Two a Day Workouts for Runners – Monthly Workout Round Up

Hi friends! Welcome to the second of the Monthly Workouts for Runners series! Every month, Angela, Allie, Laura, Nellie, Sarah and I bring you a workout based on a theme. Last month’s round up was indoor workouts (you can check out that round up here) and this month we’re bringing you Two a Day workouts!

I know what many of you are thinking – I barely have time for one workout a day, how on earth would I be able to fit in two workouts? And why would I want to? Well, what I’ve put together for you is not only perfect if you’re pressed for time (really!), it’s also designed to make you a stronger, faster runner. 

There are three things you need to consider when you’re planning on working out twice in one day: Intensity; recovery; and your workout priority.

Intensity

When you’re doing two a day workouts, the intensity level needs to be adjusted. If one of your workouts is difficult, you need to dial back the intensity on your second workout. Think of it as a tough workout with a recovery workout – I always tell my clients one of the best thing they can do if they’re sore after a workout is to get moving and these workouts are geared towards that hard work/recovery theme.

Recovery

Recovery is super important already for a runner, but when you’re incorporating two a day workouts, rest and recovery become even more vital. Ensure you’re eating well, hydrating properly, getting as much sleep as you can and you’re using tools like ice baths, massage, foam rolling, stretching etc to keep your muscles happy.

Workout Priority

If you’re a runner, you may just think, well my priority is always to run above anything else. But you should get more specific with your goals for your running. If you’re not training for anything specifically right now (you’re in between goal races, or you’re just ramping up your mileage before a racing season), then your priority might be on building strength so when you do get into training mode, you’re set up to be a stronger runner. (Check out this post for how and why strength training can make you a stronger runner.) If you are in training for a specific race, what’s your focus? Where have you fallen short in the past? Do you need to work on speed? Endurance? Do you struggle with consistent pacing or having enough left in the tank for a strong finishing kick?

Base not just your running workouts on your priority, but also your strength training workouts. For example, to complement running speed, you might want to work on explosive power training; or for endurance you can work on sets of higher repetitions at a lighter weight.

Here are two workouts for you to try – one is a two a day running workout and the other is a double workout combining strength training and running. Don’t forget to scroll down as well and check out the workouts from the other 5 running bloggers and coaches in the round up!

(Remember, not every workout I post will be appropriate for everyone! Always refer to the advice of your own physician and/or personal trainer and listen to your own body).

STRENGTH AND RUNNING TWO A DAY WORKOUTS

The strength workout could be completed in 30 minutes if you don’t mess around! That’s quick enough that you can sneak it in at lunchtime, or either before or after work (depending on when you want to run). Since the strength workout is definitely the higher intensity of the two workouts, you may want to do it before the run, so the slow, easy running works as a recovery for your muscles. There’s nothing better than fresh blood flow to clear your muscles of lactic acid and positive hydrogen ions (which is what makes you feel so sore after working out with weights).

If however, you’re in the middle of a heavy training cycle for a goal race, it’s okay to dial back on the strength training. Keep a few key moves to prioritize for two short sessions a week to prevent injury (try this 15 minute strength workout for runners, for example) and use your double workout day for two running workouts.

DOUBLE RUNNING TWO A DAY WORKOUTS

Again, you see the intensity is different for each of the two workouts. When you’re doing a double running workout, you should always prioritize the more intense of the two. Get it done first so that a) if life gets in the way and you can’t swing your second workout, you have the quality miles done, and b) you are using the low intensity run as a recovery tool.

Pick your high intensity workout and kill it, then think about your recovery run as just a fun break from thinking too hard about paces or times. Enjoy your environment, take as many walking breaks as you want, don’t even wear your watch if you can bear not having GPS. 😉 Again, the second workout here is just to get the blood flowing again to speed up the recovery process.

Don’t stop there! There are lots more fantastic workouts from the runners and coaches in our round-up team. Check out the other amazing two a day workouts from my friends:

First up, check out Allie from Vita Train for Life’s double workout – her strength session is perfect for a runner – building endurance with strong abs!

Next, try Angela from Happy Fit Mama’s running and strength split (your butt is going to feel this one!):

Laura from This Runner’s Recipes has come up with an awesome sounding running workout (can I fit this into my marathon training?) with a simple but effective strength workout for the evening:

Go check out Nellie from Brooklyn Active Mama’s two a day strength training sessions for runners – I love that the workouts are focused on what you need for running, strong abdominals and strong, flexible hips:

And Sarah from Run Far Girl has come up with a great double running workout – a perfect mix of low intensity and high intensity:

Have you ever tried two workouts in one day?

Are you more likely to do two running, two strength, or one of each if you’re doing a double workout?