Runners- how often do you take rest days?

JenRun1

I have a hard time justifying a rest day even though I know it is so important. How often do you take a rest day from running? On your running rest days do you do anything else like kickboxing, strength training or are they true rest days with no activity?

sabolfitwife

I'm no runner by any means, but I do jog early in the mornings and somewhat enjoy it. Tuesday through friday i get up at 6:55 and go for a 30 minute jog. I feel by Saturday my legs are definitely ready for a rest. That being said, jogging isnt my only means of exercise. Sunday is my only true rest day with no exercise, save maybe a walk with the dog. Listen to your body. If you need some rest, take a day off. Or maybe just go for a walk.

brianpperkins

I have a hard time justifying a rest day even though I know it is so important. How often do you take a rest day from running? On your running rest days do you do anything else like kickboxing, strength training or are they true rest days with no activity?

Stating you have a hard time justifying something you know "is so important" is rather telling about your approach to running.

Strokingdiction

I have a hard time justifying a rest day even though I know it is so important. How often do you take a rest day from running? On your running rest days do you do anything else like kickboxing, strength training or are they true rest days with no activity?

Stating you have a hard time justifying something you know "is so important" is rather telling about your approach to running.

This. Do what you already know needs to be done and rest or risk an overuse injury that will FORCE you to rest for far longer than a day or two.

mooncath

I don't know if I'd consider myself a runner just quite yet (my mileage is not where I want it), but on the days I don't run, I incorporate some kind of activity. These days, it's been biking, and bodyweight training.

_Terrapin_

The vast majority of runners rest one day or more during the week; 3 days of running and 3 days of cross training or something other then running. One rest day each week. If you search Galloway or Higdon training for longer runs they suggest running 3 and no more then 4 days weekly.

doodlecakes_07

Rest is so important. I've gotten a ton of injuries from overtraining and overuse. Running isn't all or nothing, you get out of it what you put into it. So if you put in 7 days of hard running every week, you're eventually going to end up with an injury or feel very worn down. But, if you put in 4-5 days of solid running, balanced with core work, strength training, and flexibility, you'll become stronger, have longer endurance, and be avoid injuries.

I'd suggest having 3 easy runs, 1 hard run, and 1 long run a week. Do core work 3-5 days, and 2 days of strength training, leaving one day for complete rest. This is what works best for me. I'm actually just healing up from an injury (overtraining, not following this plan that I know works for me), and I can't wait to get back to quality training.

By resting, you'll make yourself a better runner. I used to be so anxious on rest days, I actually would avoid them at all costs. But now, I look forward to rest days and really appreciate how they help me, both physically and mentally.

ccm1912

I also don't consider myself a "runner" by any means, not yet. I run 3-4 times a week and I'm trying to get myself up to a 5k (my longest run is currently only 1.75 miles, im very new to this!). But, I'll run at most 2 days in a row and have 1 rest day in between. So i guess like...2 rest days a week?

ashandstuff

Every other day. So, at least a day in between workouts longer than 20 minutes.

JenRun1

Thank you to those who have offered excellent advice.

bacamacho

My coach schedules my rest day for Fridays when he knows I like to chill out with the family and wind down from the week. He likes us to have a day for our muscles to rest and rebuild.

asianrunner

I usually take off one day of complete rest. I normally run 3-4x/wk and also do a boot camp class 3x/wk.

To all of the posters that said they don't consider themselves runners: You are! If you run, you're a runner.

macchiatto

The vast majority of runners rest one day or more during the week; 3 days of running and 3 days of cross training or something other then running. One rest day each week. If you search Galloway or Higdon training for longer runs they suggest running 3 and no more then 4 days weekly.

I've been doing 3 (occasionally 4) days a week of running, 0-3 of cross-training, and 1-4 rest days. Ideally I do 3 days of running and 3 days of lifting/HIIT etc. per week but I've been sick a lot this spring so I've prioritized my 10K training and taken more rest days from cross-training when needed.

bwogilvie

After starting up again in January, I'm currently running 3 days a week, about 10-15 miles weekly. I also cycle 25-100 miles a week, between commuting and long rides; in the summer, that generally goes up to 50-150 miles (though it's rare that I go over 100 miles a week).

I'm 46 now. Back in my 20s, I found that I could run up to 4 days a week without serious problems, but when I went over that, I began to get overuse injuries. Now that I'm older and (I hope) wiser, I might be able to run 5 or 6 days a week without injury, by taking it easy and paying more attention to my body, but since I can cycle (which is a lot easier on muscles and joints than running), I don't see any reason to. I might do that when traveling without a bike, since the main reason I started running again is that it's a great exercise to do when you're away from home.

lizafava2

I run 5 or 6 days a week. I have been a (very slow) runner for a long time though - over 10 years. When I was starting out, or when I was heavier or when I start after a long break, I run much less frequently. Every other day or so. At this point, slow 30-40 minute runs do not feel like hard work for my body so I think its okay to do them almost every day. If I start doing intervals or longer runs I rest more.

I do seem to take three or four days off every few weeks if I look at my run-keeper. This is usually work related, but it does give me a rest.

Play_outside

I think it depends on how long you have been running for and how conditioned your body is. My chiropractor says that until your body is conditioned you should only run every other day even if they are short runs, and then you can work up to running back to back days but always having 1-2 rest days a week. I have always understood that rest days are cross training days with one being just a walk or something very gentle like that.

auntiemsgr8

:bigsmile:

MeanderingMammal

I have a hard time justifying a rest day even though I know it is so important. How often do you take a rest day from running? On your running rest days do you do anything else like kickboxing, strength training or are they true rest days with no activity?

