT STRATEGY TO
DIG A LITTLE DEEPER’
DOUBLE ACTION
Adding a second run
to your day can boost
strength and speedW
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