
There was a point in time when I wholeheartedly believed in maximizing the single run.
By that, I mean it was better to consistently run longer distances in one go, rather than splitting it into two runs, one in the morning and one in the evening.
I've had this argument many times with running friends over the years, particularly with local groups who prefer the double-run approach compared to us who prefer the single-run approach.
An example of this would be doing one 12-mile run versus an 8 and a 4-mile run.
For us, this might have meant the difference between running 1:20-1:30 continuously or running 1 hour in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. In preparation for my first Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, I opted for the single approach. I might have done 1 or 2 double runs during that buildup, but for the vast majority of the 6 months, I ran once per day. My mileage ended up being in the 80-90 mile range for most of it, and if I remember correctly, I might've pushed closer to 100 at one point, but not for more than a week.
I typically had 1 workout during the week totaling between 13-16 miles, 1 long run of 20-22 miles, 1 medium-long run of 13-16 miles, and 4 days of runs between 10 and 12 miles.
I loved the efficiency of this programming. At the time, I was trying to find balance between training and working 3 jobs, so 1 run a day was the best option for me. I was also coming off a big period of injury, so I was not willing to take risks.
The result was that I ran 2:18 and hit my OTQ. No complaints about the structure!

In the following year, I tested out different ways to increase mileage. In the next stage of training, I did what I did leading up to that OTQ, but I added 4-6 mile doubles a few times a week. I would peak around 115 miles and have several weeks in the 100-105 range. I lowered my marathon time by 90 seconds on this type of training. While the improvements were there, there were also more weeks where I would feel very rough and tired. I had more failed workouts during that phase, and it was common to be forced to take my easy days REALLY easy.
I've always believed there to be a direct correlation between the mileage you run and the pace you run your easy days. When you're not running a lot of volume or multiple times a day, you have a little more spring in your step, and your pace is naturally quicker, whereas when you're really putting in time running, your everyday pace will decrease as a way to force you to recover from the big days you're putting in.
For me, this is the difference between running 6:45 - 7:00 per mile on an easy day and 7:30 - 8:00 minutes on a very easy day.
One of these is not better than the other. You don’t get a reward for running faster on an easy day; it just means the energy and mechanical costs are much higher when you’re running more. There’s give and take.
At some point, your body does adapt, and you won’t always feel like you have to peel yourself out of bed to get your run in, but in general, you're not going to have a ton of spark every single day when running high mileage. You can count on feeling like absolute doo-doo a few days a week. This is normal.
What other approach is there?
Well, one approach I experimented with last year is a combination of a high/low approach and splitting runs at a higher frequency.
The high/low approach includes very short easy or recovery runs. For instance, I might do a 6-mile run, followed by a day of higher volume or intensity, totaling around 16-18 miles.
I enjoyed this style, and I've found several of my athletes who have employed this in recent years to be successful as well. Many of the athletes I work with might not have time every day to run for 90 minutes to 120 minutes, but it is possible for them to do that a few days a week.
With this approach, we can hit the big mileage and intensity days needed to be successful, but we can also include shorter, recovery-like runs that don’t take up a large chunk of time.
Training can be a grind, and with many of my athletes heading into work at 8 am or getting their kids ready for school in the early morning, they tend to sacrifice sleep. With the high/low approach, they can have days where they get more rest and are not forced to consistently drag themselves out of bed to get in a lengthy run.
This format can also help keep your mind in a good place and allow you to be more consistent. It’s a relief on the mind to have days that are short and easy, which allows for more energy to push on the days that matter. Having this extra space also helps you avoid burning out or experiencing long periods of demotivation.
There’s one more twist to this that I’d like to explain.
Another way you can do it is to split runs on easy/recovery days into even or close to even chunks.
For example, 6 miles in the morning, 6 miles in the afternoon, or 8 in the morning, 5 in the afternoon.
Many of us have the time and the mindset to be able to work out twice daily, but finding extended time slots for these workouts can be challenging.
For these types of runners, shaping the easier days can work really well. It allows them to get a healthy dose of mileage in but never so much in one go that it’s going to cause significant recovery or take away from the days that truly matter. While some may not initially tackle the larger volumes as in my example, beginning with shorter splits such as 3 and 3 miles or 4 and 3 miles can be equally effective.
Another reason why I might structure a day like this during the week is to achieve mileage and aerobic goals but also encourage recovery the day after a bigger run.
You may have noticed that if you have a longer run after a longer or more intensive day of training, you start to get more tired as the run goes on, and by the end of it, you’re feeling rough. Even if it was just a lighter day (pace-wise), there can be a turning point where the run causes more fatigue rather than reducing it. Knowing this, I might take that 10 or 12-mile run we might’ve scheduled, and go with two 5-mile or 6-mile runs. We still hit the mileage goal of the day but the run never gets to the point where it causes more fatigue. Often times I’ll even hear back that the run in the afternoon felt better than the morning. That’s always a good sign!
I’ve seen this type of programming in many high-level pro athletes of late. These runners may be running more than 100 miles per week but they may never run more than 12-13 miles at one go. What this means is that there are a lot of smaller double runs combined with really big intensive sessions.
Conclusion
There’s no right way to do this and we all lead widely different lives with different priorities, but I encourage you to think about what works best for you or what could work better for you in terms of programming so that you can achieve the most with your time and energy.
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