Doubles or singles- Which is better

Top_Hat_Enthusiast wrote:

I'm running between 7:00 and 7:30 pace and usually my last four miles are faster than the first for. He seems to just trot along at 8 minute pace with a fast mile every now and then. I do have a tempo run, long run, and a fartlek workout every week also

Then you will beat him.

the best runners in the world run doubles

so should you

fan of US distance running wrote:

the best runners in the world run doubles

so should you

not all of them, like Lagat and Willis for instance

RE: Doubles or singles- Which is better

I prefer doubles...I'm assuming you're talking about tennis, correct?😛

This

agc5k wrote:

fan of US distance running wrote:

the best runners in the world run doubles

so should you

not all of them, like Lagat and Willis for instance

Willis does doubles but takes Sunday off

Bernard Lagat is in the 1% of runners who actually does singles, correct

OP is not Bernard Lagat

everyone says there is less risk of injury with doubles, but I find the opposite to be true (considering the same amount of mileage in each scenario).

I like to do a double every once in a while, but I seem to respond better to consistent long runs. not everyone benefits more from doubles than singles.

also (same poster as above), I train mostly for the marathon these days and I find it to be more important at that distance (again, considering the same amount of mileage in either scenario)

Robinho wrote:

agc5k wrote:

not all of them, like Lagat and Willis for instance

Willis does doubles but takes Sunday off

Bernard Lagat is in the 1% of runners who actually does singles, correct

OP is not Bernard Lagat

Didn't Willis recently say he got up to running 2 hours a day back to back days for 5k training? And more volume led to good mile, 3k and 5k performances for him.

To me it seems that for milers the volume and intensity can have more flexibility, but to succeed at longer stuff you can't just ignore the miles. His comments on balance are totally true though.

I will try to find the quote I'm referring too.

Link talking about build up in volume.

It's pretty simple. Doubles stress your body twice in one day, singles stress it once in one day. A person doing doubles and neglecting important things like long run and tempo wont get far, but if they keep those in their routine, they will beat a person running singles of the same mileage and workouts 9 times out of 10 because they are stressing their body more to improve.

That said, singles have their place. They are important for "recovery" days that you are still running, as well as long run days when you need a high mileage run to work your aerobic base.

But in my opinion, 5+5 beats 10, and 7+3 beats 5+5, as long as the paces and workouts are equal.

What a bizarre thread. Why is nobody willing to meet in the middle? People insisting doubling is always better: You do realize that most elite runners don't double every day, correct? They usually have a few days a week of singles.

Singles proponents: you do realize most elites run doubles, correct? They usually have a few days a week of doubles.

To the OP: running 5+5 every day seems a bit silly. I think your friend would be better off running with you some days on your 8 mile run and adding on his 5, and some other days just running a single 8 mile run as a recovery.

Also your weekly long run day should probably be a single day. You guys are running high 50s to 70 miles a week it sounds like, so your long run should be 14 to 16 miles.

Also there should be some tempoing/fartleking/intervals during the summer, especially the later summer as you transition into the season in the fall.

This thread is so overly simplistic, it is quite weird.

runnerdnerd wrote:

What a bizarre thread. Why is nobody willing to meet in the middle? People insisting doubling is always better: You do realize that most elite runners don't double every day, correct?

Incorrect

correct. most elites have at least two or three non doubles days

Leo Manzano doubles 3 days a week and does 70-80 mpw and takes a day off every 3rd week.... I messaged him on facebook about it. I asked about workouts and he said something along the lines of "pretty much what you would expect, nothing crazy. there are no secrets, just consistent hard work"

doubles are very helpful in getting in more mileage and a good part of training. However in regards to what was being asked 5+5 or an 8 mile run I am pretty sure it's the 8 mile run. 5+5 isn't really a good double like a couple people have said 7+3 would be more effective but realistically if your gonna run mileage you should be running 7+ miles for normal runs. Since his friend is only running 5 and can double the same distance, he isn't running enough to fatigue his body and should run longer singles, and have only a few doubles a week. Lastly the doubles should be a normal run + whatever he wants to run in the double he shouldn't be doing basically 2 add on runs

HonestThief wrote:

correct. most elites have at least two or three non doubles days

Wrong

mostly single wrote:

not everyone benefits more from doubles than singles.

this. i did doubles and would advise everyone to do so, if possible. but i stopped doing it and went back to singles. it was too much and i was not able to recover or to run with good quality, especially considering that i go to work by bicycle every day. this plus singles is enough.