April 2016 Running Challenge
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@juliet3455 - thanks for the kudos
when I ran my 1st (HM) race I had no idea and it never occurred to me that maybe I should try something shorter/smaller first. Besides I had a friend with me, showing me the ropes and pacing me and we had an absolute blast and afterwards I got to eat...
@HonuNui - as always, I love your pictures and videos! The octopus is awesome!
@Elise4270 and @MobyCarp _ I think we will all be feeling the jitters and watching the race! I was looking at my calendar today to see if I can be on conference calls while I watch the race!
@ddmom0811 - I hate geese, having been bitten before as a child and again wile protecting my daughter from one! I would run the entire opposite way if there was any chance I would encounter them.0 -
Date.........Miles..........Total
1/4............Rest..............0
2/4............Rest..............0
3/4.............3.7..............3.7
4/4.............3.0..............6.7
5/4............Rest............6.7
6/4.............6.0.............12.7
7/4.............3.0.............15.7
3 miles today. I pushed myself to go a bit faster again and it felt good
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Can I get in on this action? I'm training for my second marathon so I'd love to have something to check in with.0
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lporter229 wrote: »Another slow developer here. I have been running pretty consistently, health and life permitting, for 18 or 19 years. It's been so long that I really can't remember my "running story" very accurately, but I know that when I started running (in 1997), it was for my general health and fitness. There were no apps, GPS gadgets or social media groups. I am not even sure there were running groups. If there were, they were few and far between. I pretty much just laced them up and went out for 30-40 minutes, 3 or 4 times a week, with no real goals in mind. I ran between 10 and 15 miles per week max. I did not participate in an organized race until 2002, my first 5K. When I moved to Cincinnati in 2003, I lived in a great running neighborhood and caught a bit of a bug. I ran my first 15K later that year and my first half marathon in 2004. I did all of my races at pretty much the same pace I trained 9:30-10 minutes per mile. My first half marathon was a 2:05. I never really thought of trying to get faster and didn't much care.
I ran on and off for the next several years, as I was battling with Crohn's disease, and did very few races during that time. In 2012, a friend of mine did her first half marathon (Flying Pig) and instantly decided she wanted to do the full in 2013. I agreed to train with her. So in 2013, we ran our first marathon together in just under 5 hours. I would not trade the experience for anything in the world, but it left me wanting to see what I could do on my own. In early 2014, I had another serious bout with Crohn's disease that forced me to drop out of marathon training due to inadequate nutritional absorbtion and severe weight loss. Furthermore, I had developed a stress fracture in my foot, likely due to prolonged use of high doses of prednisone. I was angry that I may not be able to run any more and angry that I had to deal with this illness. I vowed that when I finally got through the rough patch, I was going to make it my mission to show Crohn's disease who's boss and I was going to qualify for the Boston Marathon. I used that as my motivation for the next year and a half and finally achieved my goal in October of 2015 in Columbus with a time of 3:38:26, giving my a 16+ minute cushion for the 2017 Boston Marathon.
Ok, I guess I got a bit off track there, but now that it's out there, that's my story in a nut shell. One thing I did want to mention is that I believe that all of those years of slow, easy running were critical in getting me where I am today. Matt Fitgerald says that over time, your body will adapt to a more efficient running form. A lot has been said about the values of having a high cadence. I never measured my cadence until 2 or so years ago. But when I first measured it, it was in the 184-188 range consistently. Currently, all of my runs are in the 190s. Even though I am very short, which probably makes for a naturally high cadence, I doubt that if I had measured my cadence all those years ago, that the numbers would be that high. It's not something I ever practiced or intended for, but something that I believed developed over time. I guess my point is, that even though we all want to be super fast, like yesterday, for some of us, the slow road to speed is the best one.
Wow, this is a great post, @lporter229
Very inspiring, and very helpful.
Well done for your amazing achievements!0 -
2 April – 5 km parkrun
3 April – 10 km PB 1:02:23
5 April – 8.2 km
7 April – 7.1 km
Total: 30.3 km
Goal: 100 km
Upcoming:
May 8: Mother’s Day Classic 8.4 km
June 19 – Winter Solstice Lighthouse to Lighthouse 15 km
August 7 – Peaks & Trails 22 km (Eek have I said that out loud?)
