Take a poll at any run club of how many miles a week people typically run, and you’ll get a wide range of answers. Some runners might only do a handful of miles a week, while others are regularly topping 50-plus. So you might wonder: How many miles a week should I run? 

The number you land on could determine how well you do at your next race—or if you even make it to the starting line at all. “The general trend we see is that people who are running more frequently and at higher volumes are the ones who are running faster,” says Vikash Sharma, a physical therapist at Perfect Stride. Yet at the same time, he adds that most of the injured runners he treats get hurt by doing too much too quickly. 

That means if you want to maximize your running gains, you’ll probably want to run more, but you can’t simply adopt the high-mileage training plan of the fastest runner you know. To figure out the right amount of running for you, here’s what experts say you should keep in mind. 

How Many Miles a Week Should You Run? 

There’s no one right answer here. Your ideal weekly mileage depends on a number of factors, including your fitness and experience level, injury history, and running goals, according to Sharma. For example, for a newbie runner, an adequate weekly mileage might be just about 3-5 miles; for an intermediate runner, 8-20 might suffice; for more advanced runners or those training for a marathon or ultramarathon, weekly mileage could reach up to about 50—or even go significantly higher. “I have people that I work with that will get to 100 miles in a week,” Sharma says.

And your mileage can—and should—change throughout the year. For instance, when Peloton instructor Susie Chan, a celebrated ultrarunner, is in training for a race, she says she’ll follow a structured training plan with a specific weekly mileage goal—which might creep up to a whopping 70 miles a week. “But if there is nothing lined up, or I’m on the other side of a training block, then it's less rigid,” she says. At that point, she’ll just run as much as feels good, without trying to hit a certain number. 

Factors That Affect Your Weekly Run Mileage

The “optimal” mileage varies from runner to runner and season to season, but there are always a few key considerations to take into account. 

Experience Level

The high impact of running can take a toll on the body. But with time, your tissues can become more resilient to the wear and tear of the sport. So while a first-time marathoner might start their training plan with a 4-mile long run to give their body time to adjust, “more experienced runners can start with a higher number,” Susie says.  

Your Goals

If you’re running for the general health and fitness benefits, all you need is 150 minutes at a moderate intensity or 75 minutes at a vigorous intensity per week to hit the recommendations set by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 

But if you’re training for a race and have a particular time goal in mind, you’ll likely want to run more. And, of course, the longer the race, the more running you’ll want to do. “A marathon will have more time and running commitment than a faster 5K,” Susie says. (Also keep in mind that you’ll build up mileage over the length of a training plan—a beginner marathoner might run 12 miles during the first week of training, but could hit 30 or 40 by their peak weeks, when they do their longest marathon training run.) 

Injury History

If you know you’re susceptible to chronic injuries, you might want to keep your total mileage on the more conservative side. You can instead supplement your running with other aerobic cross-training activities, like cycling or rowing, to build your cardio fitness without putting so much stress on your body, Sharma says. 

How Much Time You Have

There’s no way around it: Running higher mileage takes more time. So if you’re juggling lots of other responsibilities at work or home, you might want to aim lower than if you had more free time. “It is always good to have a realistic view on how much time you have to commit to the miles,” Susie says. “Set yourself up for success!” 

How to Build Up Weekly Mileage as a Beginner

The slow-and-steady tortoise-style approach is the best way to increase your mileage, especially when you’re new to running. “It is the safest way to build,” Susie says. Begin with a run-walk strategy, running until you’re tired and then walking until you recover, just trying to keep moving for 30 minutes at a time. Repeat that two or three times a week, and you’ll start to be able to run for longer and decrease those walking intervals. 

 If you’re eager to build up your endurance ASAP, Sharma suggests mixing in some cardio cross-training workouts in between running days. That way, you can work on improving your VO2 max without putting too much impact on your joints before they’re ready for it.

Just be consistent. If you push yourself to run a few days in a row, then have to take a few weeks off, you won’t build up the resilience your body needs to tackle longer runs. “You want to be loading the miles steadily each week,” Susie says. 

Also, once you start running multiple times a week, switch up the types of runs you’re doing. “They should not all be runs where you are pushing your pace,” Susie says. It’s best to have a balanced mix of long runs, speed workouts like intervals or tempo runs, plus recovery runs. This will work your body in different ways so that you’re less likely to succumb to overtraining and burnout. 

Consider following a program, such as one of Peloton’s You Can Run programs, which include two or three weekly workouts and build up your running time and distance over eight weeks.

How to Progress Your Weekly Mileage

One often-repeated “rule” in running is that you should only increase the number of miles you run by 10 percent each week. But Sharma points out that following that blanket statement doesn’t work for everyone. 

“You're not considering how you're recovering after your runs, you're not considering what your pacing is doing, you're not considering if you just got some new footwear,” he says. He also adds that the 10 percent rule can get a little wonky for people running very low mileage or very high mileage—it could unhelpfully hold you back too much, or add more new miles than your body can handle.

A better idea is to simply build up mileage gradually and pay attention to how your body reacts. “Just take it steady,” Susie says. 

It’s also essential to back off a little once every few weeks. “Ensure you regularly have deload weeks—weeks where you have lower mileage to let the body recover,” Susie says. Many marathon training plans will include a deload week once a month or so. Even if you’re not training that intensely, give yourself permission to pull back for a week whenever you notice yourself feeling sluggish or if you’re going through an extra-stressful time. 

How Many Miles a Week Should You Run While Training for a Race?

The mileage goals on race training plans vary widely, depending on the length of the race and what kind of runner and/or goal it’s meant for.

“A 5K runner might be a beginner, or might be experienced and going for a new PB,” Susie points out. While it’s possible to cross the finish line of a 5K on 3 miles a week (or even less), competitive runners might hit 80 miles a week in order to run a 5K as fast as possible, Sharma adds. Also, the further you get into training, the more you’ll be running as you reach peak fitness (before tapering off to get your legs fresh for race day). 

That said, ”generally speaking, the longer the goal race, the longer the training runs will be and the higher the mileage,” Susie says. Here’s a range of what you might expect for an average runner during a peak week of training for various race distances:

That’s not to say you need to run that much mileage to complete your race. Sharma says that while he encourages most marathoners he works with to reach a peak of 50 miles a week, those who, for instance, work a full-time job and have kids at home might run far fewer miles (and simply adjust their race-day expectations) while more competitive runners might hit 100-mile weeks.  

6 Tips to Avoid Injury While Building Up Weekly Mileage

The only way to keep building mileage is to keep running—which means you need to stay healthy. Keep these tips in mind to avoid injury.