How to Achieve Personal Bests on Two Days of Running Per Week: Tips for Busy Schedules - Lee Grantham

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of How to Achieve Personal Bests on Two Days of Running Per Week: Tips for Busy Schedules from Lee Grantham. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

When you only have 2‑3 sessions a week, focus on quality over quantity: a solid interval day, a purposeful long‑slow run, and strategic recovery work on off‑days.
Keep the interval session super gradual – start with 20 × 1‑minute runs with 1‑minute easy jog/walk recovery, then progress to 13 × 90‑second efforts or 10 × 2‑minute efforts as fitness improves.
Replace missing easy runs with short, brisk walks (20‑30 min) or 10 × 1‑minute “run‑as‑slow‑as‑possible” repeats with 30‑second to 1‑minute walks in between to boost circulation and speed up recovery.
Long runs should stay slow‑distance: run at a comfortable pace for the longest distance you can manage (e.g., 6 km) without trying to hit a time goal.
Recovery is key – full rest day after the interval day, plus active walking on non‑run days to keep blood flowing and oxygen‑rich.

Workout Example (all times are minutes; no distance is required)

Interval Day – Week 1: 20 × 1 min hard effort (aim for ~5 km pace) → 1 min easy jog or walk. Total ~40 min.
Progression – Week 2: If 20 × 1 min feels easy, switch to 13 × 90 s hard → 90 s easy. Or add 10 × 2 min hard with 2 min recovery.
Recovery Boost – On non‑run days, do a 20‑30 min brisk walk, or a quick “10 × 1 min” run where each minute is as slow as you can while still feeling like running, with 30‑60 s walk between.
Long‑Slow Run – Once per week, run at a comfortable, conversational pace for the longest distance you can manage (e.g., 6 km). No speed work, just steady time on feet.

Closing Note: Try the 20 × 1‑minute interval session this week, add a short brisk walk on a rest day, and keep your long run relaxed. Adjust the paces and repeats in the Pacing app to match your current fitness – you’ll be surprised how quickly you can shave minutes off that 5K! Remember, this is a summary of Lee Grantham’s video; watch the full clip for deeper insight and motivation. Happy running!