Is running 2 miles a day good? Shouldn’t you run a lot more to enjoy all the benefits of running?
Running 2 miles a day has many health benefits and can be very motivating. And since it’s easier to sustain than other running plans, it’s a good way to get you moving every day. More than a health booster, running 2 miles a day can transform your life.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of running two miles a day and how to get started.
In This Article:
Benefits of Running 2 Miles a Day
Running 2 miles a day is a great way to get started with endurance running without exhausting yourself.
Daily running can do a lot to your life, from burning calories and strengthening your heart to increasing your lifespan. Here’s what science has to say about it.
Running for weight loss
Calories burned running 2 miles a day count toward your weight loss goals. Together with the right food choices, good sleep, and effective stress management, running daily can help you shed 2 or more pounds a month.
How many calories do you burn running a mile? It depends on your weight, how fast you run, your gender, and other factors. According to Harvard Health Publishing data, running 2 miles a day at a 12-minute mile pace (about 5mph), you will burn 160 calories. Not bad, right?
Running 2 miles a day to lose weight may work better for you than running longer distances less frequently. It makes running a daily habit, and by doing so, encourages you to stick with it. At the same time, it puts less stress on your body and can feel more pleasant.
Important: A healthy runner’s diet is free from unnecessary calories. Count your calories and don’t open that energy bar or drink that energy drink unless you really need it – a 2-mile run isn’t a half-marathon! Otherwise, there’s a risk you’ll put on weight running.
Better heart health
Every day, your heart pumps blood through a 60,000-mile-long network of blood vessels. That’s a lot of work.
But running every day works your heart even more, and that helps make it stronger. Like any other muscle in your body, exercise grows and strengthens your heart.
The stronger your heart is, the better it can move oxygenated blood through your tissues and send deoxygenated blood back to the lungs for them to breathe the carbon dioxide out.
Running 2 miles a day makes your heart stronger and improves blood flow to the heart. Over time, this can lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is made worse by diet, stress, and a sedentary lifestyle, and it creates many health risks.
Did you know: Running often will also increase your maximum oxygen uptake, which can boost your exercise endurance.
The structural and functional changes that the heart undergoes after repeated training are known as the athlete’s heart. The athlete’s heart is asymptomatic and not a medical condition.
Better mood
Running 2 miles a day can help take your mind off worries. At the same time, it can release brain chemicals that make you feel good. And as you keep putting in your 2 miles every day, you’ll gain confidence from achieving your goals.
Add to all of these the opportunities for social interaction that come with running, and running daily is an effective way to lower stress and improve your mood.
Better sleep
A study on 51 adolescents found that running for 30 minutes in the morning during weekdays for 3 weeks improved sleep quality, concentration, and mood.
Running 2 miles every day at a moderate pace could help you get similar results. If you run at a faster pace, you can combine running with a light warm-up and cool-down jog or brisk walk.
Running can be especially effective if you have difficulties falling asleep, according to a more recent study.
Stronger leg muscles and improved knee health
Running works mostly the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. But more than strengthening your muscles and better defining them, it can be good for your bones, too.
While overtraining can give rise to injuries, including runner’s knee, running 2 miles a day reduces the risk for injuries. Because it requires repeated knee flexion and extension, it may improve muscle strength. As a result, it may reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and knee pain.
Prolonged life
If the benefits we’ve mentioned so far haven’t convinced you yet, we left the best one last. A 2017 study titled “Running as a Key Lifestyle Medicine for Longevity” notes that runners have a 25–40% lower risk of dying prematurely. The study also highlights that runners live approximately 3 years longer than those who don’t run.
How to Start Running 2 Miles a Day
How long does it take to run 2 miles? It depends on your fitness level, pace, and whether you combine walking with running.
If you use the run/walk strategy, it will take you up to 30 minutes. If you can run the distance without stopping, you can do it anywhere between 16 and 25 minutes without exerting yourself too much.
Now let’s look at how to run 2 miles the right way.
Use a run/walk strategy as needed
Are you running for the first time? Or putting your running shoes on after a long time of not running? Combine running with walking to ease your way into a routine of daily running.
You’ll reap the health benefits without exerting yourself or running the risk of injury. Also, you won’t find the run too demanding, which may happen if you carry some extra pounds.
Tip: One simple rule is to walk for twice as long as you jog and to keep combining both until you’ve covered 2 miles. For example, run for 2–3 minutes and then walk for 4–6 minutes.
Gradually build pace
Two-mile runs should feel comfortable. That’s not to say you can’t integrate into them hill running or intervals now and then, once you can run 2 miles comfortably. But to be able to keep up running as a daily habit, you have to dose your effort.
Don’t feel any pressure to run every day either. Putting in at least three 2-mile runs per week, to begin with, can help your body become accustomed to the effort. It can also make running feel more pleasant.
If you’re wondering how long to run 2 miles, you can start at a pace of 12 minutes per mile or slower. This will mean you’ll need 24 minutes for a continuous run, plus some extra minutes for warm-ups and cool-downs. Pushing for a faster pace may not be a good idea if your body is not used to running.
You can then increase that to 4, 5, and 6 runs per week. Should you run every single day, weekends included? Having at least a day of rest can feel better and give your body time to recover.
