The Art of Running 10 Miles a Day: Is it Possible?

Are you a big fan of running? Do you enjoy running so much that you’re considering running 10 miles a day?

As an avid runner, I understand the draw that running a good amount of miles daily brings. After all, there’s nothing quite like the runner’s high. Ahhhh.

If you decide to run 10 miles daily, ensure you’re aware of the drawbacks and benefits of taking on the distance so frequently. 

Is Running 10 Miles a Day Too Much?

Indeed, many people will look at you and call you crazy for running 10 miles a day. So is it too much?

It depends entirely on your body. Ultra-marathon runners run frequently and at very high mileage to meet their weekly weekly quota of 40 to 75 miles. Some people are built to endure the miles.

You’ll need to check in with yourself to know if 10 miles is too much for you. If you feel any pain or discomfort while running, it’s probably a good idea to consider taking time off from running.

Rest is also an essential part of maintaining a healthy body. If you start your journey of running 10 miles every day but find you’re fatigued, add some rest days throughout your week.

Running on its own is also not an ideal form of exercise. Running is excellent for cardiovascular health, but you’ll need to include resistance training to strengthen muscles and ligaments that running cannot maintain.

If running 10 miles a day makes it impossible to complete resistance training, you’ll need to take a day or two off each week.

Is Running 10 Miles a Day Good?

If you can run 10 miles daily, you are a fit person capable of challenging things.

However, running 10 miles a day won’t be suitable for everyone. This distance is quite challenging, especially if you haven’t yet run your first half marathon.

Some good things that come with running 10 miles a day include:

✅ A healthy habit of regular exercise.

✅ Getting into a routine.

✅ Having time to spend outdoors, away from a desk or office.

✅ Improved mental health.

How Long Should a 10-Mile Run Take?

An average runner can run a mile in around 10 minutes.

Although this is the average time for one mile, we’ll need to consider the distance we’re discussing here. A person running 10 miles might run slower in the second half of the run if they used a lot of energy at the start.

Let’s set the average span of mile time from eight minutes to 12 minutes. This will help cover a significant possibility of the timeframe.

If a runner could average eight-minute miles for the 10-mile run, it would take about one hour and 36 minutes to complete. If a runner averages a 12-minute mile over the distance, it will take 2 hours to complete the 10-mile run.

If you’re setting out to run your 10 miles, you’ll want to set aside about one and a half to two hours. This will help you plan accordingly and know what you might expect from your run.

Is a 10-Mile Run Considered a Long Run?

Ten miles is considered a long run. When training for a half marathon, 10 miles is one of the furthest distances a training plan will take a runner.

Ten miles is also the first long run of most marathon training programs. Think you can run 10 miles? It’s possible you can run a marathon. If you can run 10 miles right now, you’re already prepared to train for your first marathon.

Consider your 10-mile run a long run.

Tips for Running 10 Miles for the First Time

If you want to run 10 miles, follow these tips to make it happen.

👉🏼 Start slow and gradually build up.

Do not run 10 miles if you haven’t built up to that distance. Slowly building on your mileage to run 10 miles would be best.

If you don’t currently run, start by running one mile. Build up to two and three miles, and so on, until your body can handle the 10-mile distance. You may even follow a half marathon training schedule up until the 10-mile long run.

👉🏼 Fuel and hydrate properly.

Don’t just head out for a 10-mile run without adequately fueling your body. Be sure you have a good, high-quality meal about 2 hours before. Keep well hydrated (always, but especially when running long distances).

👉🏼 Dress appropriately.

Knowing what to wear for a long run can be complicated. If you’re running in the early morning, the temperature might be a bit chilly but warm up as you continue. You might be dealing with sweltering heat if you run in the afternoon.

Identify the temperature range you’ll be running in and plan adequately. This may mean you’ll need to wear layers that you remove as it warms up.

👉🏼 Choose a day that has the best weather chances.

If you’re only running 10 miles for your own experience, consider being picky about what day you run. Finding a day with ideal weather will be much more enjoyable than pushing through a rainy or muggy day.

If you can’t avoid the rough weather, remember that tough times make tough runners!

👉🏼 Choose a route you enjoy.

If there’s a place you particularly enjoy running, include it in your running route. Maybe you like to run in a local park or on a trail. Making sure your run atmosphere is as enjoyable as possible is a great way to keep yourself motivated.

👉🏼 Cue up a great playlist or podcast.

If you enjoy music while running, consider setting up a playlist that should last the duration of your 10 miles. Also, if you prefer to listen to podcasts, you can listen to your favorite podcast to help the time pass.

💡 I highly recommend the incredibly lightweight Noxgear 39g wearable Bluetooth speaker to runners who listen to music/podcasts. This speaker allows you to keep your ears open and pay better attention to your surrounding.

👉🏼 Run with running buddies.

Alternatively, if you’re not into listening to music or podcasts on the run, find some running buddies to run with.

There’s nothing like running a long run with your favorite people. This can help you keep your mind off the miles while you laugh and swap stories with a running group.

