Runners’ weekly mileage varies substantially from runner to runner. Some runners will run 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and more Miles. I will now look at running 60 miles a week, including who runs it, the benefits of it, the negatives of it, and when it is too much.
Who Is Running 60 Miles A Week?
Different runners will end up running 60 miles a week. 60 miles is the equivalent of 96km. Depending on the runners’ experience and their marathon plan, they may run 60 miles a week.
The following people will run 60 miles a week:
- experienced runners who run 60 miles a week regularly
- elite runners who will run more than 60 miles a week, probably well over 100 miles.
- recreational runners who are following specific marathon plans will run 60 miles for a few weeks
- ultra-marathoners
- Runners aim for a sub-3-hour marathon – they must run significant weekly mileage to improve their speed and endurance.
Benefits Of Running 60 Miles A Week
Running has many benefits based on how much a runner runs. These are the benefits of running 60 miles a week:
- It helps make us faster
- Increasing our aerobic capacity and endurance – helps us to run longer at our ideal pace when running the marathon, as it helps our muscles get more oxygen allowing us to run faster
- improved running economy – running 60 miles a week improves our running economy as when running this mileage consistently over some time helps us feel that keeping our marathon pace on race day is more manageable than if we are running periodic mileage in training
- helps running form – the more time we have spent running, the more our body adapts to running. When we run high mileage during marathon training, we will develop a more efficient stride, which helps us to run strong even during the late stages of the marathon.
- It makes us stronger mentally – having logged all these miles helps us feel strong on race day and hopefully conditions the brain to withstand fatigue in the later miles of the marathon.
- Improving our cardiovascular health – running helps improve our cardiovascular health, which helps us live longer. Runners are believed to live 3 years longer than does that don’t run.
- Aids weight loss – running helps us lose weight. Losing weight involves burning more calories than we consume. For example, when we run 60 miles a week, we burn a lot of calories, but we also need to consume a lot of calories when running this type of mileage. Therefore, every runner likes to know how many calories they burn when running.
Negatives Of Running 60 Miles A Week
Even though there are many benefits to running 60 miles a week, there are also a few negatives to consider. These are
- more at risk of injury. The more mileage a runner does, the higher the risk of injury. This occurs more often if a runner does not build up their mileage correctly. There are numerous injuries that runners suffer from, especially in their legs, such as shin splints, Achilles tendonitis, hip injuries, plantar fasciitis, and runners’ knee.
- Muscle imbalance – too much running can cause muscle imbalance, where the muscles in our lower body are strong, but our upper body is weak.
- Interfere with general life – if we are too absorbed with running 60 miles a week, it can stop us from doing other things, whether that is another exercise or spending time with family.
- Can lose the love of running – sometimes, if we do too much of anything, we can lose the passion for it; the same applies to running. We wake up in the morning and dread going for whatever mileage we must do as part of our 60 miles a week.
Is Running 60 miles A Week Too Much?
It depends on the runner whether 60 miles a week is too much. These are the circumstances when running 60 miles a week is too much:
- Prone to injury – if we are prone to injury, it may be too much as we are more likely to aggravate any previous injuries as it will be hard to find the time to let our body recover between runs.
- Listen to our body – there are times when we are meant to be doing a run, and our body may be telling us that it needs rest as our legs feel heavy and we are tired.
- Interferes with everyday life – if running takes over our lives and we cannot perform daily tasks, trying to get to our 60 miles, this is telling you that running 60 miles a week is too much.
- If you dread going for a run – you probably need to cut back the mileage.
- When focusing on running 60 miles a week, you are not doing a speed session and a tempo session, you are probably running too many miles. If you do all your mileage at the same speed, you are not getting the benefits of running this amount.
Best Way To Run 60 Miles A Week
There are various ways to run 60 miles per week. Some runners will run in the morning and evening; others will run once daily. Some will run 7 days weekly; others will only run 5 days. It is up to each runner to find the ideal plan for themselves, as what suits one runner will not suit the next.
Here are a couple of examples of 60 miles a week mileage
Running once a day and running 6 Days a week
Monday 8 miles easy
Tuesday 10 miles Speed including warmup and cooldown
Wednesday 8 miles easy
Thursday 12 miles Tempo including warmup and cooldown
Friday 6 miles easy
Saturday 16 miles long run
Sunday off or strength training
Running 2 times a day and only running 5 days per week
Monday
Am 5 miles easy
Pm 5 miles easy
Tuesday
Am 4 miles easy
Pm 8 miles speed including warmup and cooldown
Wednesday
Am & Pm off or cross training
Thursday
Am 4 miles easy
Pm 8 miles tempo including warmup and cooldown
Friday
Am 5 miles easy
Pm 5 miles easy
Saturday
Am 16 miles long tun
Pm relax
Sunday
Am & Pm off or cross training
Running 60 Miles A Week FAQ
Many runners have many questions regarding running 60 miles a week. I will answer a few of the more common ones, and if you have any other questions, please post in the comments below.
Are 60 Miles A Week Enough For Marathon Training?
Yes, I believe 60 miles are more than enough for marathon training. Many runners will run a marathon on a lot less mileage a week. It depends on whether each runner thinks 60 miles per week is enough. The time the runner is aiming for in the marathon will determine how much mileage providing that they don’t have any injury problems. A runner seeking a Boston qualifying time may think that 60 miles are not enough as they have to run a fast marathon, whereas a runner aiming for a 4-hour marathon will probably run around 40 miles a week. If a marathon runner is only interested in finishing the marathon at whatever time, they will run nowhere near 60 miles in training.
Is 60 Miles A Week Good?
Yes, 60 miles a week is excellent. Some runners just like running, so running 60 miles a week for them is no bother, while for others, the thought of running 60 miles a week makes them go weak at the knees. It is excellent running 60 miles a week once you feel good after it and you are not struggling to get to 60 miles a week as this is when you will start to get injured if your body is telling you to STOP.
Is Running 60 Miles A Week A lot?
Running 60 miles weekly is a lot, but if your body is okay after doing it and you do not have any effects, it is perfectly fine to keep doing it. Each runner’s body is different, and what is okay for one runner is not okay for another. Some runners’ bodies need more recovery time between runs, while other runners can run every day or twice a day and have no issues.
Can I Run 60 Miles In a Day?
Running 60 miles daily is possible, but it is not recommended. Some ultra marathons will run 60 miles or longer, so they must run this distance daily. Only highly trained athletes should attempt to run 60 miles in a day as; otherwise, they may do damage to their bodies.
Final Thoughts
We have now looked at running 60 miles a week. Who can run this type of mileage? What are the benefits and the negatives of running 60 miles are. I have also discussed when 60 miles is too much to run every week.
Lots of runners have various questions when it comes to running 60 miles. I have taken a few of the most popular questions and answered them.
The post Running 60 Miles A Week first appeared on Great Running Advice.
