Running the day after a long run???

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  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    edited March 2019
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    RunnerGrl1982 wrote: »
    I feel a bit like the odd one out after reading the responses. My two cents on this is in the range of personal preference, because only you know what your body can and cannot handle, how well you recover, etc...

    I typically always follow my long runs with a full rest day. Only after 48 hours will I go out for an easy run following a long run. Though, I also will also caveat for me, personally, that a long run consists of lengths greater than 13 miles. There have been mid-distance runs, where I've ran up to roughly 9 miles and followed another the consecutively at 5-6 miles the next day. That run is always run at easy pace - as most have mentioned above already.

    My current plan has 60 minutes cross training the day after my long run day - I'm starting with 30 minutes as historically I have also gone rest day too.

    Legs felt ok on the bike yesterday, but now I have run again today they feel a little tired...

    I’m not as experienced as some of y’all but I tend to follow a long run with a medium length bike ride the next day. I might run 10 miles on Saturday and then ride 20-25 miles at an easy pace on Sunday. Then I’ll take a rest day Monday. I might stretch and do some upper body workout but give the legs a break.
  • ttippie2000
    ttippie2000 Posts: 412 Member
    edited March 2019
    I rack up 10 mile runs weekly and train the next day all the time. My experience is that it kinda depends on how you feel. (Right now I feel great.) But to my way of thinking, the long run usually IS recovery. It is actually the short max intervals that leave me wiped, and I usually take my rest day after that.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
    I recover better from a long run if I do a recovery run the following day and a rest day the day after that. The recovery run helps get blood flowing and helps loosen things up. I typically do 3 miles or 1 mile for each 4 of the long run (whichever is longer).

    These are super easy runs and may include lots of petting neighborhood dogs, pictures of the sunset, dancing to my playlist, etc.
  • jrockzx
    jrockzx Posts: 5 Member
    I hope you gave it a shot and ran on those sore legs. I have run several 50 mile ultras and the training that leads up to them forces me to get short runs in on sore legs all the time. Personally I think it is excellent and gives you a mental edge to know that if your legs were fresh you would be able to do so much more. I went for a 13 mile run today and you better believe I will be hitting the trails for a short run tomorrow.

    Also sometimes when my legs are far too sore to get two days of running in I will head to the pool and get a couple hours of lap swimming in. It is perfect for sore muscles and surprisingly you will get out of the pool with less aches and pain than when you got in. Good luck!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    RunnerGirl238 wrote: »
    I did 10 miles today, a lovely, runner's high-inducing 10. I felt like I could have gone more. I'm not sore at all.

    I want to do a shake out run tomorrow to see what it is like to run on tired legs. I've been googling to see what the pros say, but can't find concise answers suggestions.

    I've been running for years, but have never run the day after a long run. What do you all do?

    Back to back longs are a staple of ultra training. As long as you feel comfortable there's nothing inherently difficult about it.

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