Need help finding running buddies? Local run stores are hot spots for runners looking to run with friends.

👉🏼 Set your expectation and intention for your run beforehand.

Do you have a time goal in mind? Are you just hoping to finish the run?

Whatever you want to get out of your run, set the expectation before you head out. Know that sometimes we must adjust because of different elements, but having a goal in mind will help you push through if the run gets tough.

 👉🏼 Listen to your body on the run.

Are you feeling better than ever? Not quite feeling strong today?

Remember, you can adapt to make the run work for you. If you’re having difficulty covering the miles, consider using the run/walk strategy to help your body push through. If you aren’t feeling discomfort or pain, slowing things down to complete the run is acceptable.

What Does Running 10 Miles Do to Your Body?

If you run 10 miles daily, you’ll see changes in your body. What exactly will this amount of daily distance do to your body?

A few of the following things are possible.

Running 10 Miles a Day Weight Loss

You may experience weight loss from running 10 miles a day.

You’re running a lot of miles each day, which means you’re burning many calories. If you’re burning more calories throughout the day than you’re consuming, you very well could see some weight loss on your running journey.

Many runners find that their legs tone up because these muscles are used repetitively while running. Some runners find belly fat incredibly stubborn, and while their legs become lean, their bellies don’t change much.

Not Losing Weight

You’re running 10 miles every day but not losing weight. What gives?

This is a common experience for many runners. When this is happening, there are a few things to consider.

1. Are you eating a balanced diet?

This can be challenging to manage. When you’re running high weekly mileage, controlling your appetite becomes tricky. But eating quality foods is mandatory to manage weight and stay physically fit.

This doesn’t mean you can’t eat any sweets or indulgent foods. However, your diet should primarily consist of high-quality fruits, vegetables, proteins, and carbohydrates.

2. Are you eating enough?

You cannot run 10 miles every day and not eat. It’s not going to work.

When we don’t adequately fuel our body and instead resort to restricting most of our daily calories, the body responds by holding onto fat.

In addition, we risk losing muscle tissue, leading to a decrease in metabolism. Eating high-quality whole foods is a much better way to help the body become fit.

3. Is running and working out new to you?

If you’re at the beginning of your running journey, this might mean you’ll gain a bit of weight before losing weight. This is because of the stress your body experiences with a new workout plan. Muscles will experience tiny tears and inflammation from stress.

This creates an initial slight weight gain for many people.

4. Are you getting enough quality sleep?

Running is hard on the body. Sleep and rest allow the body time to recover and build stronger fully. When we don’t get quality sleep, we can see weight gain because of inconsistencies in our metabolism.

It’s also likely that you’re more likely to make poor food choices if you’re sleep-deprived. This is when many people rely on fats and sugars because of cravings.

A Case for Lifting Weights

A critical aspect of losing weight while keeping a high weekly running mileage is to include weight lifting into your regimen.

Lifting weights is more likely to help with weight loss because it helps the body burn calories during and after working out. Also, lifting weights regularly enables you to maintain muscle mass, keeping your metabolism from slowing down.

Cross-training is essential to any running program. If you’re going to run 10 miles a day, you should seriously consider using weight lifting to strengthen your core.

Other Running Challenges to Consider

Running 10 miles every day is pretty enduring on the body. If you still want a good running challenge but need something more realistic, consider meeting one of the following benchmarks.

Running 10 Miles a Week

If running 10 miles a day is advanced for you, you might wonder where to begin your running journey.

If you haven’t yet run a mile, you will likely aim for that distance to reach your first significant running milestone. A mile is a great distance to run because it isn’t too far.

Right now, you might feel like a mile is very far, but as you work your way up to running a mile a day, you’ll find the distance is quite manageable.

This brings me to the next benchmark. After you’ve worked up to efficiently running a mile, you may consider running 2 miles multiple times a week. You may even decide to run two miles every day or every other day.

If you’re looking to hit 10 miles in a week, you only have to run five days a week if you can complete a 2-mile run successfully.

If you need rest and don’t respond well to running two days in a row, consider running two and a half to three miles. This will allow you to have ample rest between running days.

You may find that running 10 miles a week is nearly effortless.

Running 5 Miles a Day

If you feel confident in your running but not quite 10 miles a day confidence, consider running 5 miles a day.

This distance is quite ideal for the avid runner. Five miles is a reasonable distance; by the week’s end, you’ll have run 35 miles. This is about the mileage for a novice runner halfway through a marathon training program.

Although the weekly mileage distance is relatively high, it is still manageable for daily runs.

Once again, give it quality rest if your body is telling you it needs rest. Just because you’d like to run 5 miles a day doesn’t always mean it’s what is best for your body.

Final Thoughts: Running 10 Miles a Day

If you love setting your sights on a good challenge, running 10 miles a day may be your next favorite challenge. Maybe you want to aim to complete a week or a month of these long-distance runs to see what you’re made of.

Remember to listen to your body, eat, sleep, and enjoy the miles ahead.