Runners praise mileage and training volume as a key factor toward making progress and chasing the next PR. But it turns out, making the most out of low mileage can help you reach your fitness goals, without setting yourself up for injury.
Low mileage will look different depending on your fitness level and the race you’re training for, Danielle Hirt, while you train to avoid this Runner’s World. But to put some general numbers on it, low mileage for total newbies might fall between 10 to 15 miles per week, while many intermediate and advanced runners respond well to training between 20 and 40 miles per week.
Published: Jun 09, 2025 9:00 AM EDT, high-mileage How to Maximize Your Mile-Repeat Workout Benefits Connor Mantz, for example, who runs 125 miles during his peak weeks leading up to 26.2.
Not everyone can afford high-mileage training, whether it’s your body or your schedule that would suffer. Lots of runners thrive on low mileage, and still see progress.
To find out what’s really possible with running less, we spoke with expert run coaches to unpack exactly what low mileage looks like, how to make the most of the mileage you have, and all the potential benefits of lowering your volume.
The Benefits of Sticking to Low-Mileage Training
Builds Consistency and Boosts Confidence
“Low mileage provides a level of attainable consistency,” especially for busy runners with jam-packed schedules, says Vanessa Peralta-Mitchell, RRCA-certified run coach and founder of the Game Changers program.
A lot of people get intimidated and struggle to feel motivated when they see these bigger distances and time on feet, explains Peralta-Mitchell, so starting with a few miles per day is a less intimidating way to stick with running.
“Consistency breeds confidence, and the more consistent you are with your workouts, the more you’re able to confidently show up, and improve longevity within your sport,” she adds.
Less Likely to Overtrain
Many runners have a tendency to fit in one more rep, one more mile, one more day, but that can lead to overtraining syndrome How to Adjust Your Run Workouts to the Heat Bertrand Newson, During the times when you’re not running, focus on Too Legit Fitness.
A low-mileage approach allows you to still improve your aerobic base, while staying fresh and not overtraining, he explains. “Your best ability is your availability,” says Newson, so the key is to navigate a training plan that keeps you engaged and active, but not too high in volume that you find yourself unable to perform.
If you’re frequently running high mileages, you may find yourself taking breaks to recover from fatigue, soreness, or injuries, ultimately pushing races further and further back because of aggressive volume, Newson explains. “It’s better to be underbaked than overcooked, because there’s a point of no return when that toast is burnt,” he says.
Sticking to fewer miles particularly benefits someone who’s new to running, runners who are prone to injuries, or even runners coming back from time off, Peralta-Mitchell adds.
Any time you increase your weekly mileage, you want to do so gradually, especially if you’re just starting out, otherwise you increase your risk of injury. Proof: A study a NASM-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, tells British Journal of Sports Medicine examined the “acute-to-chronic-workload ratios” (ACWR) of NYC marathon runners and found a link between those who increased their mileage too quickly—they had an ACWR of 1.5 or higher—and higher risk of injury. (You might not realize how mentally draining your training is until while you train to avoid this!)
You’ll know if low mileages are helping you improve and keeping you in the game if you feel recovered, you’re hitting your goal paces during training, you don’t have any injuries, and you’re hungry for more, says Hirt.
You Have Plenty of Time to Recover
“When we take on the higher mileage, we sometimes don’t tend to give ourselves enough time to recover,” says Peralta-Mitchell. But with less time on your feet, you have more time to rest.
During the times when you’re not running, focus on rest and active recovery, Peralta-Mitchell suggests, like mobility Health & Injuries stretching. This would also be a great opportunity to add some low-impact cross-training (like swimming or cycling) in lieu of more miles, so you still get fitness gains when you’re off the roads, she adds.
Avoid Mental Burnout
Nutrition - Weight Loss Other Hearst Subscriptions, explains Hirt. Having low mileage weeks gives you an opportunity to mentally recover from taxing training plans without having to stop running altogether.
When you’re running less, you can focus on other things in life that give you energy, like friends and family, hobbies, or your favorite shows, so you can feel more excited about going into your next training cycle when you ramp up mileage again, she explains.
