Is Junk Mileage Real? How to Spot 'Junk Miles'

Junk mileage can be a misleading term so let's get clear on "junk miles!"

Junk miles are only "junk" if they hamper your workouts or overall recovery. But if they're mostly easy, you'll definitely benefit from the extra mileage!

Jason Fitzgerald is a USATF running coach, 2:39 marathoner, and the host of the award-winning Strength Running Podcast. He's the 2017 Men's Running Magazine's Influencer of the Year and his work has appeared in Runner's World, Health Magazine, The Washington Post, Lifehacker, and other major media.

FTC Disclaimer: This video was sponsored by InsideTracker, which means a fee and/or free product was provided to the creator for this partnership.

[DWNY]

In cycling we refer to “junk miles” as those miles through relatively ugly scenery, for example areas with lots of stoplights and commerce before getting to pretty countryside.

[CCFebruary]

I don’t think that miles are wasted. Every mile increases your endurance, when you run fatigued, it helps your body adapt to fatigue and over time increases your resilience and ability to run when tired. Everything doesn’t have to be according to a training program that taxes your body.

I don’t think that I would be the runner I am if it weren’t for running a 55 mile a week.

[thomaspetalino]

Jason, hit the nail on the head with this one. Increased my weekly mileage to 70 in prep for a spring marathon. Problem is I ran too many miles at pace or near mp. Now I’m injured. Inflamed bursa on my heal. Going to back off speed and rehab for a week. I’m 8 weeks out. I think I can get the train back on track before then. Thanks for the insight and motivation!

[KristinaMadonia]

Good point about running being more than just training for many of us....

[buffaloje]

Great talk as always and plenty to think about. As a relative beginner I have have really struggled over the last few weeks with pacing. As I am improving I am finding it hard to keep my easy runs easy, I still feel what is a comfortable pace and cadence doesn’t always reflect a suitably low HR.

[kerricappy]

So refreshing to hear. I thrive on high mileage. It's what I enjoy. I am, however, often told it's too much or not necessary. I feel having that big base actually helps my fitness though and the extra endurance helps me get through my speed workouts. Now they are what deplete me, those speed sessions!

[albertoguerra]

Congratulations!! Always a valuable content!

[marypagones]

Honestly, as someone who is not a naturally gifted athlete, I'd get so stressed out if every run had to be "quality" speed/heartrate/perfect form. Sure, if I did that I might get better more quickly, but I also think I'd mentally burn out. To even get to my current level of fitness, as someone who can run an easy 6 miles without feeling like it's effortful, I had to run a lot of unsexy junk miles to build my endurance.

[Allride_]

I just finished a junk mile 5k run and I'm well aware of it. This one wasn't about progress. I just felt like doing it and it felt good to exhaust myself a little more in an unstructured way

[dtaylortf]

great video! I have trouble slowing down my easy runs due to the "rolling hills" I have all around my town.

[robsonalcantara]

I always saw junk miles as a good thing, but used to avoid discussion with those who are against it. Your vídeo will help me to arguy with my friends.
Cheers

[curtisbjamn]

Enjoyed your video very much, thanks. I just spent a year maximizing mileage for backyard ultra training. Just under 4000 for the year. Had some overuse injuries, so some junk miles in there for sure. Not sure if that was the best use of my time. But how do you push limits really without finding them? How do you prepare for as far as you can go. I think your video addresses this beautifully. If you can do it heathy. Thanks again.

[thepatternforms]

Turns out junk miles are actually the golden miles… science supports MAF training and keeping it slow

[josephgonzalez_]

You mentioned a track coach using the term “junk miles”. If a runner is focussed on the 800, 1500, 3000 or even up to 5000 then there is a more obvious case for identifying certain miles as junk. To get really fast you don’t need to do big mileage. But if you’re a marathoner then absolutely- more miles definitely helps. In that case there is no such thing as junk miles.

[Feanaro]

I only ran 24 miles in February. I need more junk.

[MedicineRunner]

Should I be counting my warmup and cool down miles in my weekly training volume?

[thepatternforms]

There is no such thing as junk miles… if anything the low aerobic zone1/2 miles are where growth occurs… turns out you get better by slowing down… #science

[funwithmadness]

"Junk miles" never made much sense to me. That description is way too vague to be meaningful. Saying you're running too far, too fast, that's meaningful. Endurance training is about running for endurance. By definition, we need to run a LOT. So "junk miles" is an antithetical idea to the goal.
My problem with running slower is that I find I hurt more when running at slower paces. I've never gotten comfortable with it. Of course, now I'm trying to recover from an injury, so clearly I'm still doing something wrong.

[slowcyclist]

Junk miles are simply miles that outcome could have been achieved in a shorter amount of time.

Yes, you gained XX fitness with that 1hr exercise. But, should you have decided to use a structured program, maybe all you could have needed was a 30min workout. Or better yet, just not run and hit it harder the next day.

In short; exercise is hard and painful. Why work hard any more than necessary by wasting time on less than optimally efficient workouts?

[PerryScanlon]

For a trained runner, anything below 50% of max HR is probably junk except for ultra runners. It's better to be above 60%.