No running coach is ever going to suggest you run 6 miles a day. The same daily routine, running 6 miles every single day. But it doesn’t mean it isn’t a good challenge.
There are a lot of running challenges that don’t make complete sense in the form of a training plan. That’s because most of us aren’t trying to be the best runners out there: we’re just trying to find some motivation, improve our fitness and maybe lose weight.
If you’re an experienced runner and you’re trying to give your running mojo a boost, 6 miles a day might be the perfect challenge. Running 6 miles a day isn’t easy, but if you can stick with it for a month or more, you’ll see and feel the benefits.
How Long Does It Take To Run 6 Miles?
Everyone runs at different paces depending on their fitness level, age gender, and natural ability.
6 miles is approximately 10K – so if you know your 10K running time, that’s how long it’s going to take to run 6 miles.
Fast runners will take less than 40 minutes to run 6 miles but times for the average runner to run 6 miles are likely to be between 60 and 75 minutes.
With a 6-mile run, you could end up slowing down over the last mile or so as you start to get tired. Ideally, try and run at an even pace – this will be easier as you get fitter.
If you’re new to running it could take longer to run 6 miles. Allow up to 90 minutes to complete your first 6-mile run.
The Benefits Of Running 6 Miles A Day
Running 6 miles a day is a major commitment to your fitness level. It’s 42 miles a week! That’s a lot – especially when you consider the average person logging their runs on Strava is running just 11 miles per week.
It sounds like a lot but it’s far less the weekly running distance of the average pro athlete. These advanced runners are logging an average of 58 weekly miles.
Most people aren’t aiming to be pro athletes. We just want to be a little fitter. So is running 6 miles every day good for you and what are the benefits?
What Are You Trying To Achieve?
Running at the same pace for 6 miles every day isn’t an ideal running program if you’re trying to be competitive. Most training plans include a long run, one or two speed sessions a week, and at least one rest day.
Varying running pace helps to improve your cardiovascular fitness and turn you into a better runner.
That said many people don’t run to be competitive. They run because they love running and enjoy all the physical and mental health benefits that come from being a regular runner!
Some people find that running the same distance every day is good for their mental health and well-being.
Related post: Running 7 Miles A Day: Pros, Cons, Benefits + Weight Loss
It’s A Motivation Booster
For experienced runners, it’s not always easy to stay motivated. You’re running can get stale and setting challenges can help you rediscover your reasons for running.
Six miles daily is challenging but achievable for most experienced runners. Sometimes it’s good to forget about intervals and tempo runs and just get back in touch with the reasons you love running.
It Can Help You Cover Longer Distances
Running 6 miles a day can help you build a running base. Before launching into a marathon training plan, you need a certain level of running fitness.
Six miles every day, 42 miles a week is a good training base for long-distance runs before starting a more advanced running program.
Running 6 Miles A Day Will Help With Weight Loss
Most people start running to lose weight. Hopefully, as you progress on your running journey, you’ll fall in love with regular running and all its benefits from improved heart health to sleeping better at night.
But how running transforms your body is what people really want to know when they first lace up a pair of running shoes.
If losing weight is your goal, running between 4 to 6 miles a day is an ideal target. Your weight loss could be significant, especially if you combine running with eating a healthy diet.
It Can Help With Your Mental Health
There’s increasing evidence of the benefit of regular exercise for mental health. Some people find running a regular distance helps them cope with stress, anxiety, and mild depression.
Just be aware that running can become obsessive. There’s a fine line between running regularly for a specific purpose and over-training.
Who Should Be Running 6 Miles A Day?
Launch into running 6 miles a day as a new runner and you’re in for a shock. It’s unlikely you’ll survive the first few days.
If you have a reasonable fitness level from other sports, you may manage six miles daily if you take walk breaks and run your miles at a slow pace. But there’s still a high risk of burnout and injury.
Running 6 every day is for someone who’s already an experienced runner, and ideally already running about 35 miles a week.
If you’re new to running, build up your running distance gradually. Start with our Mile A Day Challenge, running 2 miles every day or 3 miles a day, and build up a mile at a time into you’re running 5 miles a day. Then you’ll be ready to run six miles daily.
How Many Calories Do You Burn Running 6 Miles A Day?
Running is an excellent calorie burner. On average you can expect to burn 100 calories per mile.
The exact number of calories will depend on many factors such as your body weight, running speed, age, sex, and running efficiency.
For most people, running 6 miles will burn 600 calories. In a week you can burn a whopping 4200 calories.
Use our calories burned running calculator to find the total calories burned by running six miles. Just enter your current weight, running time, and mile pace.
Running 6 Miles A Day To Lose Weight
Running six miles will burn calories. A lot of calories. You just need to make sure you’re not replacing those calories by eating excessively if your goal is weight loss.