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@_nikkiwolf_ it's funny you bring up geese, I got hissed at on Monday running route and usually they never bother!0
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Some advice then - I'm running 6 days/week, averaging about 30ish miles/week, and have been for better than 6 months. If I'm gonna make my monthly goal (135), I need to run about 5.2 miles/day. I have a secondary goal of acclimatizing myself to running in heat, because I'm running the Peachtree Road Race (10K) in Atlanta Georgia on 04-Jul (and it's gonna be HOT!).EvgeniZyntx wrote: »Exactly, If you are breaking your mileage into two you actually need to add time for equivalent effort to induce endurance adaptations. There is even an equation - but since I don't do it, I don't have it in mind. 30%? more of the remaining???
Plus, by doing doubles too early you are actually hurting the period of recovery. 20 minutes in and you slow significantly protein synthesis.
It doesn't mean there isn't a place for doubles, but if you are going to do that, first increase the number of running days (while reducing miles per run), then increase mileage, then doubles. If you are only running 3-4 times a week doubles rarely make sense if it isn't a scheduling thing.
I usually run at work at lunch, but can't take that long a lunch to make 5.2 miles. I was planning to run doubles - about 3 miles before work, and 3 at work. Am I putting in more-or-less useless miles? Is doubles not the way I want/need to go? I don't think that I can routinely do just the 3 at lunch and then a 14+ mile run every Saturday... I KNOW that SWMBO wouldn't like that....
Running is never wasted.
You are already up to 6x per week and hitting 30 miles. It is tough upping from that for you because of time conflicts during the day. Ideally, you need longer runs in the week. Can you hit one early once a week or move one to the evening?
If you can't, doubles are ok, in terms of endurance - you won't lose endurance by only doing one long run a week. But it doesn't seem to be the focus - you'll still get general aerobic training 2x per day. It is still driving cardiovascular adaptation. Two runs for the target mileage can also be useful for recovery (easier effort to run 2x4km vs 8 km, if you spread them properly).
But, as one is trying to build endurance ... you are going to at least need an intermediate 60+min run in your week sometimes. Endurance is going to be built into the 60-90min effort range. Can you hit that in one evening or morning a week? It still is the best way to develop.
Doubles tend to be recommended when mileage hits 50+ miles per week. So think about it - is losing out on the long runs during the week an acceptable life compromise? We aren't Olympic athletes and developing endurance more slowly, less optimally is just something we sometimes choose.
As to practicing doubles - not my thing so get more advice - but like all things running, build up slowly, do a break up first on an easy day, only add 1 double for a few weeks, etc...
One more thought - if you are running in the morning and want to benefit from a double, giving yourself more interday time and doing 2nd in the evening might have better results (more recovery time)...0 -
04/01 3.1 miles easy
04/06 4.5 miles comfortable run
Finally got round to posting this month, going for 70 miles. Been a bit hit and miss with running as my families just moved away so wanted to spend a bit more time with them before they left. Should be getting back to normallish now with a practice run in a couple of weeks until my practice run from Bristol to Bath with the friends I'm running with in Edinburgh.
03/20 Canterbury Riverside 10k 1:16:12
05/29 Edinburgh Half marathon0 -
5 very quiet and uneventful miles this morning. Unless crunching through a smallish branch on the path counts.
