As I have gotten older, my training has had to change. I used to be able to run 6 days a week, feel great afterwards no matter the distance, and not have to think about how the run was going to affect the rest of the day.

A few years ago I had to go down to 5 days a week, and this past marathon build I went to 4! It takes a lot longer now to fully recover. My hips, groin and glutes take a beating.

Understanding MED (Minimum Effective Dose)

MED is the smallest amount of training required to trigger a physiological change. Pharmacists and doctors know MED, because in that world you want to give a patient the smallest amount of medicine needed to bring about the changes in the body they want.

As a coach, I am constantly talking to my athletes about adaptation and what we are trying to do with each run. You get faster, stronger or more efficient because of stress. The hard run you did last week taught your body to adapt to the “stress” of what you did. It’s why we talk about progressive overload. Little variables that make the run a little bit harder than ones in the past. These come together to elevate what your body can handle.

What can be so hard for runners to believe is that more is not better. When you boil water, turning up the heat doesn’t make the water “more boiled”…but you could burn the pot! In running, if a 20 minute run triggers the heart and lungs to get stronger ,then running for 40 minutes does not make you twice as fit…but can make you twice as tired and take twice as long to recover.

We have to be more aware about how we are spending our energy. It takes us longer to repair our muscles, so if we run longer than our bodies need on Monday we could still be recovering on Wednesday. If we still run on Wednesday, we are taking away whatever recovery and repairing (and adapting) our bodies have done. Definitely not what we want to do!

You Don’t Need An Hour To Be A Runner: The Power of Micro Running Sessions

We’ve all been there. You glance at your watch, see the time and think, “That’s not enough time to run.” But what if it is?

What Are Micro Running Sessions?

Micro running sessions are short, purposeful runs typically lasting anywhere from 7 to 20 minutes. They’re not about squeezing in mileage or hitting a specific pace. Instead, they’re about showing up for your body, maintaining consistency, and reaping physiological benefits without the time commitment of a traditional run.

The Science Behind Short Runs

Professor Dan Augustine is a Consultant Cardiologist and Honorary Professor at the University of Bath in the UK. He is a huge advocate for micro runs, and says you can gain significant benefits in your heart health, VO2Max and Metabolic Impact.

Studies show that running as little as 7 minutes a day can lower the risk of death from heart related issues.

For VO2Max, regular running can improve our use of oxygen. Something we runners are always trying to improve.

When Micro Sessions Make Sense

Micro running sessions are particularly valuable for:

•Busy professionals, parents and grandparents who struggle to find large blocks of time in their schedules

• When you’re coming back from injury or illness and need to rebuild gradually
  
• Between hard training days as active recovery that keeps you moving without overtaxing your system
  
• Travel days when you’re in a hotel or unfamiliar location and just want to maintain the habit
  
• Mental health breaks during stressful workdays when you need to step away and reset
  

How to Structure Your Micro Sessions

One of the biggest barriers to consistent running is the belief that if we can’t do it “right” with the proper warm-up, cool-down, and distance we shouldn’t do it at all. This perfectionist thinking keeps many runners on the sidelines.

Micro running sessions challenge this narrative. They say: some is better than none. Always.

Consistency is what benefits your body and your running most. Getting runs in and making it a habit will beat intensity every time…especially if a hard run is the only thing you are getting in.

If you haven’t been running in a while, and want to start micro sessions, keep it simple in the beginning. Commit to running 10 minutes 3 or 4 times a week at an easy conversational pace for a few weeks.

When you are ready to add in some workouts, I have prepared 5 workouts based on 10 minute micro sessions. If you want to add in 5 or 10 minutes to make the workouts a 15 or 20 minutes session, just add a minute to each section for 15 or double the minutes of each section for 20.

Real Benefits, Real Results

Over time, these short sessions add up in ways you might not expect.

Consistency builds confidence. When you know you can fit in a 10-minute run almost anywhere, anytime, you stop making excuses. You become someone who runs regularly, not someone trying to find the perfect hour to run.

They protect your fitness base. During busy seasons, micro sessions can maintain your aerobic foundation so you don’t have to start from scratch when life calms down.

They reduce injury risk. Shorter runs put less stress on your joints and connective tissues, which can be protective when you’re building volume or returning from time off.

They improve your relationship with running. When running doesn’t always have to be a major production, it becomes more enjoyable and less daunting.

The Permission You’ve Been Waiting For

If you’ve been waiting for “permission” not have to run for a significant amount of time, here it is: micro sessions are legitimate training. They’re not “cheating” or “not real runs.” They’re a smart, sustainable way to maintain your running life when traditional training blocks aren’t realistic, or wanted.

You don’t need an hour to be a runner. You just need to show up, move your body, and remember why you fell in love with running in the first place. Sometimes ten minutes is all it takes to reconnect with that feeling.

So the next time you think you don’t have time to run, ask yourself: do I have 10 minutes? Because if you do, you have enough time to be a runner today.