PM jog. Two with tot. Dub.

Those are just a few of the titles entered into my training log for the second run of a day. Doubles, you might be thinking, are limited to pros and serious runners who are logging upwards of 160 kilometres per week. Or that it’s just a way to build more mileage. Well, sure, but there are good reasons to incorporate them into your own training — which is why I like doing them even if I’m running as few as 50 kilometres per week.

When you fire up the engine twice a day, all sorts of cool, important stuff happens under the hood. One is you increase mitochondria, which are found in your cells and turn fuel into energy for your hardworking muscles. You also give a second kick-start to your resting metabolic rate. And, counterintuitively, doubling after a hard interval session can actually speed your recovery by increasing blood flow and flushing out waste built up during your workout.

Many of my doubles happen out of necessity. When my kid was small, I’d push her a few kilometres in a jogging pram to her sitter’s house before work. I’d make the return trip to pick her up at the end of the day. Currently, a double may be just 3 kilometres with her after school, as she tries to decide whether she likes the sport well enough to go out for the school team. Or I’ll jog for 20 minutes while she takes a piano lesson, rather than sitting in my car doom-scrolling on Instagram.

Easy. Effortless. Impactful.

If you’re curious about trying doubles, here are a few tips to get you started and what I’ve learned by running twice a day:

→ Start by adding just one or two doubles per week. You can increase frequency or distance as you adapt to doing them.

→ To try it out, break up your training run into two. It’s far easier to jog two x 6 kilometres than it is to go out for 12 kilometres, especially under a blistering sun.

→ Keep the pace easy and the distance short. Remember, you’re just firing up the engine for an easy jog.

→ You might feel fatigued when you start — especially if you add morning runs and are not typically a morning runner. It’ll pass.

→ Never split up your long run, if you’re following a training plan that includes one, so you’ll be sure to get the full benefit of the long run.

→ Dirty laundry is going to pile up. Hang up your clothes to air out after your easy double. TMI: I’ll often wear an outfit again later in the week on another double when running solo.

→ Have a couple pairs of shoes. Your favorite kicks might not dry out by the time your second run rolls back around.

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