Running and rest?

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citizenklik
citizenklik Posts: 6
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been running more than usual lately, last nine days in a row. I usually walk five, run twenty, run five. I run at a speed of about 4.5 mph. My wife says I shouldn't run every day...any thoughts?
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Replies

  • erdunn75
    erdunn75 Posts: 26 Member
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    Listen to your body. If it feels sore, take a day off. They say you should rest one day a week. 6 days on, 1 day off. Or at least do something lighter on the 7th day. This is to avoid injury and to not get burnt out.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    It's fine. 4.5mph isn't especially fast as that equates to my dog walking pace! You're fine if you feel fine.
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
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    When you run, you are applying stress to the muscles in your body. Rest allows time for those stresses to repair themselves and become a better runner. If you don't rest, your body may at some point force you to rest in terms of injury or illness.

    I'd try to take a day or two off a week to allow for your body to repair itself.
  • knowwhentoshutup
    knowwhentoshutup Posts: 318 Member
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    I'm just a novice runner, but I try to run only 4 days a week. Rest days are important for your body.

    I've trained and completed a half marathon using this model, and am currently training for another one. I tend to run faster and have better endurance on my runs with rest days. Besides, it is a heck of a lot nicer to my joints (especially my knees) that way.
  • nickhuffman74
    nickhuffman74 Posts: 198 Member
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    Yeah you need a rest day ever so often. I am training for a half and I still take two days off a week.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Keep on running, you can rest when you're dead!

    Just listen to your body, I reject all those rules of thumb about how often to run and rest.
  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
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    I'm a runner, and I never run more than 3 days in a row MAX... I try not to run even back to back days. I also find that I gain speed faster by taking the rest days in between. The best advice is listen to your body, and hopefully you'll know when you need to rest before it's too late and you become sidelined with an injury.

    Good luck!
  • ruggedBear
    ruggedBear Posts: 295
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    I alternate running days with strength training days, with rarely a day off for 10 months now. I recently had to take a few days off, and when I got back out there - I was able to run about 5 miles (~60 min straight) - which is 1.5 more miles (and about 15 minutes more) than my usual. I'm beginning to think that there might be something to this "rest day" idea.

    On the down side - my strength training session after that rest period was brutal!
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
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    When you run, you are applying stress to the muscles in your body. Rest allows time for those stresses to repair themselves and become a better runner. If you don't rest, your body may at some point force you to rest in terms of injury or illness.

    I'd try to take a day or two off a week to allow for your body to repair itself.

    ^ this is great advice and listen to ur wife :) or she might be telling you "I told u so"
  • quill16
    quill16 Posts: 373 Member
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    As long as u feel OK without shin splints or knee pain, I think you can keep going. I just started running in Jan and I run 6 days a week at 6 MPH for 5-7 miles. I did overdo a couple of times and got sore toes and shin splints. Your body usually tells you when its too much.
  • MorganLeighRN
    MorganLeighRN Posts: 411 Member
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    I am a runner (man I love saying that!!!) and I run two days and take a day off, run two days and take a day off. You really need to let your body recovery or you will most likely hurt yourself and than you won't be running for a while. Listen to your wife and your body.
  • melissapaige313
    melissapaige313 Posts: 1
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    I'm on my high school's cross country team. For the first two weeks, we are training twice a day five times a week. We run for about an hour in the morning, and then do cross training in the afternoons. Later in the season we alternate hard work-outs and long runs Mon-Fri, and Saturday mornings we race. We train like this all summer until the start of November. People get injured, but it's usually because they are not taking care of themselves to recover. You MUST stretch and work on strength training, and do some cross training like swimming, to avoid injury. You can run as much as you want as long as you are taking good care of yourself to prevent injury!
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
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    I am a runner (man I love saying that!!!) and I run two days and take a day off, run two days and take a day off. You really need to let your body recovery or you will most likely hurt yourself and than you won't be running for a while. Listen to your wife and your body.

    Awesome advice :)
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    And then since you're running 4.5 mph and are not in high school, I recommend a day off each week.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
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    I'm a runner, and I never run more than 3 days in a row MAX... I try not to run even back to back days. I also find that I gain speed faster by taking the rest days in between. The best advice is listen to your body, and hopefully you'll know when you need to rest before it's too late and you become sidelined with an injury.

    Good luck!
    I'm more of a novice runner, but this is what I try.

    I find I have better runs after I've had a rest day. To me, it drives me forward to run longer and faster over time, so the rest days are important for me to achieve this goal.
  • RAFValentina
    RAFValentina Posts: 1,231 Member
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    When you're running long distances and continuously and at faster paces I'd take rest days when you've "beasted" yourself. You know when to take a rest day cos you'll feel absolutely ballbagged after your run. Without being patronising, you're not running especially fast so I'd keep what you're doing until you can run continuously. I used to run 10-14Kmevery day for 40days solid and never had mcuh trouble then came the day I felt ballbagged, had a day off and was fine. The alternative too to keep up the good work is to cross train...if you can get on an ellpitical trainer or even a bike. Strength/resistance training should be integrated too a couple of times a week. Its a personal thing and what is strenouous to one person may be moderate or easy to another person. If you're feeling like you really have to push it and you're feeling crap, take a day off.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I prefer not to run on back to back days. Being out for 6 weeks with a stress fracture taught me that rest is important.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    I agree to just listen to your body. Your body will know when it needs rest, and the important thing is that you listen. HAPPY RUNNING!
  • bradp1979
    bradp1979 Posts: 154 Member
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    To all of the people saying to listen to your body, great advice. Any other advice may be right for that one person, but it won't be right for you. I ran 5 miles a day, 7 days a week, for 3 years with no ill effects. That doesn't mean that your body can take it, or even that my body could take it now. Your body is the only thing you really should be listening to.
  • camrunner
    camrunner Posts: 363
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    I run "every day" and take a day off when I start feeling worn down. Lately that equates to about 6 days a week. Or maybe I'll only run 3 miles one day instead of 7+. Every body is different, so just trust what yours is telling you :)

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