Any benefit to long runs BOTH Saturday and Sunday?

I used to do this. It got me in great shape fast. I think I liked it more than the sunday-wednesday combo.

<15 wrote:

I used to do this. It got me in great shape fast. I think I liked it more than the sunday-wednesday combo.

Did you run a marathon off the training? How did it go?

I think this is fairly common when training for ultras. My wife was training for a 50-miler a few years ago and would do a regular long run on Saturday then a shorter long run on Sunday. The Sunday run would usually be a little less than half the length of the Saturday run.

I ran a good marathon off lowish mileage (<70 mpw) using this approach. Would usually go ~14 Saturday, 18-20 on Sunday, then take Monday off. I'm not sure exactly how it helped, maybe just getting used to running on tired legs.

I think there could be some benefits if you do it the right way. I remember a Hanson's marathon plan from a while back that featured two long-ish days back to back. I don't think it would be beneficial to go back-to-back on your longest run, though - like 20 Sat, 20 Sun. If your long run is 20-21, then I might try two 15-16s on consecutive days.

My metric would be how long does it take to recover? If you go 20/20 on the weekend, do you have to take 2-3 days off because you're too sore or tired to run on Mon & Tues?

Regarding comparison to ultra training, keep in mind that ultras are a lot different than a marathon in terms of the demands that are placed on your legs, nutrition, hydration, etc.

If you'll be running an ultramarathon, yes certainly.

Back in the late 70's and early 80's, Seko would do a 60 mile weekend. Four 15 mile runs morning and afternoon for both days.

I tried it back then. It was tough, especially in the afternoon. It builds a lot of strength.

It’s not the optimal way to train for a marathon, but if the weekend is the time when you have the time to get in your two biggest mileage days, it’s better to do it then than not at all.

To compensate, it means that at least one of the weekend long runs should be at a true recovery effort (as opposed to having some quality in both of them, like some marathon plans call for when they’re done 2-3 days apart), and during the week you’ll probably only want to do one quality day (with maybe another mini-day).

A program with this could look like:

M-Off or 30-50 minutes easy

Tu- AM- 30-40 minutes easy

PM- 50-60 minutes easy

W- AM- Optional 30-40 minutes easy

PM- 6-12 x 1k @ 8k-15k pace w/ 90s recovery

Th-AM- 30-40 minutes easy

PM- 50-60 minutes, pick up the second half @ HMP to 15k pace you feel good

F- 30-50 minutes easy

Saturday- 120 minutes w/ 20-30 minutes beginning @ MGP cutting down to 15k pace

Sunday- AM- 80-90 minutes easy

PM- Optional 30-40 minutes easy

Definitely common for ultras but you often see both runs done at the same pace because you're training for time.

I think it's important to get marathon specific with the weekend long run. I think you sacrifice your long run workout if you go medium long on Saturday and then long on Sunday. I think a good marathon weekend is about 30ish miles. 8-11 on Saturday, 18-22 on Sunday.

Any benefit: Yes.

Last benefit than if you recovered instead: Yes.

I could see this strategy boosting long-range endurance somewhat quickly in a short-term sense, but I doubt it is a sustainable way to train.

I don't know - but I REALLY want the answer to be no.

I used to do this. Worked really well for me while working full time.

Try to get 40 miles in during the work week, and 35-40 on the weekends.

Saturday would be at least 15 with a tempo/fartlek/progression run/race.

Sunday would be a 20 mile long run as I felt. Wasn't uncommon to feel really good after warming up and turn it into a progression run.

Monday would be at most an easy 30 min jog.

This is how a lot of ultra-runners train. Not usually as far as 20 on Saturday and 15 Sunday. What is more typical is 15 Saturday and 10 Sunday. I do it every weekend but what is more common is every 3rd or 4th week in rotation. The general idea is to force you to get up when you are sore and tired and get out there

Bullet the Blue Sky wrote:

My metric would be how long does it take to recover? If you go 20/20 on the weekend, do you have to take 2-3 days off because you're too sore or tired to run on Mon & Tues?

That is sort of the question with all training schemes. Obviously doing 2 tough days back to back causes a lot of stress. The question is can you recover, how long it takes, and if something else would give you better results.

I don't think this is something that I would do every week. But I can see doing this a couple times in a cycle to pack a lot of time on the feet in a short period of time and to get used to running on depleted legs.

No! Better to do your specific long run on Saturday and then take a day off for 100 % recovery Sunday. Or the specific long run on Sunday and day off on Monday ( or a normal easy run of 30-60 min )

SUPERIOR COACH JS wrote:

No! Better to do your specific long run on Saturday and then take a day off for 100 % recovery Sunday. Or the specific long run on Sunday and day off on Monday ( or a normal easy run of 30-60 min )

What many runners and coaches tend to forget is that the recovery is at least important as the effort. It`s the "Bible" of training ; enough effort + enough recovery = supercompensation.

So many tends to do this with running too complicated . It isn`t ,if you know how to do it the smart way.

I did this in the fall and ran a pretty dang fast half, but got hurt before I could test it out in the full because of some uneven terrain that made me pull my achilles. I think it did wonders for my fitness. I would do it every third week though. More than that and I don't think it's sustainable. It's great for teaching the body to use fats better because you can't fully replenish glycogen if you run 20-24 one day and 16-20 the next.

Yes, I do that sometimes. Do it some weekends, but not every week.

Ho Hum wrote:

I ran a good marathon off lowish mileage (<70 mpw) using this approach. Would usually go ~14 Saturday, 18-20 on Sunday, then take Monday off. I'm not sure exactly how it helped, maybe just getting used to running on tired legs.

I think it would be much harder to do this backwards. Running the 18-20 on Saturday and coming back for the 14 on Sunday. Either way though, I can see why you took the Monday off. You're covering nearly half of your weekly mileage in 2 days. When you did this, what did you do on Tuesday? How did it usually feel?