How many miles do you consider a "good" workout?

harleygirl01

How far do you guys consider an average run a "good" workout?  I don't mean marathon training, where you run double digits (kudo's to you ladies that can!  Good gracious!) I mean just an average, after work, run.

TIA!  

shauni27

Anything where I feel good after!  Sometimes I just do 3 miles because it is all I have time for.  And sometimes I don't want to do sprints during that 3 miles and I just want to RUN.  And if I enjoy it, it was a good workout

herestothehalcyon

Any run is better than no run, obviously, but I feel like I've done well for the day if I get 5 miles in.  For me this translates to about about a 50 minute workout...long enough to keep up my cardiovascular fitness!

shorty20

I don't really have a set number of miles, I think it depends more on how fast you're running then on what mileage it is.  Racing a 5k and doing an easy run of 5k distance are two totally different things effort wise.  They're both good workouts, just different.

BridgetMc

Three miles is my minimum run too.  Very rarely I'll do 2.5 if I'm really rushed for time or something.  Usually my midweek runs are 3.5 miles, which is all I can squeeze into my lunch hour. (I'm not a fast runner.)

IndyGirl02

My running buddies and I were recently laughing about how much our frame of reference for this has changed over time. I remember back in the days when 3-4 slow miles was a good workout and 6 miles was a long run. I still do sometimes run as little as 3-4 miles, but that would be on a weekday when I'm pressed for time and doing fast speedwork (intervals). My weekend long runs are usually at least 10 miles, even if I don't have a race on the horizon.

So, I don't always gauge what's a "good workout" by distance... speed factors in too. I can get a great workout in a short distance (<4 miles) if I'm doing a bunch of fast 400m or 800m repeats.

taratru

Back in the day when I started, two miles was good. Now I don't remember the last time I ran less than three. Honestly, my feeling of a good workout run comes from my effort. So a five miler might give me a "better" workout than a ten miler. 

gt7301b

I don't judge a "good" workout based on distance.  I judge it based on effort.  A 5 mile run at a slow pace is a lot easier for me than 6-8 400s (with a warm up and cool down mile)

firedancer22

my rule is that i always run at least a 5k.  that's a half hour of work for me (yes, i'm slow, and i'm not ashamed), which feels like the lowest you can really go without phoning it in.

daisysle

Its not always about distance, but the effort put into the run!  You could run 6 miles at a slow & easy pace but then run 3 miles at 5K race pace and have a better work out.

I am unable to do speed work now that I am further along in my pregnancy so I try to run at least 5 miles at one time. 

GRKaters

Depends on the day. Yesterday I would've been happy with 2 miles--I was doing intervals on a treadmill. It ended up being 4mi and I felt really accomplished. Today was a recovery run. Again, 2mi would've been fine with me, but I squeezed in 3mi and feel like WonderWoman.

And this is from someone who has done (and loved) those double-digit runs you mention.

NaturalBeauty

3-4 miles or 35 minutes of cardio

ebeth_msn

I feel like anything less than 45 minutes isn't worth the trouble of suiting up for. In the past, if I didn't have 45 minutes to devote to running I would just skip it.  I've been trying to get out of that mindset lately and run at least a little bit if that's all I have time for, but I still feel like I haven't done enough until I hit the 45 min mark.

misskrysbaby

My minimum is usually 4, when I'm hungover or super tired or didn't eat well that day, I usually am still able to crank out 4 or 4.5. My runs are typically 6 to 7 miles normally though. But that's me, it really is whatever you feel good at!

 

 

StingShark425

3mi is usually my minimum - unless I'm injured, or running for a warm up before some other workout. 

JoNi2010

I haven't read other people's response, but it's going to be different for different people.  Anything that gets you breathing hard and heart rate going would be a good workout.  For me, I am building up my endurance, so anywhere from 2-3miles is good for me.

OSULori

I think it depends more on the effort than the distance-I've had three mile runs feel like a "better" workout than 5 mile runs because of difference in effort.  Today is a good example of that for me-I ran 5 miles at a really easy pace and walked the uphills and I was thrilled with that...because I donated blood yesterday and knew if I tried to push it (today is usually a speedwork day for me) then I'd crash and burn.  For me, today's run was a good workout.

But if you're looking for average distance for an after work run...if I'm just running for the hell of it after work (no speedwork) it's usually between 3-5 miles.  Sometimes I'll run longer if I have company (last week I did 7.5 with some hill repeats with a friend) and sometimes its less (2 miles last Friday thanks to some GI issues).

 

doglove

A 5 mile or 50 minute workout is generally satisfactory for me, but this can vary depending on the person. I have days when 3 miles is enough and some days when I feel great out there and will run 7 or 8. I generally run 5 though on my "routine" runs.

runblondie26

ebeth_msn:

I feel like anything less than 45 minutes isn't worth the trouble of suiting up for. In the past, if I didn't have 45 minutes to devote to running I would just skip it.  I've been trying to get out of that mindset lately and run at least a little bit if that's all I have time for, but I still feel like I haven't done enough until I hit the 45 min mark.

Ditto. It used to be at least 60 minutes, but having DD changed that