4/1 - Rest
4/2 - 14 miles
4/3 - 5 miles
4/4 - 5 miles
4/5 - 5 miles
4/6 - 8 miles
4/7 - 5 miles
42/160 miles
Upcoming races:
4/9 - Rock the Parkway half marathon (Kansas City, MO)
4/16 - Garmin Wickedly Fast half marathon (Olathe, KS)
4/23 - Race for Hope half marathon (North Kansas City, MO)
5/1 - Buffalo Bell Stampede half marathon (Leavenworth, KS)
5/14 - Running with the Cows half marathon (Bucyrus, KS)
6/2 - Hospital Hill 5k 7pm PRE-RUN (Kansas City, MO)
6/3 - Hospital Hill half marathon 7am RE-RUN (Kansas City, MO)
9/25 - Broadway Bridge half marathon (Kansas City, MO)
10/15 - Kansas City Marathon 26.2 (Kansas City, MO)
11/5 - Jenks half marathon (Jenks, OK)
11/6 - Kansas half marathon (Lawrence, KS)
11/12 - Longview half marathon (Kansas City, MO)
11/13 - Gobbler Grind half marathon (Overland Park, KS)
11/19 - White River half marathon (Cotter, AR)
11/20 - Pilgrim Pacer half marathon (Lenexa, KS)0 -
Ashleedeathbarbie wrote: »Can I get in on this action? I'm training for my second marathon so I'd love to have something to check in with.
Absolutely! Welcome to the group!0 -
4/1- 5.1 miles in the rain
4/2 - rest/travel day
4/3 - 34 miles on bike
4/4 - 5.1 miles (intervals)
4/5 - 5.1 miles - intervals (although slower than yesterday)
4/6 - 22 miles on bike + Strength training
4/7 - 4.2 miles - slow and steady
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4/1: Rest day!
4/2: 5 miles
4/3: 13.1 Caesar Rodney HM!
4/4: 3 miles with Joe to Go crew
4/5: Rest day
4/6: 10 miles (am), 6 miles (pm)
4/7: 7 miles tempo (am)
More or less a tempo workout today. 1 mile warm up, then 3 miles at tempo, 2 lazy ones, and 1 fast mile back to my apartment. The left side of my hip is still wonky/misaligned, so I am hoping I can get everything back in its right place before my big weekend runs. Felt better today, but it still made the outdoor tempo hard (mostly on hills; it bothers me most when raising my leg). I am now remembering that last training cycle, my hips did this misalignment thing two weeks out from the marathon, and that led me to do the fateful yoga that overstretched my hammie and left me hurting for the Philly marathon. Not going to repeat that mistake!
Upcoming Races:
3/12: Run O' The Mill 5K: New PR! 21:55
4/3: Caesar Rodney HM: New PR! 1:40:13
4/16: River Horse 6K (Ewing, NJ)
5/1: New Jersey Marathon (Lots of towns, NJ)
11/20: Philadelphia Marathon (Philly, PA)0 -
April
1-no run yet, maybe later
2-13.2mi
3-nothing
4-nothing
5-5.35
6-yoga tonight
7-nope
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ceciliaslater wrote: »@greenolivetree - The Jenks Half hardly qualifies as a crowd. There were only about 300 people total last year. I ran a 2:10:54 race and literally could not see a single person in front of or behind me for the last half of the race! Very chill experience, so it might be a good one to start with. No pressure (nudge, nudge--come on--nudge, nudge). You've got til November to psych yourself up for it. LOL
I've only run one race where I couldn't see runners ahead of me for any substantial distance. That was a 15K with I think 83 total finishers, and the road marshals saved me from missing turns or taking wrong turns a couple of times. There were markings, but it was hard to see blue arrows on wet pavement. I suppose I could have seen people behind me if I'd turned around; but I took Satchel Paige's classic advice to heart.
The following year the field expanded to 85, and I was fast enough to see people ahead of me for substantially the entire route. And it was easier to see the blue arrows on dry pavement. And I knew the route better, having seen it the year before. But I still appreciated having road marshals.
Funny and related story - a few years ago, my boyfriend (a member of Fairmount Rowing Association on Boathouse Row in Philly) asked me to run the annual Schuylkill Navy Run on Thanksgiving. It's only open to Schuylkill Navy members and their invited guests. It is a small run of a couple hundred people, and the race has been going on since 1899 (no kidding), and it has the most bizarre course I have ever encountered. The race is 5 5/8 miles, and it starts on Kelly Drive in Philadelphia. It runs up a road and across a bridge, but then turns off through a field, back on a road, back through a field, to a mansion where the turn around point is a car parked in front of the place, back through that field, down a road, through a different field, down a steep tree-rooted hill, over a bridge, cuts left down a road, and finished back onto Kelly Drive. By the halfway point, people end up pretty spread out. I have been one of the slowest people in this race. I am generally a middle-of-the-road runner, but since most are rowers. If you know anything about the endurance and physical fitness of rowers, you'll know that they tend to excel in things such as biking and running even when they do little more than just row.
