Two a days. Beneficial or overtraining?

What do you hope to accomplish from that workout? It's not going to benefit your lifting or your running.

Is that some kind of running program or are just running on your own. Cos if you are running on your own then you might add some HIIT. In decent marathon programs all the training you need will be included already. If you are not sure if your training is sufficient go and buy a half marathon program or download one online for free, there are some free basic ones on Google.

Anyhow, one thing for sure, you should not use Insanity or Michel's to get better at running, just like you would not do deadlifts to get better at squats.. you do squats to get better at squats. Use sprinting if you wanna get HIIT in (cos sprinting is running and if you wanna get better at running you should do running) cos of marathon. That will benefit you the most.

You are not overtraining if you can recover. You could work out 20 hours a day and not overtrain if you can recover. Can you recover? It's your body so we can't tell that. See if you have signs of overtraining and if you do slow down. But if you are getting faster and stronger, and gaining endurance as well as feeling good I would say you are fine. Listen to your body. There sin't a set exact line what if you will cross you will overtrain, it depends do you recover and each of us recovers differently, some faster some slower, etc.

Sounds like the "marathon training" isn't doing much at all. Instead of adding a second workout per day, I'd just replace it with some cardio that actually does challenge you.

"Covering your bases" would be "do something good for your heart and lungs" and "do something good for your muscles and bones." Interval cardio + strength training would be probably the best combination.

Is that some kind of running program or are just running on your own. Cos if you are running on your own then you might add some HIIT. In decent marathon programs all the training you need will be included already. If you are not sure if your training is sufficient go and buy a half marathon program or download one online for free, there are some free basic ones on Google.

For me.... I'm not running for time. I'm running for completion. So I can say I did it. This will be my first marathon, so...for me completion is an acceptable goal.

I started with the program based on the book marathon training for non-runners, but when i switched to the half marathon I used the one from marathon rookie.

Marathon rookie program is designed to increase endurance. There are no HIIT workouts because it does not focuses on speed whatsoever, just distance. Which you said is also your goal, that time does not matter to you just distance. So adding HIIT does not matters either. You can if you want to, it might help you finish a couple minutes faster than you would have otherwise, or make the run little easier. But waste of effort and time if you don't care about running speed. Also, you are not supposed to be out of breath when you are done, not a beginner like you who is just training for distance. Out of breath part comes in to play when you can already run half marathon and now wanna increase your time.

Is that some kind of running program or are just running on your own. Cos if you are running on your own then you might add some HIIT. In decent marathon programs all the training you need will be included already. If you are not sure if your training is sufficient go and buy a half marathon program or download one online for free, there are some free basic ones on Google.

For me.... I'm not running for time. I'm running for completion. So I can say I did it. This will be my first marathon, so...for me completion is an acceptable goal.

I started with the program based on the book marathon training for non-runners, but when i switched to the half marathon I used the one from marathon rookie.

Marathon rookie program is designed to increase endurance. There are no HIIT workouts because it does not focuses on speed whatsoever, just distance. Which you said is also you goal, that time does not matter to you just distance. So adding HIIT does not matters either. You can if you want to, it might help you finish a couple minutes faster than you would have otherwise, or make the run little easier. But waste of effort and time if you don't care about running speed. Also, you are not supposed to be out of breath when you are done, not a beginner like you who is just training for distance. Out of breath part comes in to play when you can already run half marathon and now wanna increase your time.

I'm sorry if this sounds ignorant or trolling, but am I reading correctly that this program implies that some people are literally incapable of just covering that distance without training first? I find that very surprising.

Wait.....did you just say that running is not "real cardio"?! The fact that you feel like you are "cheating" when you do so much exercise makes me think maybe you may be heading to an unhealthy place, in terms of your mindset. That type of thinking is perfectionistic and what folks with eating disorders (which can take the shape of exercise anorexia) are prone to. I belong to a women's eating disorder support group where we talk about this type of stuff....

Edited to add: If you want to challenge yourself, try throwing in some Fartlek's to your running routine. The sprinting a few days a week will progress you much faster than steady-state running will.

Nothing wrong with getting lots of exercise, but doing it because you feel guilty or you are not doing everything perfectly is a red flag.

It could also mean she just isn't pushing herself enough when running.

OP: I have a friend that has been doing a few marathons a year for awhile now. He added a yoga class to his normal training and really enjoyed it. But if you feel that you aren't getting "real cardio" from running you either need to speed up, or add some interval running to the mix.

There are lots of running groups on MFP. I think you would do well to take this question to the runners and see what they have to say about it.

I'm a triathlete and I LOVE LOVE LOVE TADs. Any day I can TAD is a day I go to bed happy. But every workout has to have a purpose or it's a waste. And I don't have time or patience to waste workouts. Which is why, if you really want your TADS to be effective, go to the runners groups and see what they say. They may know the perfect TADs for you.

I don't know that you've clarified *why* you would be adding a second workout on any given day. Are you trying to speed up weight loss or improve cardiovascular performance?

Neither really. I guess I"m trying to make sure I'm covering all my bases . As stated in a previous post... I feel like I'm "cheating" by just jogging. That doesn't really challenge me (other than the long run). So... contemplating adding in some interval cardio. I don't really care about the "number" but I do care about the most beneficial workouts. The marathon training covers some cardio, but I know that I am not winded and out of breath when I'm done.

Do you try to push yourself harder and increase your pace every week? If it doesn't challenge than you need to make it challenging.

I agree that to get better at running, you have to run. I would include hill training or sprints to improve your cardiovascular and muscle endurance.