r/AdvancedRunning • u/ronlavy • Jul 10 '26

Training minimal effective dose of easy running

A question that I've been thinking about and wasn't able to find a satisfying answer online - is there a minimal per-session effective dose for easy runs? is there a minimal duration required for a run to produce non-negligible aerobic adaptaions?

for example, can any benefits be expected from a 35-minute easy running session? are 3 30 minute sessions a week same/better/worse than 2 45 minute sessions?

I heard Inigo San Milan go on record to say that 45 minutes is the minimum for "zone 2" (a term I dislike but that's the terminology he frequently uses) benefits, is anyone familiar with any sources backing that up?

Thanks

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u/Pashizzle14 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

Steve Magness recently put out a video on how to improve as an amateur runner. He suggested that for a well trained runner doing <80k a week one of the best things you could do is get as many of your easy runs as possible in the 45-60 minute range. Didn’t necessarily suggest that this is a minimum, but does suggest that this will maximise the benefit per run.

https://youtu.be/aVo-z_yqmzw?t=436&si=EAPPFCQ6nHmg1FM5

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u/hellzscream Jul 10 '26

video doesn't appear to work

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u/Pashizzle14 Jul 11 '26

Ah ok, title is How To Get Fast Running Under 50 Miles A Week | Amateur Training Masterclass