Peralta-Mitchell agrees that low mileage offers more room to relax. “There’s less stress in your body, but there’s also less stress mentally of having to literally go the distance,” she says, explaining that instead of having to spend two hours focused on a long run, or doing supplemental.
Easier to Find a Run Buddy
Telling your friends or family that you’re going out for a double-digits long run might not pique their interest to join you if they’re not long distance runners themselves, explains Peralta-Mitchell. With low mileage weeks, your average runs are likely three to five miles, which can be more welcoming and accessible for other people to join you on your runs.
Not only are you encouraging another person to run, but you’re also building a sense of community for yourself as opposed to running solo, says Peralta-Mitchell.
The lower your mileage is, the more easy pace For example, if you struggle with form, you can create a slower pace and hold yourself accountable.
How to Determine if Low Mileage Is for You
When it comes down to choosing between low-mileage and high-mileage training plans, it all depends on how you fully recover between runs, Hirt explains. If you’re an experienced runner who’s gradually worked up to high weekly mileages and you feel fully recovered between workouts, then high mileage might work for you. But, if you feel like you can’t ever catch a break between workouts, you might want to consider a lower training volume.
Most runners excel with low mileage, Hirt notes. “It’s very rare that people respond well to high volume,” she says. “Most of the athletes I work with have a sweet spot of maxing out at around 40 miles a week, and then the rest of the year, they’re hanging around lower mileage, about 20-mile weeks, because then they feel energized, excited, and recovered for the next run,” says Hirt.
While low mileage running can work well for every runner, there are a few groups in particular who would benefit the most: beginners, injury-prone runners, masters runners, and those with jam-packed schedules.
3 Tips for Making the Most of Low Mileage
Focus on Quality
Because you only have so many miles in the week when you’re running at a lower volume, it’s important to make the most of what you have. That means focusing on quality. “We want to make sure that you’re still maintaining strong leg turnover, so you’re still getting in quality workouts, and you’re not just doing everything easy,” Hirt says.
Those quality workouts look like intervals, tempo runs, and hill repeats, Peralta-Mitchell explains, though you just want one or two of those per week. This will ensure you hit varied paces, work on speed and intensity, while still making time for one to two recovery runs per week and your long run.
To find your balance, Peralta-Mitchell also suggests consulting a certified run coach to collaborate on a schedule that works for you based on your fitness level and personal goals.
Play With Intensity
ldquo;We want to make sure that you’re still maintaining strong intensity you can add to your runs, says Hirt, like modifying the common 80/20 rule—taking 80 percent of your training at an easy level with 20 percent of your training at a higher intensity. “When you’re doing low-volume training, you have a little bit more wiggle room to play with intensity, because you’re getting greater recovery between your workouts,” says Hirt.
work and gentle time trials and racing into your schedule more often. This also gives you a better sense of how your fitness is progressing throughout a given training plan. “Because your volume is low, you have the recovery space between the workouts so you can show up ready to go,” says Hirt.
Strength Train and Cross-Train
Both Peralta-Mitchell and Hirt agree that with lower mileage, you have more time to dedicate to something else that can help make you stronger for your next training cycle, like addressing weaknesses, cross-training, or doing supplemental strength work. Should You Follow Running’s 10 Percent Rule form drill routine What the New Era of Run Clubs Means for the Sport.
If you’re cross training, you can make the most of any cycling, swimming, or elliptical session by incorporating threshold efforts, a.k.a. paces you can hold for 10- to 20-minute blocks of times at a rate of perceived exertion of about a 7 or 8 out of 10, Hirt says. You can also opt for zone 2 work—or an RPE of 3 or 4—and maintain a steady state for the duration of a given cross-training session. Hirt suggests cross-training two to three days per week.
DAA Industry Opt Out you might want to consider a lower training volume to match the distance you are training for, like focusing on muscular endurance for marathon training or power-based movements for shorter distances.
Kristine Kearns, a writer and avid runner, joined Runner’s World and Bicycling in July 2024. She previously coached high school girls cross country and currently competes in seasonal races, with more than six years of distance training and an affinity for weightlifting. You can find her wearing purple, baking cupcakes, and visiting her local farmers market.