For weight loss, running 6 miles every day is still at the sweet spot where your body is burning body fat.
Run too far every week and your body switches into survival mode – you’re constantly hungry – FAMISHED and maintaining a calorie deficit becomes difficult.
The other risk of running the same distance every day at the same slow pace is that your body will adapt to your running. The running is no longer challenging and you’re burning fewer calories on your daily runs.
Find out how much should I run to lose weight.
For best results:
Combine running with a healthy diet
Combat hunger by filling up on lean protein, whole grains, lots of vegetables, some fruit, and small amounts of healthy fats.
Runners need carbohydrates to fuel their running but that doesn’t mean reaching for chocolate biscuits and donuts. The ideal running fuel is beans, rice, and vegetables for plant-based runners or swap the beans for chicken if you’re a meat eater.
The high protein content fills you up and repairs your muscles. The carbohydrates give you sustained energy and the vegetables provide the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
Meal prep so you always have something healthy to eat
Running six miles takes a big chunk of time out of your day. It’s easy to come back from a run and grab any food that’s available, even if it’s unhealthy options.
Having a healthy meal ready to eat in the fridge that just needs heating up means you’re not tempted to make poor food choices after your run.
Related post: Vegan Meal prep For Weight Loss
Challenge your body
It’s not a good idea to run hard every day but try to include one or two challenging runs in your weekly routine.
If you’re rigidly sticking to 6 miles every day you can still make one day a tempo run or run a fartlek session where you’re varying the pace.
When you do add some harder training days into your weekly sessions make sure they’re balanced by easy recovery runs.
How much weight will you lose if you run 6 miles a day?
In theory, you’ll burn at least one pound a week by running 6 miles every day. Burning one pound of body fat takes a calorie deficit of 3500 calories.
If you’re burning 4200 calories a week by running 6 miles daily, you could lose 5 pounds or more a month.
In practice, it’s hard to predict the amount of weight loss. Some people will lose more such as two pounds a week, and some will lose less. Find out more about how many calories it takes to lose one pound.
Don’t talk yourself out of running before you try it. Most people successfully lose weight when they start a running program.
Related post: How To Start Running When Overweight And Out Of Shape
Tips For Running 6 Miles A Day
Running 6 miles every day is a major commitment. It’s a high level of training and your body needs to be treated like an athlete. Follow these tips to get the most out of your everyday running:
#1 Your body needs fuel not just food
When you’re running at this level, your body needs the optimum nutrition to perform at its best. Think about the food you eat in terms of what it’s doing to your body.
Instead of empty calories, opt for tasty nutritious food that provides all the vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats you need to complete your training runs.
#2 Take a rest day if you need one
Good runners listen to their bodies and know when they need complete rest. If you’re aiming for a running streak it’s tempting to omit rest days.
But you’re setting yourself up for failure if you ignore the warning signs of fatigue or injury. If you feel tired all the time or have persistent aches and pains – you need to take time out from your running.
#3 Add strength training
Muscle imbalances and lack of sufficient strength are the main cause of running injuries. Think of strength training as insurance against injury.
It doesn’t have to be hours in the gym – just 10 to 15 minutes twice a week will make a difference. Choose exercises that target the muscles used in running – squats, lunges, planks, and core exercises. Balance them with stretches to improve your flexibility.
Try these bodyweight exercises for runners.
#4 Vary your running pace
Add variety to your training plan. Instead of running the same distance every day at the same pace – mix things up. Add a tempo run once a week and harder cardio workouts such as some intervals or fartlek. Balance with a few days of recovery runs.
Ideally, vary the distance you run every day, and instead of always running 6 miles, aim for a 42-mile weekly total. Try this training schedule:
- Monday: 3-mile recovery run.
- Tuesday: 3 miles easy, then 4 x 400m at mile pace with 40 seconds recovery. 2-mile easy cool-down.
- Wednesday: 7-mile easy run.
- Thursday: 1-mile warm-up, 4 miles tempo run at 10K race pace, 1-mile cool-down.
- Friday: 4-mile recovery run.
- Saturday: 6-mile easy run.
- Sunday: 10-mile long run at a moderate pace.
#5 Run on different terrains
For most people, running every day is a lot easier if you’re running on softer trails instead of hard road surfaces. With less impact, your body recovers faster.
Running times are slower on the trails so forget about your watch and just enjoy your running. Soak up the views and fresh air!
Thoughts From Love Life Be Fit
Running 6 miles a day isn’t for beginners. It can be a great way to lose weight but you need to build up to running this distance gradually.
Take walk breaks when you need them and at all costs avoid overtraining. It’s easy to become injured when you’re running this much, so always listen to your body. If you need a rest day – take one.
Many people love the routine of running every day. Whenever I’ve tried it, it’s always been a positive experience. Find out what happened when I ran 5 miles a day for a month.