Doubles: Expanding the Week Within Seven Days

Is a running week seven opportunities to train (or rest), or could it be more? As we try to take a step outside of our comfort zones to tackle an extremely demanding task, it might be helpful to consider the week a bit differently.

Triathletes or multisport athletes might be familiar with a schedule where more than one discipline is incorporated into one day's training, in part because their goal competition requires it. For runners, I typically incorporate doubles into three general situations.

• Building volume into unfamiliar territory
• Keeping quality when volume is high
• Staying fresh and in rhythm when volume is reducing

While we build, we could keep adding a mile or two onto a daily run or at the end of a quality session. Time and life schedule may make that difficult over time, but a shorter second effort can help add volume without putting as much pressure on finding an ever-expanding chunk of daily time. A great way to incorporate this is to cross-train for a second period a couple of times per week, even starting with a walk. We need to build a huge cardiovascular engine and some really durable legs. Walking, biking, the elliptical, and other activities can help do exactly that while minimizing impact injury risk as you acclimate to the additional time on feet.

When volume is highest, lengthy efforts are definitely helpful and a vital part of a weekly training plan, but too much dragging around with sloppy, tired form can also raise overuse injury risk. Breaking up some of the mileage with at least a 4-5 hour gap can allow just enough freshness to keep your form more efficient and help keep things aligned and on track.

During this kind of time, I typically recommend pairing a longer and a shorter effort, say 60 minutes and 20-30 minutes, rather than two equal efforts of 45 minutes. After a morning quality session, a bit of running in the afternoon or evening can feel surprisingly good as well, particularly knowing the hard work has already been done for the day.

When it's time to unload a bit, whether for an intermediate race along the way or the final weeks in January, splitting up the occasional run into two equal parts can feel refreshing, even when the volume is no longer high. If that 90 minutes of running has come back down to 60 as you peak, occasionally breaking it up into 30/30 works really well. It keeps you fresh on your feet, and it also tricks your brain into feeling like the mid-cycle you, which is helpful to combat that taper flatness.

It tricks your brain into feeling like the mid-cycle you, which is helpful to combat that taper flatness.

— Dena Evans

Running more than once per day is not a one-size-fits-all prescription. However, it can be a valuable tool in your kit as you figure out how to build sensibly, fit everything in at peak mileage, and mentally prepare for the non-standardized rest periods our challenge in January will require. Like anything else, if you are incorporating doubles, prioritize health and fueling, and enjoy the process of exploring a new challenge by taking it step by step.