Double days

Are they really needed or just another option that highschoolers don't need to be doing at the moment. Can you only improve by doing them or is there a downside (eg. burnout) assuming you did them correctly.

JB

It's possible to burn out doing doubles. BUT, it's harder to burn out on 40 mpw doing doubles rather than 40 mpw all in singles. BUT, 40 mpw in singles will benefit you more than 40 mpw in doubles. You should only be doing doubles doing 60+ mpw, and really only when your easy days are going beyond 10 miles, or your workout days are more than 13-15. And don't do doubles on your long run day, although that should be obvious.

I do them. Once a week. Just to get in more mileage.

My coach went to this one coaching clinic & the speaker recommended them for 60+ miles BUT, that most High Schoolers aren't really ready for them. There was this huge complicated way of doing 2-a-days...something like once a for a day one week, then single runs the next 2 weeks, then two two-a-days for the next week,& so on so on. I can't remember really what it was but you would need like 4-5 months to do this guy's plan.
But I personnally don't do two-a-days. My coach told me next summer to try it a few times, but to do things like a run in the morning & a long bike ride in the evening.

Yes, it helps. Alot.

AudienceOfOne wrote:Yes, it helps. Alot.

But only if you're ready for it. You have to slowly build up to it. It can be a high risk high reward kinda thing. If you're smart about it, it can be very benefitial but if you're not, it can lead to injury. And I agree with what the others are saying; you only need to start doing them once you go past 55-60mpw.

I have done them but not often. Unless your running over 60mpw just stick with singles. I could see running a easy 1-3 miles in the morning and doing a harder workout after school helping you.

I personally feel wiped from doing two a days
it can be fun, but I usually only do them if I miss a day of running and want to make up mileage.

Yea, i agree to only do it if you do 60+. 1-3 miles in the morning probably won't help a whole lot anyway, so i'd make sure all your AM runs are atleast 4 miles, not worth it other wise. And if you do 2 a days, make it a routine, or you will get really tired and worn out if you don't.

AudienceOfOne wrote:And if you do 2 a days, make it a routine, or you will get really tired and worn out if you don't.

When I went to camp for a week last summer, we did doubles, but we went back to singles when we got home. I was really tired for another week afterwards.

AudienceOfOne wrote:Yea, i agree to only do it if you do 60+. 1-3 miles in the morning probably won't help a whole lot anyway, so i'd make sure all your AM runs are atleast 4 miles, not worth it other wise. And if you do 2 a days, make it a routine, or you will get really tired and worn out if you don't.

Eh, our coach recommends runs short as 20 minutes for recoveries / doubles. Any shorter than 15-20 mins wouldn't be good, but 4 miles is a fair bit for doubles.

would it be a good idea to do an easy 2-3 miles in the morning to loosen up the legs and then speedwork in the evening?

yes.

so here's the scenario:
3 days a week after school I run with our Polar running club. Our XC coach does it but it seems like every day we have it he says something like "well we gotta go short today. I have to be back here in 20 minutes." or what not. So not only do we go short, we go at like 8-9 minute pace for just two miles or so...
would it be worth it to run that with them...(attempting to push the pace as much as possible)...keep in mind that this is with 6th and 7th graders and really slow 8th graders...not high schoolers.
anyway, run that with them then when we return to school wait 5-10 minutes for them to leave then go out for another 3 or 4 at my own pace.
and no, I can't just not go at all because I'm the XC captain so I'm kind of obligated to be there. Otherwise it's only 3 days a week and on the other days I run alone as far as I want for as fast as I want.
sorry that was long, but what do you think?
I don't want to do the wrong thing and get injured.

i'd go out for another 3 or 4, or even less if you feel like it. 20 minutes is too short, even if your in middle school.