Calling all Runners..

jessicamckay13

Monday: REST
Tuesday: 3 miles easy
Wednesday: weight class (recovering from wrist surgery so right now this is a rest day for me)
Thursday: 5ish miles with interval training
Friday: weight class
Saturday: 2-3 miles slloowwww
Sunday: long run, 8-10 miles

I'm slowly building up. A year ago I was running 3 miles about 3x week. Then I did a 10k on Thanksgiving, froze my butt off, and then didn't start running again until spring. Ha! I'm a wimp when it comes to cold.

kerryh1976

When running shorter distances (up to 3 miles / 5K) I could often run 2 or 3 days without a break. Now I am running longer (about 6 miles / 10K per run) if I try and run consecutive days the quality of my run deteriorates (I run slower, ache more and really don't enjoy it).

I have tried following different plans over the past couple of years but can never get on with them for any length of time; there are always parts of them I simply don't enjoy. And although I run to get fit and am training for a half-marathon, I want to enjoy my running. That's the best bit!

Try a couple of different ways and see what works for you. And a "rest" day doesn't always have to be a total "do nothing" day, try something different (a swim, walk, or a really easy jog, pilates etc etc).

Good luck and most of all ENJOY you run, it is the best feeling :happy:

lcnelson

I almost always take a day off in between due to tendonitis and hamstring issues, but today for instance the weather was amazing and I had to go!

Monday 7 miles
Wednesday 8 miles
Thursday 7 miles
Saturday 5-6 miles depending on how late I am for work!

rainunrefined

Get yourself the C25K program. Google it for info. It'll teach you how to go from the couch to running a 5K. (Which I'm doing in a week!) There are apps for smartphones so you can be told when to run, when to stop, etc. Or you can do it yourself with your watch.

When I started last March, I thought I would die when I ran for 30 seconds. I'm now running almost 2 miles at a time. I run slow. I was told to build my endurance first and worry about speed later.

As far as rest days...I learned my lesson in a bad way. I was running every day and I also added in 30 Day Shred. It was too much on my knees, and I injured myself. I had to stop running for a month, and it was terrible! But I did learn from it. I have 2 to 3 forced rest-from-running days each week. So I run 4 to 5 days. On the rest days, I do a cardo circuit and also 30 Day Shred. (I also still do the 30 Day Shred on my running days.) But I modify parts of the 30 Day Shred, because it is so high impact. I will *not* injure myself again...running is too important to me. I have found jumping jacks, particularly, to be awful on my knees. I just won't do them.

I am finishing up week 5 of the C25k tonight. My original post stemmed from me wanting to run more than the 3 days per week that C25k suggests. I have done the 30DS before and enjoyed it, but everyday was too much. I have contemplated throwing it in 2 or 3 days per week when I'm not doing the C25k. I'm pretty sure that's the route I'm going to take.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I'm definitely a beginner, but hope to someday call a 5k a "short run" - right now running an entire 5k sounds a little daunting! But I know I'll get there!

dbanks80

My rest days is cardio. Cycling, Stairamaster, Eyliptical, Strength training etc.. I usuallay run 1 -2 week. Closer to marathon time i run 4-5 times a week.