Entirely up to you to either schedule rest days or take an unscheduled time off running due to injury. You say you understand it's important, so take your own advice.

I run 4-5 days per week, cycle, row or do resistance training on my non-running days. No days without some form of training.

mamahannick

I run 4 days per week, Jillian Michaels one day, completely rest one day, and then on the last day I either rest again if I feel I need it or Jillian Michaels again. Rest time is very important and will increase the quality of your runs.

scraver2003

I've been running three days a week. I am going to start adding in a fourth day next week, but only because I have been unable to get all my miles in during my lunch break runs. I am only doing 2.1 - 2.2. miles on those two runs each week during my lunch break, so I am going to add a third one of those. Then on the weekend, I do a long run. I did 4 miles on saturday. I am going to do a 5k this coming weekend. Then the following weekend, I am going to aim for 4.5 miles on my long run.

Anyway. Then the other days, I have been trying to do some crosstraining. No way could I just run every single day. My legs would laugh at me....

kristinegift

I take 1 or 2 days off a week. Sometimes I'm forced to take a day off due to my work schedule (on days I work 8-1 at one job and 3-9 at another, I just don't have time to throw a run in the middle). I try to do a 15 min strength/ab workout even on days that I don't run because, as I discovered this week, when I slack on those exercises, my body falls apart (just kidding, but my hips get misaligned and that sucks). But cross-training instead of running is always a good choice if you're new to running, or if running is putting too much pressure on your body or you feel yourself collecting aches and pains. My go-to for a cross-train day is biking

Eric_DeCastro

one day a week. but this past weekend I didn't run on Sunday. I'm a little upset about that but I can't do anything about it now. I just have to plan better for next week.

AmyRhubarb

I run every other day, three days a week. The other three days are weight/strength work, with a little kickboxing or a good walk. Always at least one full rest day each week.

thepetiterunner

I guess I'm going to buck the trend here, but I think it really depends on your mileage. There was a great article in Runner's World I read a few months ago about a variety of different runners who don't take the "usual" approach to running (and by usual I mean most of what has been listed above). There was a woman who ran every single day for years, but then again, she didn't do high mileage (usually just a couple of miles a day with a long run sprinkled here or there, and her effort was mostly at an "easy" pace. She did not suffer from injuries and enjoyed logging miles daily in this manner.

That said, it would depend on what sort of mileage and pace you're doing. If you go easy like the runner I mentioned, rest days might not be absolutely necessary (physically). For myself, I can burn out of running mentally without rest days or some cross-training or other non-running related activity. But it's entirely different for everyone. If you're feeling worn out, mentally or physically, then take a rest day. Listen to your body, it's going to give you better advice than any of us can.

BrianSharpe

I rarely take a full blown rest day. Typically I'll run 4 x weekly (Tue, Thus, Sat, Sun) and on non-running days I'll x-train (rowing, riding, swimming, strength etc)

mdcoug

I typically strength train on Monday and Wednesdays, sometimes Saturdays. I run about 2.5-3.5 mi. on Tuesday and Thursdays for about 50-60 min. I run for about 25 min. on Saturdays (if I don't strength train) and on Sundays I run for 90 min, or about 5.5 mi. I'm a pretty slow runner. ;-)

I've been thinking a lot about whether I need a rest day too. I'm not really killing myself with my runs right now. I think if I was able to run faster, I would probably be taking a rest day. Last week I did end up taking a rest day from running/strength, but also took a yoga class.

alathIN

The best endurance sports coach I know recommends work and rest in three-week cycles.
The first week of the cycle is "medium week." This is your baseline level of training.
The second week of the cycle is "big week" where you add 10% volume. Also may do a bit more speed work or increasing pace on longer runs.
The third week of the cycle is "recovery week" where you take back 20-30% of your volume and don't do any speed work - it's all at an easy aerobic pace. You put any extra time or effort into training and sleeping.
The next "medium week" you pick up at the volume of your last "big week."
And so on.
Most people in this program have at least one day a week with no running at all.
Many also take the November-December season with minimal to no running, and focus on swim or bike fitness instead.
There are a lot of podium dwelling athletes in this group, as well as a lot of people who have made progress beyond what they have ever done before.


On some level, it feels like More Should Always be Better, but that's an illusion.
If you think about how your body actually responds to training, it is a stress-adaptation cycle.
Training stresses your body. When you take recovery time, your body rebuilds/recovers to a higher level of fitness, adapting to what you're asking it to do.
If you take out the recovery, you just have a "stress stress stress stress" model which is a great way to get injured, but otherwise completely ineffective.

LittleMissAlx

Not often enough probably. I run 3 days a week (though on my next training plan, that's going up to 4 days) and cross train 3-4 days a week (cycling, elliptical, swimming, dancing, yoga - depends). I probably take an actual rest day where I do nothing that I could count as exercise once every couple of week. Though I'm going to try and be better when I'm running that extra day.

Platform_Heels

I usually run 4 days a week so my rest days are Wednesday (alternate cardio) and the weekends (although right now I'm training for a race so I'm doing either a ride or a run on the weekend)

Ohhim

Ran a bit too far yesterday, so taking 2 weeks off from running

Was running 4 days/week leading up to the marathon and prior half-marathon (and 3 days/week for my prior 10 mile race) though, but did some swimming/lifting most other days (with only 1 total rest day/week).

runner359

Actually Higdon would recommend 3-4 days for a beginner/novice only. Now Galloway has a completely different approach with less running days.