Do You Need High Mileage? The Science of High Volume Running

You have likely encountered the advice that all you need to do to run better is to run more. Is training really that simple? In this episode, we discuss high volume running: why people do it, who it works for, and who should skip it. We examine the research and assess unique situations such as busy athletes, beginners, masters athletes, and injury-prone runners. You will also learn how to safely increase and support high volume training, so that you can secure the biggest driver: consistent training over years.

Thank you to our sponsors:

✨ Tailwind: Complete sport nutrition made simple, including hydration mixes, high-carb sport drinks, endurance fuel, and recovery mixes. Use code TREADLIGHTLY20 at https://tailwindnutrition.com/TREADLIGHTLY for 20% off your first purchase.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

✅ How “high volume” running is defined (and why pace impacts it)

✅ The benefits of high volume training

✅ How to safely increase running volume

✅ Who will not benefit from higher volume training?

✅ Is there a point where you should lower your training volume?

Tread Lightly Running is hosted and researched by Amanda Brooks and Laura Norris, MSc. Production, show notes, and graphics by Laura Norris.

References

🔬PMID: 31855590

🔬PMID: 38695978

🔬PMID: 40913707

🔬 PMID: 31704026

🔬 PMID: 32421886

🔬PMID: 42272862

If you enjoyed this episode, you may like:

🎧 What Does Training Like an Elite Runner Actually Look Like? (6 Feb 2026)

🎧 Why 80/20 Doesn’t Work for Every Runner with Jonah Rosner (12 Dec 2025)

Let’s stay connected:

➡️ Tread Lightly Running Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/treadlightlyrunning/

➡️ Laura Norris Running on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauranorrisrunning/

➡️ Subscribe for weekly evidence-based newsletters, straight to your inbox, on https://lauranorrisrunning.substack.com/

➡️ Run to the Finish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/runtothefinish/?hl=en

➡️ Thousands of running gear reviews and training guides: https://runtothefinish.com/