Is it ok for runners to do two runs in one day? For most runners, doubles are a foreign concept, assumed to be the province only of those cranking out 100-mile weeks. Most of us don’t run twice a day – we don’t have time or there’s too much injury risk. But if you want to push your running to the next level, it may be time to reconsider.
Yes, if you want to push yourself to the next level, running twice is a good idea as long as your body is getting enough rest and recovery mixed with your exercise. Rest and recovery days are as essential to our training as the exercise itself. During the rest phase, they adapt to the physical stresses we have placed upon them. Without rest and recovery, we risk over-training syndrome, injury, and burnout.
Doubling up on your runs puts your body in a glycogen-depleted state. As your body adapts to this new state it burns more fat and functions more economically by making use of your glycogen stores more efficiently, delaying fatigue and speeding up your recovery so you get fitter faster.
Running twice a day means you’re burning more calories and stimulating your metabolism more often. Make sure you fuel your runs properly and eat enough to recover, replenishing the essential nutrients you need.
Scientifically speaking, studies have shown that glycogen content, fat oxidation, and enzyme activity increase when running twice per day. In moderation, this means you'll get fitter faster.