Strength and cross-training
Running every day is great, but don’t forget that you can enjoy the health benefits of exercise through other workouts as well. Bodyweight exercises, cross-training, and strength training can make you stronger all around.
Depending on the specific workout you follow, they may also make you a better runner by balancing your muscle groups, improving cardiovascular fitness, and varying your training to ward off boredom.
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Tip: If you have set your sights on a half-marathon or marathon, mix running with other types of training for better results.
Listen to your body
Running 2 miles every day is going to make you fitter, healthier, and stronger. But the results won’t come overnight. You’ll start to feel better from the first run, but it’s important to listen to your body.
Your body will tell you if you’re pushing yourself too hard or running too much too soon. Pay attention to the signals your body is sending you. And remember that 2-mile runs should feel fun.
How to Make Running a Habit
Making running a habit isn’t just about putting in the effort. To keep going, you need to acknowledge your results and keep yourself motivated.
Set goals
Write down your running goals. Mark them on a calendar. Add them to your task list. And make them reasonable.
In the beginning, it may help to set only day-to-day or short-term goals. Then, as you listen to your body, you can raise the level, running more frequently, doing only continuous runs, and increasing pace.
Keep your goals simple and precise. For example, add a task to your task manager: Tomorrow, I will run 2 miles at [hour] in [place].
Warning: Not writing your running goals down may make them vanish into thin air.
Track and reward your progress
Use pen and paper, a calendar, a task manager, or a running app – whichever you prefer. Logging your progress makes it easier to visualize it. Also, it will help you plan rewards, which can vary from a delicious green smoothie to a new pair of comfy running shoes.
Follow a plan
Your plan can include locations, paces, walk/run strategies, other workouts, and more. With a plan, running 2 miles every day is less likely to feel boring.
Even if your plan won’t be as sophisticated as that of a runner training for an ultramarathon, it’s still valuable. It will have a motivating force and encourage you to stick to it.
Takeaways
Before you lace up your running shoes, here are the things to remember:
- Running 2 miles a day will transform your life. It will make you healthier, stronger, boost your mood and energy levels, and add years to your life.
- But it’s best to start slow if you haven’t been running much lately.
- Combine running with walking, give yourself days of rest, and start at a low pace.
- It takes anywhere between 16 minutes and 30 minutes to run 2 miles. That’s not so much, right? You can run daily even if you have a busy lifestyle.
- Writing down your goals, tracking progress, and having a running plan will help you make daily running a great habit.
In the end, getting started with running 2 miles a day isn’t so hard if you take it one step, one run, one day at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lose weight if I run 2 miles a day?
Yes, you can lose weight if you run 2 miles a day. Running is a great way to burn calories and improve your overall fitness. However, it is important to note that running alone is not enough to lose weight. You also need to follow a healthy diet and maintain an active lifestyle.
Will running 2 miles a day burn muscle?
Running can burn muscle if you do not do it in moderation. However, running 2 miles a day is unlikely to burn enough muscle to harm your fitness or appearance. If you are concerned about muscle loss, you can incorporate strength training exercises into your routine.
How many miles is it safe to run a day?
The safest number of miles to run a day depends on your individual fitness level and goals. If you are new to running, it is best to start slowly and gradually increase your mileage over time. It is also important to listen to your body and take rest days when you need them.
How many miles should I run a day to lose weight?
The number of miles you need to run to lose weight depends on your individual calorie needs. A general rule of thumb is to aim to burn at least 3500 calories per week through exercise. This can be achieved by running 3-4 miles a day, 3-4 times per week.
Here are some tips for losing weight through running:
- Run at a moderate pace. Jogging or running at a moderate pace will help you burn more calories than running at a faster pace.
- Run for 30-60 minutes at a time. Running for shorter periods of time, but more frequently, is also an effective way to burn calories.
- Incorporate strength training exercises into your routine. Strength training will help you build muscle, which will help you burn more calories at rest.
- Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet will help you make sure you are getting the nutrients you need to support your running and weight loss goals.
- Make running a part of your regular routine. The more you run, the more likely you are to stick with it and reach your weight loss goals.
By following these tips, you can safely and effectively lose weight through running.
References:
- Eyestone, E.D., Fellingham, G., George, J. and Fisher, A.G., 1993. Effect of water running and cycling on maximum oxygen consumption and 2-mile run performance. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 21(1), pp.41-44.
- Tolfrey, K., Hansen, S.A., Dutton, K., McKee, T. and Jones, A.M., 2009. Physiological correlates of 2-mile run performance as determined using a novel on-demand treadmill. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 34(4), pp.763-772.
- Daniels, J., 2013. Daniels’ running formula. Human Kinetics.
- MacKenzie, R., MacKenzie, L., Martinez, A., Cardoza, M., Cuddeford, T. and Houck, J., 2015. The Science of Running: Factors Contributing to Injury Rates in Shod and Unshod Populations.
- Šopar, J. and Dokman, T., INFLUENCE OF RELATIVE MUSCULAR ENDURANCE ON 2 MILES RUNNING IN CROATIAN ARMY MEMBERS. In 5th International Scientific Conference on Kinesiology: Kinesiology research trends and applications: proceedings book (p. 404).