Anyway, there is at least one other turkey trot going on at the same time that runs along part of the same course. The Schyulkill Navy doesn't really have any road marshals, and they usually only have one or two guys on bikes riding along the course. During my first year running this thing, I completely lost all sight of anyone in the last leg of the race. I came across the bridge and had no idea where I was supposed to be going. I turned one way, turned around, went another way, turned around, and I finally found a Philly cop who was on the course for the other race. I asked her which way the Schuylkill Navy Run was supposed to go, and she had no idea. We both guessed it was the first way I started running (down a steep, blind curve) and I went on my way. I popped out onto Kelly Drive, and all was good from there. I felt so dumb. Leave it to me to get lost in Philly, and I wasted several minutes running around in circles. It turns out that another guy got lost that year, as well. This guy, a member of the Schuylkill Navy, has run this race in the past and got lost to the point where they sent people on bikes to go find him. That did make me feel a little better about my poor navigation skills.
I did run this race a couple years afterwards, and I managed to finish without getting lost.0 -
4/1 Rest day!
4/2 6 miles in the snow
4/3 4 easy miles
4/4 Rest day
4/5 4 easy miles
4/6 Rest day
4/7- 4 miles (plus half a mile because I forgot to start my garmin) inadvertent Tempo Run.
Morning run in the dark was very relaxing. Beautiful 30 degree weather. I went quite a bit faster than planned, but I yesterday was one of those kind of days, so I needed to blow off some steam so this turned into a slight Tempo Run, Average pace 10:36 +/- 10 seconds the whole time, Mile 1 was 10:36, Mile 2 was -10 seconds/mile then 3 was +3sec/mi and 4 was +6 sec/mi. New Saucony Siberius pants worked great, almost too good. In the 30 degree weather, I probably could have gotten away with my Nike pants no problem.0 -
Question about the doubles while it is on topic.
I was planning to start adding in some doubles a few weeks from now as I continue building up from my current 42 mpw to 60 mpw. My reasoning for the doubles is that during this base building phase my workouts are long runs and by that point I will be doing 2 to 3 long runs (90 to 180 minutes) per week. There gets to be a point where it is impractical to add distance to the long runs due to either total running time (pushing 180 minutes) or time in regular life (2+ hour mid-week runs are very difficult to fit in). Likewise my non-long runs can't go any longer because at that point they would go well past 60 minutes each and start creeping towards 90 minutes which would make them long runs technically. So my plan was to take some of those non-long run days and do doubles so I can get the added mileage without making them too long. They would be between 35 and 60 minutes each run on these double runs.
Does that sound right or am I incorporating doubles inappropriately?0 -
WhatMeRunning wrote: »Question about the doubles while it is on topic.
I was planning to start adding in some doubles a few weeks from now as I continue building up from my current 42 mpw to 60 mpw. My reasoning for the doubles is that during this base building phase my workouts are long runs and by that point I will be doing 2 to 3 long runs (90 to 180 minutes) per week. There gets to be a point where it is impractical to add distance to the long runs due to either total running time (pushing 180 minutes) or time in regular life (2+ hour mid-week runs are very difficult to fit in). Likewise my non-long runs can't go any longer because at that point they would go well past 60 minutes each and start creeping towards 90 minutes which would make them long runs technically. So my plan was to take some of those non-long run days and do doubles so I can get the added mileage without making them too long. They would be between 35 and 60 minutes each run on these double runs.
Does that sound right or am I incorporating doubles inappropriately?
Nothing sounds off - anyone?
Doing them morning and evenings?0 -
Date Miles today. Miles for April
4/1 REST DAY
4/2 14.3 miles - 14.3 <<< 13.1 HM + 1.2 warmup
4/3 REST DAY
4/4 4.2 miles - 18.5 << will try and get a second lunch time run in
4/4 4.0 miles - 22.5 << daily double, 3E +1HMP
4/5 8 miles - 30.5
4/6 4.2 miles - 34.7 << easy recovery 4 (taper week)
4/7 6 miles - 40.7
Upcoming races:
Oak Barrel HM - 4/2 <<<< 1:38:00 3 in AG
Bridge Street HM - 4/10
Cotton Row Run 10K - 5/30
Firecracker Chase 10.2 miler - 6/25
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Yes, I figured spacing them about 10 to 12 hours apart. Although if it has any benefit to do them closer (or no harm even) that could work even easier on some days. Say, 5 to 7 hours apart.EvgeniZyntx wrote: »WhatMeRunning wrote: »Question about the doubles while it is on topic.
I was planning to start adding in some doubles a few weeks from now as I continue building up from my current 42 mpw to 60 mpw. My reasoning for the doubles is that during this base building phase my workouts are long runs and by that point I will be doing 2 to 3 long runs (90 to 180 minutes) per week. There gets to be a point where it is impractical to add distance to the long runs due to either total running time (pushing 180 minutes) or time in regular life (2+ hour mid-week runs are very difficult to fit in). Likewise my non-long runs can't go any longer because at that point they would go well past 60 minutes each and start creeping towards 90 minutes which would make them long runs technically. So my plan was to take some of those non-long run days and do doubles so I can get the added mileage without making them too long. They would be between 35 and 60 minutes each run on these double runs.
Does that sound right or am I incorporating doubles inappropriately?
Nothing sounds off - anyone?
Doing them morning and evenings?0 -
WhatMeRunning wrote: »Question about the doubles while it is on topic.
I was planning to start adding in some doubles a few weeks from now as I continue building up from my current 42 mpw to 60 mpw. My reasoning for the doubles is that during this base building phase my workouts are long runs and by that point I will be doing 2 to 3 long runs (90 to 180 minutes) per week. There gets to be a point where it is impractical to add distance to the long runs due to either total running time (pushing 180 minutes) or time in regular life (2+ hour mid-week runs are very difficult to fit in). Likewise my non-long runs can't go any longer because at that point they would go well past 60 minutes each and start creeping towards 90 minutes which would make them long runs technically. So my plan was to take some of those non-long run days and do doubles so I can get the added mileage without making them too long. They would be between 35 and 60 minutes each run on these double runs.
Does that sound right or am I incorporating doubles inappropriately?
@WhatMeRunning That sounds right to me! All my runs are 6 miles or more these days (~48-54 mins minimum), and then I do a 10 mile (~85-90 min) run midweek, another 7-10 Saturday (60-90 minutes) and then my long runs (150-180 minutes) Sunday. I break up my midweek runs for a few reasons, but mostly because running more than 90 mins on a weekday morning takes way too much time. That's why I add in the other ~50 mins later in the day. It's much more managable that way. Plus in the middle of the week, I do 4 runs (~30 miles) in less than 48 hours, and that is great fatigue training! There's no way I could do 60 mpw without running doubles, and it sounds like you're in the same boat.
I think your reasoning for doubles is right on track! Gotta get to that 60 mpw somehow!
As for timing, I usually do Wednesday morning, Wednesday afternoon (thank God for a grad student's flexible schedule), Thursday morning, and Thursday evening. I hate doing evening-morning rotations... my legs are just too dead if I run at 6 pm the night before then 6 am the next morning.
Edit to add: To clarify on the midweek miles, 10 is just the long run which is not broken up; 10 is part of a longer day total of 15-17 once you add in the afternoon run, then I also have Thursday speedwork and a Thursday group run. In case anyone was wondering why the math seems off... I was just listing my 60-90+ min runs. THERE ARE TOO MANY NUMBERS/RUNS TO KEEP TRACK OF! lol0 -
I had a really productive day yesterday. The weather was pretty nice at lunch, so I laced up and took a walk at the park. It was great weather last night, so I decided to do my 10K training around my neighborhood. Surprised at how quick my times were running outside and I wasn't anymore fatigued than I would have been on my treadmill. Score!
4/1……..1.25 miles……Outdoor Run/Walk
4/2……..Rest
4/3……..Rest
4/4……..3.0 miles……..Treadmill 10K training
4/5……..3.0 miles……..Treadmill Run/Walk
4/6……..1.5 miles……..Outdoor Lunch Walk
………2.5 miles……..Outdoor 10K training
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@AdrianChr92 that is the creepiest picture of a goose I have ever seen!AdrianChr92 wrote: »
Even their tongue has teeth
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WhatMeRunning wrote: »
Yes, I figured spacing them about 10 to 12 hours apart. Although if it has any benefit to do them closer (or no harm even) that could work even easier on some days. Say, 5 to 7 hours apart.EvgeniZyntx wrote: »WhatMeRunning wrote: »Question about the doubles while it is on topic.
I was planning to start adding in some doubles a few weeks from now as I continue building up from my current 42 mpw to 60 mpw. My reasoning for the doubles is that during this base building phase my workouts are long runs and by that point I will be doing 2 to 3 long runs (90 to 180 minutes) per week. There gets to be a point where it is impractical to add distance to the long runs due to either total running time (pushing 180 minutes) or time in regular life (2+ hour mid-week runs are very difficult to fit in). Likewise my non-long runs can't go any longer because at that point they would go well past 60 minutes each and start creeping towards 90 minutes which would make them long runs technically. So my plan was to take some of those non-long run days and do doubles so I can get the added mileage without making them too long. They would be between 35 and 60 minutes each run on these double runs.
Does that sound right or am I incorporating doubles inappropriately?
Nothing sounds off - anyone?
Doing them morning and evenings?
My understanding is that spacing them is better - 7 or more is good. Add them in slowly.0 -
04/01 - Rest day (due to 5K on the 3rd)
04/02 - Rest
04/03 - Around the Bay - 5K
04/04 - 2.5 KM
04/05 - Cross Training Day
04/06 - 3.25 KM
Total for April: 10.75 KM/45 KM
UPCOMING RACES
04/24 - Forest City Road Races (5K), London, Ontario0 -
MNLittleFinn wrote: »@acorsaut89 I ditto what @Stoshew71 said. I'll say running is running, if you take that first step out the door, you're way ahead of most people in the world.
Thanks! I know there's a ton of people who always say to me after a race, "You finished, and that's what matters" but I think anyone who has run even a little bit knows that once you get a bit of it in you you just want more and more, you want better and you want to push yourself. So my mileage isn't as high, but I know I will get there one day.
I'm very much a goal oriented and driven person, so I know if I can do better I want to do better. I know it's not always good to think that way, but it helps to keep me motivated.0 -
Ashleedeathbarbie wrote: »Can I get in on this action? I'm training for my second marathon so I'd love to have something to check in with.
welcome aboard!!!0 -
4/1 - 3.5 miles on indoor track + weights/abs
4/2 - Life day
4/3 - 10 miles. Very windy.
4/4 - Rest day.
4/5 - 4 miles on the treadmill, then weights/abs.
4/6 - 4.3 miles. Cool, damp and breezy.
4/7 - 4.5 miles on treadmill (Trek class)
Upcoming Races:
4/9 - Beer and Bagel Run
4/30 - Hy-Vee Road Races HM
5/7 - Market to Market Relay
5/14 - WHAMM 10k
5/27 - Girls on the Run 5k (with my daughter...Yay!)
6/4 - Dam to Dam HM
@samthepanda - Yay! Nice to get back to it!
@MobyCarp - I'm getting excited for you to run Boston! I've never done a marathon, never met you in person...but I'm practically giddy reading that it is only 1.5 weeks away.
@nicolemarie999 - Fun! I have found that races have become the reward for sticking with it. They aren't so much a goal anymore, but a good time with like-minded nut jobs!
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Another 1km run! I opted for the lawns instead of the cobblestone path today, and my knees seemed to approve. Running was still difficult though, possibly because I'm having a tired/hungry week.
Re: geese - there are Egyptian geese all over the place around here, and while they do not normally care about walkers and runners, I do have to be careful right now as they have chicks and can get very cranky very fast.
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acorsaut89 wrote: »Thanks! I know there's a ton of people who always say to me after a race, "You finished, and that's what matters" but I think anyone who has run even a little bit knows that once you get a bit of it in you you just want more and more, you want better and you want to push yourself. So my mileage isn't as high, but I know I will get there one day.
I'm very much a goal oriented and driven person, so I know if I can do better I want to do better. I know it's not always good to think that way, but it helps to keep me motivated.
I'm the same way. The good folks in this group have been very good about putting me in my place and helping me remember to back things down when I get way too into it.0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
Some advice then - I'm running 6 days/week, averaging about 30ish miles/week, and have been for better than 6 months. If I'm gonna make my monthly goal (135), I need to run about 5.2 miles/day. I have a secondary goal of acclimatizing myself to running in heat, because I'm running the Peachtree Road Race (10K) in Atlanta Georgia on 04-Jul (and it's gonna be HOT!).EvgeniZyntx wrote: »Exactly, If you are breaking your mileage into two you actually need to add time for equivalent effort to induce endurance adaptations. There is even an equation - but since I don't do it, I don't have it in mind. 30%? more of the remaining???
Plus, by doing doubles too early you are actually hurting the period of recovery. 20 minutes in and you slow significantly protein synthesis.
It doesn't mean there isn't a place for doubles, but if you are going to do that, first increase the number of running days (while reducing miles per run), then increase mileage, then doubles. If you are only running 3-4 times a week doubles rarely make sense if it isn't a scheduling thing.
I usually run at work at lunch, but can't take that long a lunch to make 5.2 miles. I was planning to run doubles - about 3 miles before work, and 3 at work. Am I putting in more-or-less useless miles? Is doubles not the way I want/need to go? I don't think that I can routinely do just the 3 at lunch and then a 14+ mile run every Saturday... I KNOW that SWMBO wouldn't like that....
Running is never wasted.
You are already up to 6x per week and hitting 30 miles. It is tough upping from that for you because of time conflicts during the day. Ideally, you need longer runs in the week. Can you hit one early once a week or move one to the evening?
If you can't, doubles are ok, in terms of endurance - you won't lose endurance by only doing one long run a week. But it doesn't seem to be the focus - you'll still get general aerobic training 2x per day. It is still driving cardiovascular adaptation. Two runs for the target mileage can also be useful for recovery (easier effort to run 2x4km vs 8 km, if you spread them properly).
But, as one is trying to build endurance ... you are going to at least need an intermediate 60+min run in your week sometimes. Endurance is going to be built into the 60-90min effort range. Can you hit that in one evening or morning a week? It still is the best way to develop.
Doubles tend to be recommended when mileage hits 50+ miles per week. So think about it - is losing out on the long runs during the week an acceptable life compromise? We aren't Olympic athletes and developing endurance more slowly, less optimally is just something we sometimes choose.
As to practicing doubles - not my thing so get more advice - but like all things running, build up slowly, do a break up first on an easy day, only add 1 double for a few weeks, etc...
One more thought - if you are running in the morning and want to benefit from a double, giving yourself more interday time and doing 2nd in the evening might have better results (more recovery time)...
I agree with his advice and want to add one more thing. In time, your speed will automatically get better which means that you will be able to do more miles in the same amount of time. When you notice this, you will be able to run a further distance in a single workout and still be within your schedule allowments.
Running 2 shorter is not the same as running the same mileage as a larger one. However, when scheduling prevents you from doing an optimal workout, 2 runs are always better than one. One more suggestion. In addition of maybe trying to fit in a midweek medium long run as @EvgeniZyntx is suggesting here... On one of your double days, use one of them as a speed workout and the second as a recovery run. (morning workout is faster than normal, lunch or evening workout being slower than normal)0
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